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The differences between medical doctors and chiropractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a medical doctor, becoming a chiropractor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical doctor has an average salary of $181,967, which is higher than the $53,608 average annual salary of a chiropractor.
The top three skills for a medical doctor include patients, patient care and internal medicine. The most important skills for a chiropractor are patients, medical histories, and spine.
| Medical Doctor | Chiropractor | |
| Yearly salary | $181,967 | $53,608 |
| Hourly rate | $87.48 | $25.77 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 60,642 | 17,584 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A Medical Doctor, also known as a physician, is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats patients from injuries and illnesses. As a Medical Doctor, your day-to-day duties will typically include assessing a patient's symptoms, prescribing and administering treatment to patients, and providing follow-up medical care to patients. You will be responsible for interpreting patients' laboratory results and referring them to other providers when needed. Also, you will need to work closely with other healthcare professionals and promote health education.
A chiropractor is a healthcare professional who provides care and relief to patients with neuromusculoskeletal problems by re-aligning the spine and adjusting other joints. Your duties typically include working with patients on their lifestyle, guiding them on nutrition, exercise, and sleeping habits, and evaluating patients' condition based on their medical history and symptoms. Additionally, you will be responsible for examining the spine and posture, running tests and taking X-rays, and using massage, heat, and cold therapy to treat patients.
Medical doctors and chiropractors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Doctor | Chiropractor | |
| Average salary | $181,967 | $53,608 |
| Salary range | Between $95,000 And $347,000 | Between $34,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brownsville, TX | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Pacific Medical Centers | Hess |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Professional |
There are a few differences between a medical doctor and a chiropractor in terms of educational background:
| Medical Doctor | Chiropractor | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Chiropractic |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Bridgeport |
Here are the differences between medical doctors' and chiropractors' demographics:
| Medical Doctor | Chiropractor | |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.9% Female, 53.1% | Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 19.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 9% |