Chiropractic doctors can solve problems in the upper back.
Chiropractic doctors, more commonly called chiropractors, manipulate the spine to treat problems with the musculoskeletal system. The profession requires two to four years of undergraduate study, and a four-year chiropractic education. All states also mandate a license. New chiropractors can enter into a partnership with an established professional, buy an existing practice, or start their own.
Basics
Chiropractic doctors work in clean, comfortable offices for an average of 40 hours per week, but longer hours are common and so are shifts in the evening and weekends to accommodate patient schedules. They must be able to stand on their feet for long periods. As of May 2009, the median salary was $67,650 annually, with a range of $32,750 to $150,570. This is equivalent to $32.53 per hour, with a range of $15.74 to $72.39. All amounts are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employers
The largest employers of chiropractic doctors are the offices of other health practitioners, which include chiropractors who are self-employed. They comprise 92 percent of the total 26,310 positions and are among the top five for pay, with a mean $38.40 per hour, or $79,870 per year. The highest paying employers are offices of physicians, with mean wages at $44.93 per hour, or $93,450 per year, for 950 positions.
Locations
Tennessee is the state with the best pay for chiropractic doctors at a mean $53.88 per hour, or $112,060 per year, for 210 positions. Also among the top five for salaries is Wisconsin, at a lower mean of $49.05 per hour, or $102,030 per year, but with better employment at 810 jobs. The highest paying city for this profession is Charlotte, North Carolina, where compensation runs a mean $66.50 per hour, or $138,320 per year, for 140 positions.
Prospects
The Bureau sees jobs for chiropractic doctors increasing by 20 percent until 2018, which is faster than average for all jobs. The demand will come from consumers who prefer this health care alternative that avoids surgery or drugs. Specialists in pediatric care as well as gerontology will find excellent prospects. Those who entered multi-disciplined practices that include a doctor and physical therapists will find the best prospects.
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