Institutions
18
offering CIP 51.01
States & territories
15
with a program page
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Degrees / yr
3,022
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
1 year after graduation
US pay · Chiropractors
$90,520
BLS OEWS May 2025

About Chiropractic programs

The Chiropractic program focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine. This field is recognized as a form of alternative medicine and emphasizes manual therapy, alongside exercises and health counseling. It is ideal for those interested in holistic health approaches and helping individuals manage pain and improve their overall well-being.

Learn more about Chiropractic

What you'll learn

Students in the Chiropractic program will develop essential skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework typically covers topics in medicine, biology, and psychology, equipping students with the knowledge needed to evaluate and treat neuromusculoskeletal issues.

Top 18 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).

Graduate earnings for this program are not yet reported by College Scorecard. Explore the states below to see where it's offered.

Offered across 15 states & territories

The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.

StateInstitutionsMedian earningsTop institution by earnings
Californialimited2
Connecticutlimited1
Floridalimited1
Georgialimited1
Illinoislimited1
Iowalimited1
Kentuckylimited1
Minnesotalimited1
Kansaslimited1
Missourilimited1
New Yorklimited2
Oregonlimited1
South Carolinalimited1
Texaslimited2
Puerto Ricolimited1

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1011, Chiropractors, and its national outlook.

Graduates of the Chiropractic program can expect a promising career outlook, with a projected growth rate of 9.5% and approximately 2,800 annual job openings. The median wage for chiropractors is around $79,000, and a doctoral or professional degree is typically required for entry into the field.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+9.5%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~2,800
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$79,000
typically Doctoral or professional degree
National employment
39,630
Chiropractors
US average pay
$90,520
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$79,200
annual

Top-paying metros

Oklahoma City, OK
$162,110avg
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
$132,720avg
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$128,890avg
Jackson, MS
$125,420avg
Anchorage, AK
$121,090avg

Related careers

Chiropractors
$90,520 avg · 39,630 jobs

CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Chiropractic

The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 51.01.

Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 51.01 (Chiropractic) maps to 2 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.

SOC codeOccupation
25-1071Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
29-1011Chiropractorsprimary

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.

Skills & knowledge in Chiropractic programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Active Listening
Reading Comprehension
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Writing
Science
Active Learning
Monitoring

Knowledge areas

Medicine and Dentistry
English Language
Customer and Personal Service
Biology
Psychology
Administration and Management

What graduates do on the job

  • Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagnosis.
  • Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and examining patients and interpreting x-rays.
  • Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculoskeletal system.
  • Obtain and record patients' medical histories.
  • Maintain accurate case histories of patients.
  • Advise patients about recommended courses of treatment.

Concentrations within Chiropractic

Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).

  • Chiropractic
    CIP 51.0101

    A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of chiropractic, a health care and healing system based on the application of non-invasive treatments and spinal adjustmen

Common questions

What is chiropractic care?+

Chiropractic care focuses on diagnosing and treating mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, primarily through manual therapy.

What skills are important for chiropractors?+

Key skills include active listening, critical thinking, and knowledge of medicine and biology.

What is the job outlook for chiropractors?+

The job outlook for chiropractors is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 9.5%.

What level of education is required?+

A doctoral or professional degree is typically required to practice as a chiropractor.

What is the CIP code for Chiropractic?+

Chiropractic maps to CIP 51.01 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.

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About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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