Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: Post-Doctoral Training and 5 or more years of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
Top skills:SpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningSocial Perceptiveness
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Orthodontist pay by experience level
Entry level$103,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$151,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$299,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$354,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$430,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+4.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
200
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Orthodontist salary by industry
Ambulatory Health Care Services
6,060 workers
$268,000
Offices of Dentists
5,990 workers
$265,500
Hospitals
110 workers
$336,500
Hospitals, Privately Owned
110 workers
$341,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$103,500
Early career25th percentile
$151,500
Median50th percentile
$299,500
Experienced75th percentile
$354,500
Top earners90th percentile
$430,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
SpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningSocial Perceptiveness
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$268,500
2027$278,000
2028$287,500
2029$297,500
2030$308,000
2031$319,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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The median market pay for a Orthodontist in the United States is about $268,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Orthodontist?
Most Orthodontist pay falls between about $151,500 (25th percentile) and $354,500 (75th percentile), with top earners above $430,500.
What does a Orthodontist do?
Core responsibilities include: diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities; and examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Orthodontist make?
The average base salary for a Orthodontist in the United States is $268,500 per year, or about $129.09 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $151,500 and $354,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Healthcare Practitioners and Technical roles?
The Healthcare Practitioners and Technical job family averages $162,000 across 91 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Orthodontist pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
