Orthodontist salary
BLS occupation: Orthodontists · Healthcare practitioners · data for May 2025
How much does an orthodontist make?
- The median orthodontist salary in the US is $289,140 a year ($139.01 an hour): half of the 6,210 orthodontists BLS counts earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) is $259,400.
- The middle half earn between $146,580 and $342,300. The lowest-paid 10% earn less than $99,850 and the top 10% more than $416,000.
- That is 5.7 times the median for all US workers ($50,980).
- Connecticut pays orthodontists the most (median $478,680), followed by Colorado ($416,000) and Maryland ($361,030). Georgia pays the least ($159,230).
- After adjusting for prices, the pay goes furthest in Connecticut, where the median is worth $462,002 in typical US prices, then Colorado and Michigan.
- In all 10 metro areas with data, the median orthodontist salary is enough to rent a typical home without spending more than 30% of income on rent.
- BLS projects the number of orthodontists to grow 6.0% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 200 openings a year. The typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree.
official From BLS's survey of employers: what orthodontists are actually paid, not job ads or self-reports. Adjusted figures are derived. How we calculate.
How does your pay compare?
Orthodontist salary range
Half of orthodontists earn between $146,580 and $342,300 a year
Yearly pay at each point of the range, US, May 2025. For comparison, the median for all US jobs is $50,980.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Show the numbers
| Yearly pay | |
|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn under | $99,850 |
| Lowest 25% earn under | $146,580 |
| Median | $289,140 |
| Top 25% earn over | $342,300 |
| Top 10% earn over | $416,000 |
Where orthodontist pay goes furthest
A salary buys more where prices are low. We divide each state's median by its price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, so every figure is in typical US prices. derived
Orthodontists' pay goes furthest in Connecticut once prices are counted
Median pay ÷ the state's price level (BEA, 2024; US = 100), shown in typical US prices. Top 10 states.
US median
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025; BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Our calculation.
Show the numbers
| Worth, in US prices | |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $462,002 |
| Colorado | $403,680 |
| Michigan | $371,130 |
| Tennessee | $369,664 |
| Missouri | $366,264 |
| Maryland | $343,972 |
| Illinois | $343,244 |
| South Carolina | $332,217 |
| Montana | $330,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $318,923 |
Orthodontist pay in every state
| State | Median a year | Hourly | Lowest 10% | Top 10% | Employed | After cost of living |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $478,680 | $230.13 | $205,070 | $504,920 | – | $462,002 |
| Colorado | $416,000 | $200.00 | $155,590 | $520,000 | 160 | $403,680 |
| Maryland | $361,030 | $173.57 | $226,420 | $361,050 | – | $343,972 |
| Michigan | $357,090 | $171.68 | $171,560 | $423,380 | 140 | $371,130 |
| Illinois | $343,100 | $164.95 | $99,560 | $489,340 | – | $343,244 |
| Tennessee | $339,610 | $163.27 | $180,190 | $363,310 | – | $369,664 |
| Missouri | $332,630 | $159.92 | $161,730 | $332,630 | – | $366,264 |
| Montana | $312,840 | $150.40 | $95,490 | $375,190 | – | $330,540 |
| South Carolina | $311,450 | $149.74 | $143,840 | $377,370 | – | $332,217 |
| Pennsylvania | $311,180 | $149.61 | $202,170 | $443,080 | – | $318,923 |
| Maine | $301,250 | $144.83 | $171,120 | $323,460 | 60 | $310,407 |
| Washington | $290,430 | $139.63 | $62,940 | $435,260 | 290 | $271,397 |
| Arizona | $272,330 | $130.93 | $96,730 | $345,150 | 120 | $270,499 |
| Alabama | $253,670 | $121.96 | $193,860 | $316,370 | – | $285,590 |
| North Carolina | $224,990 | $108.17 | $182,170 | $398,000 | 160 | $238,524 |
| Ohio | $219,300 | $105.43 | $104,990 | $324,970 | 250 | $236,381 |
| Wisconsin | $212,860 | $102.34 | $106,040 | $313,050 | 90 | $226,218 |
| New York | $172,980 | $83.16 | $61,410 | $430,460 | 130 | $160,284 |
| Georgia | $159,230 | $76.55 | $112,750 | $219,740 | – | $165,360 |
BLS does not publish pay for orthodontists in 32 states (too few workers to estimate reliably). After cost of living = median ÷ (BEA price level ÷ 100).
