Chiropractic School and Career Guide
Get Information on Becoming a Chiropractor

Chiropractic medicine provides an all-natural technique for adjusting the misalignment of the vertebrae. Many people have turned to chiropractic medicine as an alternative treatment for sports, whip-lash and other related injuries, giving this form of medicine a very promising career outlook.

Chiropractic medicine is among the most popular natural health degrees. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, chiropractic careers are expected to see continued growth through 2016, making today a great time to join the profession.

General Chiropractic Information

• What is chiropractic?
• What is the history of chiropractic?
• What does a chiropractor do?

Careers in Chiropractic Medicine

• Where do chiropractors work?
• What career opportunities exist for chiropractors?
• How much do chiropractors earn?

Chiropractic Laws and Licensure

• What can I expect in terms of chiropractor licensure?

Chiropractic Prerequisites

• What are the typical prerequisites for chiropractic schools?
• What states require a bachelor's degree as well as a DC degree to practice chiropractic?
• Does the above undergraduate degree need to be in a science?
• If an American wants to study in Canada, are there additional requirements?

Chiropractic Tuition and Financial Aid

• What is the average tuition?
• Is financial aid available?

Choosing a Chiropractor School

• How long does it take to graduate?
• If you graduate from a chiropractic school in Canada that is not CCE accredited, can you practice in the US?

Answers provided by the author of Educational and Career Opportunities in Alternative Medicine, Rosemary Jones.

Some answers adapted from material provided by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics 2003-2004 Occupational Outlook Handbook, Job-Employment-Guide.com and Salary.com.

What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic focuses on the relationship between the spinal column and the nervous system. Through spinal adjustments, chiropractic doctors alleviate problems caused by the misalignment of the vertebrae. DCs do not use surgery or drugs in their practice, but they may also incorporate many other natural therapies besides spinal manipulation, including: craniosacral therapy, visualizations, breathwork, herbal or vitamin supplements, and so on.

What is the history of chiropractic?
D.D. Palmer (1845-1913) founded the first chiropractic college in Davenport, Iowa. Today, there are sixteen chiropractic colleges recognized by the Council on Chiropractic Education. More than 50,000 DCs are licensed in the US and make up the largest single body of natural health practitioners.

What does a chiropractor do?
Chiropractors, also known as doctors of chiropractic (DC) or chiropractic physicians, diagnose and treat patients whose health problems are associated with the body's muscular, nervous and skeletal systems, especially the spine. Chiropractors believe interference with these systems impairs normal functions and lowers resistance to disease. They also hold that spinal or vertebral dysfunction alters many important body functions by affecting the nervous system, and that skeletal imbalance through joint or articular dysfunction, especially in the spine, can cause pain.

The chiropractic approach to health care is holistic, stressing the patient's overall well-being. It recognizes that many factors affect health, including exercise, diet, rest, environment and heredity. Chiropractors use natural, drugless, non-surgical health treatments, and rely on the body's inherent recuperative abilities. They also may recommend lifestyle changes to their patients (regarding eating, exercise, and sleeping habits, for example). When appropriate, chiropractors consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners.

Like other health practitioners, chiropractors follow a standard routine to secure the information needed for diagnosis and treatment. They take the patient's medical history, conduct physical, neurological, and orthopedic examinations, and may order laboratory tests. X-rays and other diagnostic images are important tools because of the emphasis on the spine and its proper function. Chiropractors also employ a postural and spinal analysis common to chiropractic diagnosis.

In cases in which difficulties can be traced to involvement of musculoskeletal structures, chiropractors manually manipulate or adjust the spinal column. Many chiropractors also use water, light, massage, ultrasound, electric and heat therapy and may apply supports such as straps, tapes and braces. They may also counsel patients about wellness concepts such as nutrition, exercise, lifestyle changes, and stress management, but do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery.

Some chiropractors specialize in sports injuries, neurology, orthopedics, nutrition, internal disorders or diagnostic imaging.

Many chiropractors are solo or group practitioners who also have the administrative responsibilities of running a practice.

Where do chiropractors work?
Approximately 70 percent of active chiropractors are in solo practice. The remainder are in group practice or work for other chiropractors. A small number teach, conduct research at chiropractic institutions, or work in hospitals and clinics.

What career opportunities exist for chiropractors?
Job prospects are expected to be good for persons who enter the practice of chiropractic. Employment of chiropractors is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2008 as consumer demand for alternative medicine grows. Chiropractors emphasize the importance of healthy lifestyles and do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. As a result,chiropractic care is appealing to many health-conscious Americans. Chiropractic treatment of back, neck, extremities, and other joint damage has become more accepted as a result of recent research and changing attitudes about alternative health care practices.The rapidly expanding older population, with their increased likelihood of mechanical and structural problems, will also increase demand.

Demand for chiropractic treatment is also related to the ability of patients to pay, either directly or through health insurance. Although more insurance plans now cover chiropractic services,the extent of such coverage varies among plans. Increasingly, chiropractors must educate communities about the benefits of chiropractic care in order to establish a successful practice.

In this occupation, replacement needs arise almost entirely from retirements. Chiropractors usually remain in the occupation until they retire; few transfer to other occupations. Establishing a new practice will be easiest in areas with a low concentration of chiropractors.

