Orthodontist earnings by seniority

25th percentile

Junior-level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$32.99 per hour

$68,610 per year

10th percentile

Starting level orthodontist earnings begin at:

$27.01 per hour

$56,180 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
Alabama $287,250
Massachusetts $282,740
South Carolina $279,610
North Carolina $276,550
New Jersey $274,400
Iowa $267,870
Missouri $265,420
Washington $264,120
Virginia $262,130
Oklahoma $261,650
Arkansas $259,010
Pennsylvania $258,940
New York $250,890
Minnesota $250,490
Indiana $232,900
Colorado $230,400
Ohio $228,420
Tennessee $219,860
Michigan $217,730
Wisconsin $201,010
California $198,330
Connecticut $197,440
Maryland $194,610
Montana $188,120
Idaho $184,760
Texas $183,480
Florida $180,720
Illinois $176,410
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 about the same as related careers in Ohio. On average, they make less than neurosurgeons but more than urologists.

Career Median Salary
Neurosurgeon salary $268K
Surgeon salary $268K
Cardiothoracic surgeon salary $268K
Colorectal surgeon salary $268K
Gynecologist salary $256K
Orthodontist salary $228K
Internist salary $220K
Hospitalist salary $212K
Immunologist salary $212K
Urologist salary $212K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)