Orthodontist salary by city
Metro areas where BLS publishes orthodontist pay: 10 of 387. Rent share = typical rent (September 2026, Zillow) × 12 ÷ the median salary; under 30% is affordable by the usual rule.
Highest-paying metro areas
- Nashville, TN $361,650
- Baltimore, MD $361,040
- Portland, ME $323,460
- Cleveland, OH $318,070
- Philadelphia, PA $311,180
- New York, NY $281,850
- Phoenix, AZ $272,330
- Washington, DC $248,110
- Durham, NC $199,990
- Atlanta, GA $159,230
Where the pay goes furthest
- Nashville, TN $375,397
- Baltimore, MD $345,536
- Cleveland, OH $338,650
- Portland, ME $317,560
- Philadelphia, PA $303,430
- Phoenix, AZ $263,589
- New York, NY $250,393
- Washington, DC $227,866
- Durham, NC $204,967
- Atlanta, GA $159,138
All 10 metro areas
| Metro area | Median a year | Employed | After cost of living | Rent share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville, TN | $361,650 | – | $375,397 | 6% |
| Baltimore, MD | $361,040 | – | $345,536 | 6% |
| Portland, ME | $323,460 | – | $317,560 | 9% |
| Cleveland, OH | $318,070 | – | $338,650 | 5% |
| Philadelphia, PA | $311,180 | – | $303,430 | 7% |
| New York, NY | $281,850 | – | $250,393 | 15% |
| Phoenix, AZ | $272,330 | 100 | $263,589 | 8% |
| Washington, DC | $248,110 | – | $227,866 | 12% |
| Durham, NC | $199,990 | – | $204,967 | 10% |
| Atlanta, GA | $159,230 | – | $159,138 | 14% |
What the median orthodontist salary pays per paycheck
| Period | Before taxes |
|---|---|
| Year | $289,140 |
| Month | $24,095 |
| Every two weeks | $11,121 |
| Week | $5,560 |
| Hour | $139.01 |
Gross pay, 52 weeks a year, 2,080 hours. Hourly to salary calculator.
Becoming an orthodontist: education and job outlook
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree |
|---|---|
| Work experience needed | None |
| On-the-job training | Internship/residency |
| Projected change in jobs, 2025–35 | +6.0% (all jobs: +3.5%) |
| Openings a year (average) | 200 |
| Self-employed | 12.6% |
official BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35. Openings include workers who retire or change jobs. What the work involves: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Similar jobs
| Job | Median a year | Typical education |
|---|---|---|
| Ultrasound tech | $96,590 | Associate's degree |
| Vet tech | $47,380 | Associate's degree |
| Speech-language pathologist | $97,870 | Master's degree |
| Physician assistant | $135,880 | Master's degree |
| Nurse practitioner | $132,300 | Master's degree |
| Medical lab tech | $62,930 | Bachelor's degree |
| MRI tech | $95,480 | Associate's degree |
| CRNA | $236,590 | Master's degree |
Questions about orthodontist pay
How much does an orthodontist make an hour?
The median is $139.01 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48.01 and the top 10% over $200.00.
How much does an orthodontist make a month?
About $24,095 a month before taxes at the median salary of $289,140, or $11,121 every two weeks.
What state pays orthodontists the most?
Connecticut, with a median of $478,680. Colorado ($416,000), Maryland ($361,030), Michigan ($357,090) and Illinois ($343,100) follow.
Where do orthodontists make the most after cost of living?
Connecticut: its median of $478,680 is worth $462,002 at typical US prices. Colorado, Michigan and Tennessee come next.
How much do entry-level orthodontists make?
BLS does not report pay by experience. The lowest-paid 10% of orthodontists earn under $99,850 a year, and the lowest-paid quarter under $146,580, which is a reasonable guide to starting pay.
What education do you need to become an orthodontist?
BLS lists the typical entry-level education as a doctoral or professional degree. Work experience in a related job: none. On-the-job training: internship/residency.
Sources and limits
- Pay and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation 29-1023 (Orthodontists). Downloaded 2026-10-24.
- OEWS counts wage and salary workers at employers, including tips and commissions but not overtime pay, bonuses that are not tied to production, or benefits. It leaves out the self-employed. BLS does not publish figures above $239,200 a year or for states and metro areas with too few workers.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (US = 100). Rents: Zillow Observed Rent Index, September 2026; Data Provided by Zillow Group.
- Outlook and education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Pay is not broken down by experience, employer or specialty (for example, ER or pediatric nursing); BLS does not publish those splits.