Chiropractors are doctors who treat medical conditions related to the neuromusculoskeletal system. They must complete four years of education to attain a doctor of chiropractic degree, after finishing at least three years of undergraduate education. It may be a long path to become a chiropractor, but it's a career that can pay in the six figures.
Earnings Potential
As of 2013, the average annual wage of chiropractors was $78,410, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median wage was $65,300 -- meaning that half of chiropractors earned more than this amount and half earned less. According to the BLS, chiropractors tend to earn less early in their careers but increase their earnings as they establish a client base. The top 10 percent of chiropractors earned $141,440 or more.
Top-Paying States
The top-paying state was Alaska, where chiropractors earned an average annual salary of $152,890. Ohio is the second best-paying state for chiropractors, with an annual average salary of $114,260, and New Jersey chiropractors made $101,090 per year. Anchorage, Alaska, had the best-paid chiropractors of any metropolitan area. They made $169,030 per year. Chiropractors in Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, Florida, made $147,620 per year on average, while those in Rockford, Illinois, made $144,250 per year.
