---
title: Is a Chiropractic degree worth the debt?
cip: 5101
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Chiropractic degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Professional**, across **10** colleges (10 of 10 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $40,562 ($36,897 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $193,488 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 4.62× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $35,550–$44,788 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Doctoral | $41,240 | $189,834 | 4.19× | 5 | 5/5 |
| Professional | $40,562 | $193,488 | 4.62× | 10 | 10/10 |

## Where a Professional in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| University of Western States (OR) | $50,012 | $201,184 |
| Parker University (TX) | $46,548 | $197,321 |
| Northeast College of Health Sciences (NY) | $45,664 | $165,800 |
| Logan University (MO) | $42,161 | $181,114 |
| Palmer College of Chiropractic (IA) | $40,914 | $184,786 |
| Northwestern Health Sciences University (MN) | $40,211 | $189,656 |
| Life University (GA) | $37,777 | $245,218 |
| Southern California University of Health Sciences (CA) | $34,808 | $186,190 |
| Life Chiropractic College West (CA) | $30,264 | $206,392 |
| Sherman College of Chiropractic (SC) | $28,770 | $200,332 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/chiropractic.jsonld` · `/education/fields/chiropractic.json`