Orthodontist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$242.75 per hour

$504,920 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$236.47 per hour

$491,860 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$230.13 per hour

$478,680 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$156.09 per hour

$324,670 per year

10th percentile

Starting level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$98.59 per hour

$205,070 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Orthodontist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Utah $99,510
Louisiana $98,620
Nevada $98,490
Kentucky $88,770
Connecticut $478,680
Colorado $416,000
Maryland $361,030
Michigan $357,090
Illinois $343,100
Tennessee $339,610
Missouri $332,630
Montana $312,840
South Carolina $311,450
Pennsylvania $311,180
Maine $301,250
Washington $290,430
Massachusetts $282,740
New Jersey $274,400
Arizona $272,330
Iowa $267,870
Virginia $262,130
Oklahoma $261,650
Arkansas $259,010
Alabama $253,670
Minnesota $250,490
Indiana $232,900
North Carolina $224,990
Ohio $219,300
Wisconsin $212,860
California $198,330
Idaho $184,760
Texas $183,480
Florida $180,720
New York $172,980
Georgia $159,230
New Mexico $157,590

How much does an Orthodontist earn?

The procedures that orthodontists perform have both an aesthetic and a functional component and are considered more complicated and time consuming than the procedures performed in a dentist’s office. Therefore, the studies and the salary can grow exponentially for orthodontists. The lowest paid earn approximately $78,000 annually while the highest paid earn over $300,000 per year.

Where an orthodontist works matters when it comes to salary. Orthodontists that work in dental offices have a median wage of $196,170/yr or $94.31/hr; those working in other health practitioner's offices have an income of $192,600/yr or $92.60/hr; while those working in outpatient care centres earn $203,000/yr or $97.60/hr. The higher paid orthodontist positions are in physician's offices, with incomes of $232,360 or more.

An orthodontist’s experience has a great impact on his/hers overall earnings. For example, for a highly experienced and reputable orthodontist, salaries can reach as high as $350 per hour which averages to more than $612,500 per year. In contrast, an orthodontist with very little experience can receive an hourly wage of about $57.69 per hour which averages to about $100,958 per year.

The top paying states are Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas, Colorado, and Arizona. All five states report earnings greater than $188,000 for the highest paid orthodontists. The best Cities or Metropolitan areas are Phoenix AZ, New York NY, Los Angeles CA, Atlanta GA, and Newark NJ. The highest reported salary is in Phoenix and is over $240,000 per year. Newark NJ is the lowest at approximately $220,000 per year.

How do orthodontist salaries compare to similar careers?

Orthodontists earn 53% more than similar careers in Connecticut. On average, they make more than podiatrists.

Career Median Salary
Orthodontist salary $479K
Psychiatrist salary $327K
Pediatrician salary $217K
Internist salary $208K
Podiatrist salary $213K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)