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Chiropractor salary in California

Updated October 31, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$75,470median pay per year in California, or $36.28 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $51,990lowest 10% earn less
  2. $61,56025th percentile
  3. $75,470median
  4. $103,83075th percentile
  5. $179,230top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $79,200[3]

The median pay for chiropractors in California was $75,470 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $3,730 lower than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
2,760[4]
Rank by median pay
33 of 48[5]
Compared with US median
−4.7%[6]

How much do chiropractors make in California?

Half of chiropractors in California earned more than $75,470 a year[1]. Half earned less. That works out to $36.28 an hour[1]. The average was higher, at $101,190 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for chiropractors was $79,200[3]. California came in 33rd out of 48 states with a published median[5].

Compared with all jobs in the state, the chiropractor median was higher. Their median was $17,230 higher than the $58,240 median for all occupations in California[8][9]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $51,990, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $179,230[2].

Pay differs across the state. Of the 10 metro areas with a published median, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had the highest, at $103,090[10]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $95,990, and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad had a median of $51,990[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. Self-employed workers and business owners are left out, and so are bonuses and benefits costs[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for chiropractors in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$75,470[1]$79,200[3]
Median per hour$36.28[1]$38.08[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$51,990[2]$43,460[13]
Top 10% earn more than$179,230[2]$146,080[13]
Jobs2,760[4]39,630[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for chiropractors, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA[11]$51,990640
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$74,860510
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$80,560220
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$95,990190
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$103,090130
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$74,93070
Bakersfield-Delano, CA$74,34040
Modesto, CA$73,64040

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for chiropractors in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arizona[14]$100,2601,050
Oregon$81,540610
Nevada$74,190240

Median pay for chiropractors in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for chiropractors are projected to grow 8.7% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chiropractor make in California?
The median was $75,470 a year in May 2025, and the average was $101,190[1][7].
How much does a chiropractor make an hour in California?
The median was $36.28 an hour[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $25.00 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $86.17[17][2].
Which city in California pays chiropractors the most?
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom had the highest median among metro areas with published data, at $103,090 a year[10].
Is California a good state for chiropractors?
California ranked 33rd out of 48 states for median pay[5]. Its median was $3,730 lower than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a chiropractor in California?
Across the US, the typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree[16]. This is a US figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Chiropractors in California was $75,470 per year and $36.28 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Chiropractors in California: 10th percentile $51,990, 25th percentile $61,560, 75th percentile $103,830, 90th percentile $179,230. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Chiropractors in the US as a whole was $79,200 per year and $38.08 per hour, with about 39,630 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,760 people worked as Chiropractors in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 33rd highest median annual wage for Chiropractors out of the 48 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Chiropractors in California ($75,470) was $3,730 (4.7%) lower than the US median ($79,200). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Chiropractors in California was $101,190 per year and $48.65 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Chiropractors in California was $17,230 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 10 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Chiropractors, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA had the highest median annual wage, $103,090. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Chiropractors in the US: 10th percentile $43,460, 25th percentile $60,070, 75th percentile $105,050, 90th percentile $146,080. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Chiropractors in states that border California (highest first): Arizona $100,260; Oregon $81,540; Nevada $74,190. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Chiropractors is projected to grow 8.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,600 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Chiropractors: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Chiropractors in California: 10th percentile $25.00, 25th percentile $29.60, 75th percentile $49.92, 90th percentile $86.17. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.