Career comparison
Chiropractor vs. Physical Therapist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Physical therapists earn more at the median ($102,760 vs. $79,200), while chiropractors usually get to work faster (7–8 years after high school of training). Chiropractors treat back, neck and joint problems with hands-on adjustments. Physical therapists help people recover movement and manage pain after injury or illness.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Chiropractor | Physical Therapist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $79,200 ($38.08/hr) | $102,760 ($49.40/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $43,460 – $146,080 | $77,140 – $135,140 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +8.7% (much faster than average) | +11.9% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 2,600 | 13,400 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 7–8 years after high school | 7 years after high school |
| Key credential | NBCE exams | NPTE |
| Work setting | Chiropractors work in private offices, group clinics and sports settings.. | PTs work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities, homes, schools and sports settings.. |
What each job does
Chiropractor
- Take histories and examine patients
- Assess posture and spine
- Order and read X-rays
- Perform spinal adjustments
- Use soft-tissue and manual therapy
Physical Therapist
- Examine and evaluate patients
- Diagnose movement problems
- Design treatment plans
- Guide therapeutic exercise
- Provide manual therapy
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, hands-on work, working with people, and physical work. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose chiropractor if…
- I like hands-on care
- I want to run my own practice
- I enjoy anatomy
Choose physical therapist if…
- I love anatomy and exercise
- I enjoy motivating people
- I like hands-on work
Still torn? Take the Chiropractor fit quiz and the Physical Therapist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, chiropractor or physical therapist?
Physical Therapists earn more at the median: $102,760 versus $79,200 for chiropractors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Chiropractors typically train faster (7–8 years after high school) than physical therapists (7 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects physical therapists to grow +11.9% from 2025–35, compared with +8.7% for chiropractors.