Workforce
Registration, growth, and distribution of chiropractors across Australia.
6,770
Total AHPRA Registrations
Increased 3.7% from 6,526 in 2023/24, and 2.9% increase from 2022/23 to 2023/24.
2.9%–3.7%
Annual Registration Growth Rate
2.9% growth in 2023/24 and 3.7% growth in 2024/25. Total registrations increased from ~5,059 in 2015 to 6,770 in 2025.
22.4
Chiropractors per 100,000 Population
12.2% increase in per-capita rate between 2014 and 2023.
32.8 hrs
Average Clinical Hours per Week (Metropolitan)
Average hours range from 29.0 in small rural towns to 33.7 in remote communities.
75.8%
Practising in Metropolitan Areas
3,778 of 4,982 employed chiropractors work in MM1 (metropolitan) areas. Only 54 (1.1%) work in remote or very remote communities.
296
First-Time Registrants (2023/24)
Comprising 252 domestic registrants (including new graduates) and 44 international registrants.
80.0%
Intend to Continue Practising
6.6% intend to leave (excluding retirement), 6.7% unsure. Top reasons for leaving include unsatisfactory remuneration (35.4%) and lack of recognition (31.3%).
Chiropractors by State/Territory
| State | Employed Chiropractors | FTE per 100,000 Population |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 1,694 | 18.9 |
| VIC | 1,365 | 17.0 |
| QLD | 818 | 13.8 |
| WA | 618 | 19.3 |
| SA | 345 | 16.0 |
| TAS | 54 | 8.7 |
| ACT | 63 | 12.9 |
| NT | 20 | 8.9 |
Medicare & Services
Medicare billing data and service delivery trends for chiropractic.
$27M
Annual Medicare Benefits Paid for Chiropractic
Third highest among allied health services, behind podiatry ($189M) and physiotherapy ($152M).
$53.80
Medicare Rebate per Chiropractic Service (Item 10964)
For chiropractic service of at least 20 minutes under CDM.
5
Maximum Medicare-Subsidised Chiropractic Sessions per Year
Available under Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plans with a GP referral.
~$310M
Private Health Insurance Chiropractic Benefits (Annual Est.)
Estimated from APRA quarterly reports. Chiropractic is one of the largest ancillary/general treatment benefit categories.
Demographics
Age, gender, and workforce composition data for chiropractors.
42.0% / 58.0%
Female / Male Gender Split
Gender gap is narrowing. Among chiropractors with 1-3 years experience, the split is 50/50.
42.1 years
Average Age of Chiropractors
From a nationally representative sample of 2,005 chiropractors.
12.0%
Overseas-Trained Chiropractors
84.3% received initial qualification in Australia, 12.0% overseas-trained, 3.7% unknown/not stated.
0.7%
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Practitioners
Significantly below the 3.8% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander share of the Australian population.
30.5%
Aged 25-34 (Largest Age Cohort)
Full age distribution: 2.5% under 25, 30.5% ages 25-34, 27.1% ages 35-44, 21.9% ages 45-54, 11.9% ages 55-64, 5.0% ages 65-74, 1.2% aged 75+.
Sources
Verified directly from source| Awaiting verification