The chiropractor salary in the United States $60,728 and in Australia it is AU$69,557 ($53,384). In India, these professionals can expect a salary of Rs 247,369 ($3,783), and in South Africa, it is R240,000 ($18,803). As you can see, the salary differs significantly based on the county they live in and the associated cost of living.
This chiropractor salary guide explores salary ranges in seven different countries. The article concludes with a typical work schedule and benefits package followed by a chiropractor career outlook.
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make per Year by Country?
| Chiropractor Salary | US | Canada | UK | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa |
| Hourly Pay | $30.99 | C$40.78 ($30.61) | E16.82 ($18.11) | AU425.33 ($19.44) | NZ$32.30 ($22.57) | Rs 495.18 ($7.57) | R115.38* ($9.04) |
| Annual Pay | $60,728 | C$63,422 ($47,605) | E35,000 ($37,675) | AU$69,557 ($53,384) | NZ$67,200 ($46,952) | Rs 247,369 ($3,783) | R240,000 ($18,803) |
*These figures are estimated based on the other pay information given. This assumes a 40 hour work week.
Chiropractor Salary Influencing Factors
Wherever you look for salary information, you will likely see different amounts presented. This depends on what the original data states. In this instance, the salary ranges are from Payscale. However, the pay for a physiotherapist is given in India as that is how chiropractors identify themselves.
1. Location
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in the US?
| Chiropractor Salary US | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | $36,487 | $19.46 |
| Maximum | $120,454 | $62.54 |
| Bonus | $1,002 – $24,477 | – |
| Comission/Overtime | $12,208 | $55.00 |
| Total Pay | $38,703 – $123,132 |
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in Canada?
| Chiropractor Salary Canada | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | C$40,345 | C$23.98 |
| Maximum | C$120,602 | C$60.40 |
| Bonus | C$3,250 | – |
| Overtime | – | – |
| Total Pay | C$40,697 – C$120,715 |
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in the UK?
| Chiropractor Salary UK | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | E35,000 | E16.82 |
| Maximum | – | – |
| Bonus | E1,850 | – |
| Overtime | – | – |
| Total Pay | E16,107 – E79,663 |
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in Australia?
| Chiropractor Salary Australia | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | AU$38,373 | AU$19.32 |
| Maximum | AU$122,911 | AU$61.83 |
| Bonus | AU$23,000 | – |
| Overtime | – | – |
| Total Pay | AU$39,824 – AU$124,280 |
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in New Zealand?
| Chiropractor Salary New Zealand | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | NZ$67,200 | NZ$32.30 |
| Maximum | – | – |
| Bonus | – | – |
| Overtime | – | – |
| Total Pay | – |
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in India?
| Chiropractor Salary India | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | Rs 121,216 | Rs 197.97 |
| Maximum | Rs 601,836 | Rs 1,515 |
| Bonus | Rs 1,439 – Rs 101,367 | – |
| Overtime | – | Rs 2,000 |
| Total Pay | Rs 121,764 – Rs 715,202 |
How Much Does a Chiropractor Make in South Africa?
| Chiropractor Salary South Africa | Per Year | Per Hour |
| Minimum | R240,000 | R115.38 |
| Maximum | – | – |
| Bonus | – | – |
| Overtime | – | – |
| Total Pay | – |
2. Experience
Chiropractors in Australia experience consistent salary growth from approximately AU$60,000 to AU$95,000. In addition, the pay in Canada sees increases for the first 10 years of employment, a plateau between 10 and 20 years, and then increase again for those with more than 20 years of experience. In the United States, the pay increase is moderate over time from $60,000 to $80,000. Pay increases sharply in India for the first 20 years of employment. However, it decreases almost 40 percent between these periods.
The most frequent data point for chiropractors in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and India is 1 to 4 years of experience. However, South Africa did not have a dataset for this information.
3. Industry
The chiropractic industry is sometimes seen as not legitimate healthcare with doubts about its effectiveness. This makes it interesting because chiropractors engage in an extensive course of study to be able to practice. In fact, it is a healthcare field.
Regardless, many people see chiropractors, and they can be a good choice for those with lower back pain or tension headaches. Most chiropractors are self-employed or work in a small private practice. However, some of these professionals do work inside hospitals. In the year 2014, there were 42,500 chiropractors in the United States.
In India, there is the Indian Association of Chiropractic Doctors which is intended to promote awareness and increase use of chiropractors. This group is a member of the World Federation of Chiropractic that has meetings. Chiropractic care is a relatively recent development in India as it was officially recognized in 2006.
Schedule & Working Hours
The schedule for chiropractors varies on where they work and the type of office they are in. Approximately 33 percent of chiropractors in the United States are self-employed. However, due to the nature of their job, they set their own schedules for the most part. This means that they can work part-time or varied hours. A typical chiropractor schedule is that they will have some days where they are open early and close early like 7 AM to 3 PM and other days where they do not open until 1 PM but stay open until 8 PM.
Bonuses & Benefits
One of their biggest benefits is the flexibility of their job. Another benefit is the relatively high pay they receive. In addition, chiropractic care is in demand right now. This increases the options for where a chiropractor chooses to work.
An intrinsic benefit of being a chiropractor is helping people with their health issues. For people who have been struggling with back pain for an extended period of time to experience relief is often a very emotional moment. Therefore, chiropractors get to experience the joy of helping people feel better.
Due to the high degree of self-employment, most chiropractors do not receive health insurance through their job. The table below shows the percentage of chiropractors who do receive these benefits. A (–) means that data for this particular point is not currently available.
| Country | United States | Canada | United Kingdom | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa |
| Medical | 33 | 31 | 0 | 25 | 50 | 56 | — |
| Dental | 15 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | — |
| Vision | 11 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | — |
| None | 65 | 64 | 100 | 75 | 50 | 43 | — |
Career Outlook
In the United States, the job growth for chiropractors is positive at 17 percent. This is mainly due to people interested in alternative forms of healthcare and doctors placing more trust in the chiropractic industry.
People generally need more healthcare as they age. The aging population in the United States will increase the demand for chiropractic services. However, one of the limiting factors of their career growth is the insurance acceptance. Only some insurances are accepted and of the insurances accepted, only a few of those cover chiropractic visits. However, this is a relatively affordable form of healthcare.
The industry is in balance in terms of gender. In Australia, 55 percent of chiropractors are male while in India 54 percent are female. Canada is split evenly at 50 percent of both genders. The greatest disparity is in the United States where 68 percent of chiropractors are male.
Conclusion
Chiropractors have to go through a long schooling period to practice. However, they experience a high degree of job stability and have a strong income. A chiropractor career is a great choice for someone who wants to help people feel better, but is not sure they want to pursue the traditional healthcare route. Their responsibilities are similar to that of an occupational therapist, but their salaries differ.