A chiropractor is a trained, skilled, and licensed health professional who helps and treats patients with disorders and issues of the bones, nerves, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and nervous system through non-invasive, personalized measures and care.
However, before candidates can start helping others in this critical and rewarding career, they must apply to, enroll in, and pay for chiropractic school, leading many students to ask, “What is the cost of chiropractic school?”
Below, we’ll cover the cost of chiropractic school, including tuition, fees, additional expenses, financial aid options, and ways to reduce the cost altogether.
What is chiropractic school?
A Doctorate of Chiropractic (DC) is a graduate-level degree that takes several years to complete.
Students generally need to have a bachelor’s degree to be eligible for graduate school and become a chiropractor. However, some schools will accept students with just 90 undergraduate credits for the Doctor of Chiropractic degree as long as they meet the science prerequisites.
Once enrolled in a Doctorate of Chiropractic program, students should prepare for three to four years of extensive study with a Chiropractic curriculum that builds upon itself.
In addition to classroom work, students also work in clinical Chiropractor training services on and off campus to gain as much exposure and experience as possible.
The cost of chiropractic school
Of course, the time and cost of chiropractic school vary by institution, so students should research to understand what is expected and required of them.
Most chiropractor schools are on a trimester or quarterly schedule, meaning you are in school all year. University of Bridgeport offers the only semester-based Doctor of Chiropractic degree program, which lasts four years and gives students their first two summers off. This allows students to study for their boards, work, and gain valuable shadowing hours.
Tuition, fees, and additional expenses
At University of Bridgeport, chiropractic school costs $15,525 for full-time study (12 credits) and $1,000 per credit hour for part-time tuition.
Students can also expect to pay the following fees:
- General fee (five to eight credits) – $620
- General fee (nine credits or more) – $1,025
- General fee (zero to four credits) – $390
- Health science program fee – $50
- Student activity fee – $110
- Technology fee – $110
All full-time undergraduate students, students living in campus housing, athletes, and Physician Assistant students are required to participate and are automatically enrolled in the sickness plan at registration and charges are added to their account, unless proof of comparable coverage is furnished by the deadline date indicated during the waiver process.
Domestic students who have insurance with sufficient coverage may opt to waive this fee by exploring other health plan options before September 15 for the fall semester or February 15 for the spring semester.
International students are not permitted to waive the insurance. Part-time undergraduate students taking at least 7 credit hours and graduate students taking at least 6 credits who are not automatically enrolled may participate in the sickness insurance on a voluntary basis.
Interested in becoming a Chiropractor? Download your free Doctor of Chiropractic guide now and learn more!
Financial aid to help with the cost of chiropractic school
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to research the cost of chiropractic school as well as financial aid options available. University of Bridgeport is committed to helping our graduate students navigate and understand the financial aid process and identify financial tools to help make a college education affordable.
Graduate students should, of course, fill out the new and updated 2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal student loans and other financial aid, such as work-study positions. At University of Bridgeport, our students must enroll in at least six or more credits to process federal loans.
But don’t stop there—look into the following opportunities and aid from your chosen Chiropractic degree program to help with the cost of Chiropractic school:
- Graduate assistantship: Graduate assistantship jobs are compensated with scholarships and stipends. The amount of earnings and hours is based on the number of credits being paid by the department.
- On-campus jobs: Student employment allows students to learn about the work environment while obtaining a degree.
- Payment plans: Interest-free, monthly payment plans are available. Students and their families can pay from their bank account or credit card through the myUB portal. Students and families can spread all or part of the student’s tuition, room & board, and fees over several equal monthly payments. Payment plan enrollment can be completed via the UB Portal for $50 each semester.
- Resident assistantship/community assistantship: Resident and community assistantship jobs are compensated with a scholarship that covers food and housing.
- Scholarships: Scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive their award for the duration of the academic program, provided certain conditions are met.
- Work-study: At University of Bridgeport, all Federal Work-study students can earn a maximum of $1000 per semester if eligible. Work-study jobs are performed on campus only. Once students reach their limit for the semester, they can no longer work until the following semester. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of when they will be reaching their limit.
Lastly, students can save money by applying for as many outside scholarships as they can find, opting for used textbooks and exploring part-time work opportunities, especially in the two summers they have off after their first and second years.
Chiropractic school’s return on investment
The cost of chiropractic school is a significant challenge but not an impossible one, especially with all the abovementioned resources.
With a median annual salary of $76,530, with the highest ten percent earning more than $142,580, and an employment growth rate of nine percent by 2032, however, you’ll recover the money you spent in chiropractic school soon.
Plus, candidates can rest easy knowing that chiropractors work in a variety of employment settings as primary care providers in clinics or their own private practice, as well as hospitals and outpatient settings.
Lastly, their flexible schedules and roles as educators and healers make the chiropractic industry and a career as a chiropractor a popular choice among individuals interested in the healthcare industry.
So, if you are ready to provide patients with holistic care that can substantially improve their daily lives, what are you waiting for? Apply today to University of Bridgeport’s Doctor of Chiropractic degree program.
Together, we’ll make sure you can cover the cost of chiropractic school and succeed in college and in your future career. If you have more questions, contact us.