Chiropractor vs physiotherapist

The differences between chiropractors and physiotherapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physiotherapist has an average salary of $70,054, which is higher than the $53,608 average annual salary of a chiropractor.

The top three skills for a chiropractor include patients, medical histories and spine. The most important skills for a physiotherapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Chiropractor vs physiotherapist overview

	Chiropractor	Physiotherapist
Yearly salary	$53,608	$70,054
Hourly rate	$25.77	$33.68
Growth rate	10%	17%
Number of jobs	17,584	46,916
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age	45	41
Years of experience	2	-

Chiropractor vs physiotherapist salary

Chiropractors and physiotherapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chiropractor	Physiotherapist
Average salary	$53,608	$70,054
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $82,000	Between $47,000 And $103,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	-
Highest paying state	Vermont	-
Best paying company	Hess	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between chiropractor and physiotherapist education

There are a few differences between a chiropractor and a physiotherapist in terms of educational background:

	Chiropractor	Physiotherapist
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common major	Chiropractic	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of Bridgeport	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chiropractor vs physiotherapist demographics

Here are the differences between chiropractors' and physiotherapists' demographics:

	Chiropractor	Physiotherapist
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%	Male, 39.9% Female, 60.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, 7.1% White, 80.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.6% Asian, 17.7% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	12%

Differences between chiropractor and physiotherapist duties and responsibilities

Chiropractor example responsibilities.

Manage AR and EOB's from insurance companies.
Perform cervical whiplash protocols to manage pain and increase function.
Set patients up for MRI's.
Treat patients with chiropractic, physical therapy, exercise, and acupuncture
Used techniques including diversify, activator, drop piece, Graston and acupuncture.
Treat patients in all aspects of chiropractic care as well as acupuncture care.

Physiotherapist example responsibilities.

Assess needs for specialize equipment, orthotics, and wheelchairs as well as possible interventions to manage spasticity and joint contractures.
Provide first-aid, physical therapy treatment and complete rehabilitation for injure players.
Provide support for rehabilitation services department, assisting therapy staff members when necessary.
Facilitate psychological adjustment of patients with extensive/grossly deforming injuries through counseling, pleasant mannerisms and use of good humor.
Work with patients having different conditions on a daily basis by administering physician prescribe treatments including exercise regimens, muscle stretching/relaxations.
Enhance skills of differential diagnosis with an OCS CI.

Chiropractor vs physiotherapist skills

Common chiropractor skills

Patients, 46%
Medical Histories, 23%
Spine, 12%
Manual Adjustments, 4%
Musculoskeletal System, 4%
Patient Care, 3%

Common physiotherapist skills

Patients, 33%
Rehabilitation, 13%
Home Health, 9%
Physical Therapy, 8%
Physiotherapy, 6%
Diagnosis, 4%

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Chiropractor vs Physiotherapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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