What Education is Required to Be a Chiropractor? Your Guide to Qualifications

Earning the credentials to practice as a chiropractor takes more than academic rigor. It’s about mastering the science, art, philosophy and compassion needed to transform lives through chiropractic care. 

Chiropractors focus on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions, offering patients non-invasive, holistic solutions for pain and wellness. Becoming a chiropractor requires in-depth education and training to ensure safe and effective patient care. 

At SCU, our Doctor of Chiropractic program is designed to lead the way, combining evidence-based learning with hands-on training to shape the next generation of healthcare professionals.

In this article we will break down the education and certification requirements needed to obtain your chiropractor license.

What is a Chiropractor?

Chiropractors play a vital role in modern healthcare, specializing in musculoskeletal wellness. They diagnose and treat conditions affecting the spine, joints, and muscles, using non-invasive techniques to improve function, alleviate pain, and promote overall health.

Chiropractors Are Essential Because

• They focus on non-invasive, drug-free treatments.
• Their care enhances overall body function and promotes natural healing.
• Chiropractors help patients achieve long-term wellness goals.

The Education You Need for a Career in Chiropractic Care

Becoming a chiropractor requires a strong foundation in science, followed by specialized training in a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program. This academic journey combines rigorous coursework with hands-on clinical practice, preparing you for a rewarding career in healthcare.

Undergraduate Prerequisites

Aspiring chiropractors start with essential pre-chiropractic coursework in areas such as:

• Biology and Chemistry: To understand the fundamentals of life sciences.
• Physics: Crucial for grasping movement and mechanics.
• Anatomy and Physiology: A cornerstone for any healthcare professional.

Strong grades in these subjects demonstrate readiness for the demanding curriculum of a chiropractic program. A solid academic background also enhances the ability to excel in advanced studies.

Choosing the Right Major

Consider undergraduate majors that align with chiropractic goals, such as:

• Pre-Med: A natural fit, providing a great base in foundational sciences.
• Kinesiology: Perfect for understanding human movement.
• Exercise Science: A practical choice for those interested in biomechanics.

Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) Program

The Doctor of Chiropractic degree is the cornerstone of chiropractic education. At SCU, the program is structured around a series of academic terms rather than a fixed number of calendar years, giving students two paths: an Accelerated format (8 terms) or a Standard format (10 terms).

Both combine classroom learning, lab work, and clinical training, and both follow a similar academic arc:

• Year 1: The Foundation

Core health sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pathology) paired with early hands-on chiropractic skills courses, building toward the first national licensure exam.

• Year 2: Clinical Sciences

Diagnostic training in orthopedics, neurology, imaging, and lab interpretation, plus interprofessional education courses that expose students to complementary therapeutic approaches.

• Year 3: Putting It All Together

Supervised patient care, a chosen concentration for focused skill-building, and completion of licensure exams.

Students who haven’t yet finished a bachelor’s degree can also pursue SCU’s embedded Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences alongside the DC, completing both within the same timeline, which is useful for meeting bachelor’s-degree licensure requirements in states where that applies.

Program Structure and Focus Areas

• Core Sciences: Advanced anatomy, neurology, and biomechanics.
• Clinical Practice: Hands-on training in spinal adjustments, physical examination, and patient care.
• Professional Development: Courses on healthcare ethics and practice management.

Becoming a chiropractor is an exciting journey of growth and discovery. With the right academic preparation and passion for health, you’ll be ready to make a meaningful impact in the field.

Breaking Down Chiropractic Certification Requirements Post-Graduation

Understanding the process of board certification and licensure is essential for any aspiring chiropractor. From completing rigorous exams to meeting state-specific requirements, this journey ensures you’re fully prepared to deliver safe, effective care and build a thriving practice.

National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Exams

The NBCE exams are the cornerstone of chiropractic certification, designed to assess knowledge and clinical skills. They include four parts:

• Part I focuses on foundational sciences like anatomy and physiology.
• Part II delves into clinical sciences and principles.
• Part III evaluates the ability to manage patient cases.
• Part IV now centers on two areas, Chiropractic Technique and Case Management, delivered through an OSCE-style, in-person format where candidates work through simulated patient encounters, from history-taking to examination to a written patient note, rather than the multiple-choice format used previously.

Passing these exams demonstrates readiness to enter the profession with confidence.

Steps to Obtain Licensure in California

To practice in California, you’ll need to earn a degree from an accredited chiropractic program and pass the NBCE exams. Additionally, you’ll take the state-specific California Chiropractic Law Examination (CCLE) and complete a background check.

Once you’ve submitted your application to the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners, you’re on your way to becoming a licensed chiropractor.

Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning

Licensure isn’t the end of the learning journey. Chiropractors must complete continuing education (CE) annually, including courses in ethics, law, and clinical advancements. Staying informed about emerging techniques and research ensures the best possible care for patients over the long run.

