How much does an orthodontist make?
a year · about $139 an hour
A typical orthodontist in the United States makes $289,140 a year, about $139 an hour, about 5.7× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They examine patients’ teeth and jaws, study X-rays and tooth models, and plan treatments. They check how braces or aligners are moving teeth, then adjust treatment when needed.
Did you know? In the United States, about one in four orthodontic patients is an adult—not a child.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $99,850 and $416,000How do you become one?
After high school (often around 18), finish college, complete four years of dental school, then a two-to-three-year orthodontic residency. Pass the INBDE and your state’s required licensing assessment to practice.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, orthodontists’ pay can differ with experience, location, and how many hours they work. The type of practice, extra credentials, and how complex their work is can matter too.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Connecticut ($478,680), lowest in Georgia ($159,230).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $99,850 | $289,140 | $416,000 | about 6,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $478,680 | — |
| Colorado | $416,000 | about 160 |
| Maryland | $361,030 | — |
| Michigan | $357,090 | about 140 |
| Illinois | $343,100 | — |
Official definition: Examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Design and fabricate appliances to realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm
- www.ada.org/resources/careers/licensure
- aaoinfo.org/whats-trending/what-is-an-orthodontist-and-dentofacial-orthopedist
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1023.00
- aaoinfo.org/
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY