FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 5101

Chiropractic: is this first professional degree worth it?

National picture across 10 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$60,656 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$60,656Median year-4 earnings
$32,176Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →
WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$60,656Median reported earnings · year 4
$57,274Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
12thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
10Reporting programs
10With year-4 earnings
COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings
$52,614
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
5
5 report earnings →
CURRENT VIEW

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings
$60,656
Federal debt
Not available
Reporting programs
10
10 report earnings →
COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median
25th percentile$56,605National median$60,65675th percentile$62,214
10 programs report year‑4 earnings.
WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Northeast College of Health Sciences$73,8542University of Western States$69,1263Parker University$62,7954Palmer College of Chiropractic$62,2145Logan University$60,8066Northwestern Health Sciences University$60,5067Life University$57,7348Southern California University of Health Sciences$56,6059Life Chiropractic College West$55,90010Sherman College of Chiropractic$44,874

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

ChiropractorsSOC 29-1011 · 1 crosswalk linksHealth Specialties Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1071 · 1 crosswalk links
BEST COLLEGES FOR CHIROPRACTIC

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#CollegeLocationEarnings, year 4Federal debtROI statusCost context
1Northeast College of Health SciencesFirst Professional DegreeSeneca Falls, NY$73,854Not availableBaseline neededNot available
2University of Western StatesFirst Professional DegreePortland, OR$69,126Not availableBaseline neededNot available
3Parker UniversityFirst Professional DegreeDallas, TX$62,795Not availableBaseline needed$29,135
4Palmer College of ChiropracticFirst Professional DegreeDavenport, IA$62,214Not availableBaseline neededNot available
5Logan UniversityFirst Professional DegreeChesterfield, MO$60,806Not availableBaseline needed$20,218
6Northwestern Health Sciences UniversityFirst Professional DegreeBloomington, MN$60,506Not availableBaseline needed$35,887
7Life UniversityFirst Professional DegreeMarietta, GA$57,734Not availableBaseline needed$29,791
8Southern California University of Health SciencesFirst Professional DegreeWhittier, CA$56,605Not availableBaseline needed$45,848
9Life Chiropractic College WestFirst Professional DegreeHayward, CA$55,900Not availableBaseline neededNot available
10Sherman College of ChiropracticFirst Professional DegreeBoiling Springs, SC$44,874Not availableBaseline neededNot available

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.