SCU’s Edge: Preparing Chiropractors for Modern Healthcare

At SCU, we take pride in preparing students for success through a cutting-edge, evidence-based curriculum. Combining advanced technologies, hands-on clinical experiences, and specialized training options, our program is designed to help students excel in every aspect of chiropractic care.

Evidence-Based and Integrative Curriculum

SCU’s Doctor of Chiropractic program focuses on whole-person care, blending evidence-based practices with innovative teaching methods. This approach equips students to collaborate effectively with both conventional and complementary healthcare professionals, ensuring superior patient outcomes.

Advanced Learning Technologies

SCU integrates state-of-the-art tools to enhance learning, including:

• Anatomage Tables: 3D anatomy visualization for deep understanding.
• SynDavers: Lifelike synthetic cadavers for hands-on training.
• Diagnostic Imaging Technology: Training in X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans.
• Force Sensing Table Technology: Specialized chiropractic tables that give students real-time feedback on adjustment precision, speed, and force.

These tools offer immersive, technology-driven education that builds expertise and confidence.

Clinical Experience in Diverse Settings

Real-world training at SCU begins in our health clinics. Beyond that, students can gain invaluable experience in private practices, VA hospitals, teaching hospitals, and community clinics through SCU’s network of partner sites, graduating with a standout résumé.

Concentrations for Focused Career Paths

Rather than a single elective track, SCU’s DC program now offers three concentration pathways students can pursue during Year 3 alongside the core curriculum:

• Sports Medicine

Built for students drawn to injury prevention, functional movement, and performance care for athletes and active populations. Students work alongside experienced faculty and explore chiropractic care in settings from marathons to collegiate and international competition. Learn more about the Sports Medicine concentration.

• Functional Medicine

A systems-based approach examining how nutrition, lifestyle, stress, and environment interact with musculoskeletal health, suited to students drawn to integrative, preventive care models.

• Women’s Health

Focused on chiropractic care across the female lifespan, including musculoskeletal health considerations during pregnancy, the perinatal period, and pediatric care.

Interprofessional and Whole-Health Approach

At SCU, students learn to integrate conventional and complementary care. This unique training prepares graduates to treat the whole person (mind, body, and spirit) while working collaboratively in diverse healthcare teams.

Choosing SCU means joining a community dedicated to innovation, excellence, and the future of healthcare. Explore our admissions requirements to see what it takes to get started.

Why Pursue a Career in Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a smart career choice for anyone interested in healthcare that truly makes a difference. With more people looking for natural, non-invasive treatments, chiropractors are in high demand. 

This field offers flexibility to specialize, work independently, and help people feel and move better, all while building a stable, rewarding career. As holistic healthcare gains traction, chiropractic stands at the forefront of this movement.

• Steady Growth

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 10% job growth for chiropractors from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, reflecting increased interest in natural and preventive treatments.

• Patient Preference

More individuals are seeking alternatives to pharmaceuticals and surgery, making chiropractic care highly relevant in today’s healthcare landscape.

Flexibility in Career Paths

One of the unique advantages of chiropractic is its versatility.

• Private Practice: Build a practice and create a personalized approach to patient care.
• Specializations: Pursue fields like sports medicine, pediatrics, or chiropractic neurology to align a career with personal passions.
• Team Collaboration: Work alongside other healthcare professionals in clinics, hospitals, or sports teams.

Chiropractic offers a blend of purpose and opportunity. Whether the draw is flexibility, growth potential, or the chance to improve lives, it’s a career that delivers on all fronts.

Achieve Your Success in Chiropractic Care with SCU

Success in chiropractic care starts with a commitment to learning and a passion for improving lives. 

At SCU, we guide students through an integrative, evidence-based curriculum, complete with advanced technology, hands-on training, and a focus on building both clinical and business expertise. 

Our goal is to ensure students are fully prepared to succeed in this growing and rewarding field. SCU provides not just an education but a pathway to a fulfilling career in chiropractic. 

From personalized mentorship to concentrations in sports medicine, functional medicine, and women’s health, we’re here to support the journey every step of the way. Explore our admissions requirements and consider applying today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many years does it take, in total, to become a licensed chiropractor? 

Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the typical timeline at about seven years: at least three years of undergraduate study plus roughly four years to complete a DC program. That estimate assumes a traditional academic calendar and doesn’t account for variation in how individual programs structure their terms.

SCU’s term-based approach offers an 8-term accelerated format, delivering the same coursework into a tighter academic calendar, while the 10-term standard format spaces things out closer to the national norm.

Both paths cover the same foundational sciences, clinical training, and supervised patient care before a student is eligible to sit for licensure exams.

Real-world timelines can stretch beyond these estimates depending on individual circumstances. Students who need to complete additional prerequisite coursework before enrolling, who choose the embedded bachelor’s degree option, or who require extra time to pass NBCE exam sections may add months or more to the total.