How much do chiropractors earn?
Median annual chiropractor earnings in 2007 were $76,750. Chiropractor Salaries ranged from $51,500 per year to $102,000 per year, according to Job-Employment-Guide.Com. Another source, Salary.com, placed the median chiropractor earnings at $84,500 per year.

Self-employed chiropractors usually earn more than salaried chiropractors. According to the American Chiropractic Association, average income for all chiropractors, including the self-employed, was about $91,500 in 2005. In chiropractic, as in other types of independent practice, earnings are relatively low in the beginning, and increase as the practice grows. Earnings are also influenced by the characteristics and qualifications of the practitioner, and geographic location. Self-employed chiropractors must provide for their own health insurance and retirement. To learn more about chiropractor salaries and careers, visit our Everything You Need to Know to Become a Chiropractor article.

What can I expect in terms of licensure?
All 50 states and the District of Columbia in the United States regulate the practice of chiropractic and grant licenses to chiropractors who meet educational requirements of the State and pass a State approved board examination.

For licensure, most state boards recognize either all or part of the four-part test administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. State examinations may supplement the National Board tests, depending on state requirements. All state boards recognize academic training in chiropractic programs and institutions accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (see below for further educational requirements).

To maintain licensure, almost all states require completion of a specified number of hours of continuing education each year. Continuing education programs are offered by accredited chiropractic programs and institutions, and chiropractic associations. Special councils within some chiropractic associations also offer programs leading to clinical specialty certification, called "diplomate" certification, in areas such as orthopedics, neurology, sports injuries, occupational and industrial health, nutrition, diagnostic imaging, thermography and internal disorders.

What are the typical prerequisites for chiropractic schools?
It is recommended that students have earned a baccalaureate degree in the arts or sciences from an accredited college or university, completed with minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. Most chiropractic schools require applicants to have at least 60 semester hours in English, the social sciences or humanities, organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, physics, and psychology as part of their undergraduate studies. Check with the chiropractor school to make sure that you have enough hours in each discipline. Several American chiropractic colleges now offer a BS degree for students interested in career in chiropractic medicine.

What states require a bachelor's degree as well as a DC degree to practice chiropractic medicine?
Florida, Kansas, Montana, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and the US Virgin Islands all require DCs to have a bachelor's degree as well as the chiropractic degree. Most chiropractic colleges now recommend getting a bachelor's degree either before or concurrently with the DC degree.

Does the above undergraduate degree need to be in a science?
Usually it is easier to meet the science minimums for admission if your bachelor's degree is in science. However, students enter and do well in chiropractic colleges after completing all types of bachelor degree programs. If you're unsure about your science background, the college admissions department or dean of students can probably advise you on any additional undergraduate science classes that you need to take at the chiropractic college or a nearby institution of higher learning.

If an American wants to study in Canada, are there additional requirements?
The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College has the same prerequisite as most of the American colleges (it's also accredited by the same organization, the CCE). They require three years of undergraduate work including a set number of hours in the sciences, but recommend that students get a BA or BS degree before entering.

An additional consideration would be the stiff competition to get into the Canadian college. Admission often closes early, and simply having the prerequisites may not be enough to gain admittance—admission requirements should be seen as the minimum needed. If there's a lot of competition for space, you may need more than the minimum to get into the school. The Canadian college recommends that applications be sent approximately one year prior to the desired admission date. The college admits one class a year in September.

What is the average tuition?
Tuition can range from $11,000 to $20,000 per year depending on the type of program. This wide variation in costs comes from the number of credit hours taken during a calendar year. Some programs run nine months per year, others are 12 months per year.

Is financial aid available?
Traditional financial aid is available at all the US chiropractic colleges including most applicable state and federal programs such as the Stafford Loans. The Canadian college participates in Canadian student loan programs. Many colleges also offer scholarships funded by private endowments.

How long does it take to graduate?
Most chiropractic programs are structured around a typical four-year academic schedule. During the first two years, most chiropractic programs emphasize classroom and laboratory work in basic science subjects such as anatomy, physiology, public health, microbiology, pathology and biochemistry. The last two years stress courses in manipulation and spinal adjustments, and provide clinical experience in physical and laboratory diagnosis, neurology, orthopedics, geriatrics, physiotherapy and nutrition. Some colleges offer an accelerated program that allows students to earn their degrees in three years.

If you graduate from a chiropractic school in Canada which is not CCE accredited, can you practice in the US?
CMCC, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, had a reciprocal accreditation agreement with the CCE so their students could meet US requirements. Obviously, if practicing in the US is the your prime concern, ask the career counselor at the college how many graduates are licensed in the United States and ask if you can contact any of these graduates.

Due to the large number of chiropractic colleges in the US, it might be easier to go to a chiropractic college in the country where you intend to practice. If you lack the undergraduate credits necessary to enter a US college, you may be able to enter as a BS candidate at the college (not all schools offer undergraduate degrees) and then enter the DC program once the undergraduate credits are satisfied. The US programs also qualify for a variety of federal and state aid programs, which may make attending a US school more affordable than you thought.