How much continuing education do licensed chiropractors need to complete in California? 

California requires 24 hours of continuing education every year, due by a licensee’s birthday month. This is separate from the training completed during the DC program itself and continues for as long as a chiropractor holds an active license in the state.

The 24 hours aren’t entirely open-ended. At least 12 must be taken in person and no more than 12 may be completed online, and a portion of the total must come from specific required categories, including 2 hours of ethics training plus hours in areas such as history-taking and physical examination, adjustment technique, or coding and billing.

The structure is designed to keep practitioners current on both clinical skill and regulatory compliance, rather than letting CE credits accumulate from a single narrow topic.

Requirements like these vary from state to state, so a chiropractor licensed in California who later relocates to practice elsewhere should confirm the receiving state’s specific CE rules rather than assuming they carry over. Resources like CareerOneStop can help identify the right state licensing board to check with directly.

What’s the difference between choosing a concentration in school versus specializing after graduation? 

A concentration, like SCU’s Sports Medicine, Functional Medicine, or Women’s Health pathways, is built into the DC curriculum itself. Students typically select one during Year 3 and complete it alongside core coursework, graduating with both the DC degree and applied experience in that focus area already in hand.

A postgraduate specialty works differently. It’s separate additional training pursued after licensure, leading to a diplomate credential through boards recognized by the American Board of Chiropractic Specialties, such as DACBSP (sports physician), DACNB (chiropractic neurology), or DABCO (chiropractic orthopedics).

Each of these credentials requires its own coursework, often spanning multiple years part-time, and its own board exam, distinct from the NBCE exams taken during the DC program.

The two paths are complementary rather than competing. A student who completes SCU’s Sports Medicine concentration, for example, graduates with a head start on the clinical exposure and coursework that later supports pursuing the DACBSP credential.

Choosing a concentration in school doesn’t lock a graduate out of other specialties later. It simply shapes where their clinical experience is strongest at graduation.

What skills are important for success as a chiropractor? 

The BLS’s profile of the occupation points to six core qualities: communication skills, decision-making skills, being detail oriented, dexterity, empathy, and interpersonal skills. These aren’t abstract traits; they map directly onto specific parts of a chiropractor’s daily work.

Communication and interpersonal skills come into play from the first minute of a patient visit, when a chiropractor listens to a patient’s history and concerns and explains findings and treatment options in terms the patient can act on.

Decision-making and attention to detail matter most during diagnosis, when a chiropractor has to weigh physical exam findings, imaging, and patient-reported symptoms to reach an accurate assessment. That assessment determines whether to treat directly or refer the patient out.

Dexterity is central to the hands-on work itself. Delivering a precise, safe spinal or joint adjustment depends on fine motor control built through repetition. Empathy threads through all of it as a main pillar of compassionate, patient-centered care. 

Programs like SCU’s build these qualities deliberately, through hands-on lab courses, supervised clinical rotations, and interprofessional coursework that puts students in regular contact with patients and other healthcare providers well before graduation.

What is the earning potential for chiropractors? 

Chiropractors earn a median salary of $79,000 annually, according to 2024 BLS data, though pay varies widely: the lowest 10% of earners made under $44,780, while the top 10% earned more than $149,990. That’s a wider spread than many other healthcare occupations with comparable education requirements.

Much of that spread tracks with practice setting. BLS data shows 61% of chiropractors work in offices of chiropractors while 35% are self-employed, and the two paths tend to produce different earning trajectories.

Employed chiropractors typically see more predictable income early on. Self-employed chiropractors and practice owners take on more financial risk upfront but often see higher earning potential once they’ve built a stable patient base.

Experience, geography, and specialization all layer on top of that baseline. Chiropractors tend to earn more as they build a longer track record and reputation in a given market, and cost of living or local demand can shift what a given salary is worth in practice.

A concentration or postgraduate specialty, such as sports medicine or chiropractic neurology, can also open access to specific patient populations or referral networks that support higher earning potential over time, though the BLS data doesn’t break out pay by specialty area.

Is SCU’s Doctor of Chiropractic program accredited? 

Yes. SCU’s DC program holds full accreditation, with no sanctions or restrictions, from the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE), the agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for accrediting chiropractic degree programs. The program also carries approval from the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

Accreditation status isn’t just a formality; it directly affects what a degree lets a graduate do. CCE accreditation is generally required for eligibility to sit for NBCE exams and for state licensure in the first place, and it’s typically a prerequisite for access to federal financial aid programs.

SCU’s program has a long track record behind that accreditation. It traces back to 1911 as the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, making it one of the nation’s oldest chiropractic programs.

It continues to operate today as part of Southern California University of Health Sciences, alongside SCU’s other doctoral and graduate health programs.