Orthodontists earn an average annual salary of $198,410, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.

Key Statistics

670
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$198,410
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Orthodontists workforce.

Employment Over Time

670 Workforce in 2023

The Orthodontists workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Orthodontists.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$198,410 Average Wage

In 2023, Orthodontists earned an average of $198,410.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Orthodontists.

Salary distribution for Orthodontists.

Employment Growth Projections

2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

1,958 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 15.2%

2,257 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 32.8%

This occupation is projected to grow at 2.9% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Orthodontists.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Orthodontists and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Orthodontists employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Orthodontists.

Wage Trends by Industry

-7.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Total, All Industry: -47.0% growth (Current: $198,410)

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Orthodontists.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Orthodontists.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 180 employees, $67,680 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Orthodontists.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 110 employees, $110,749 avg wage
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 70 employees, N/A avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Orthodontists.

Diversity

Demographic information on Orthodontists in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Orthodontists in 2023 was 670 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Orthodontists.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Orthodontists.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Orthodontists.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Orthodontists in 2023 were Business Administration, Health Sciences, Engineering.

Common majors for Orthodontists.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Orthodontists workers.

Education level distribution for Orthodontists.

Skills

Orthodontists need many skills, but most especially Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening.

Required skills for Orthodontists.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Orthodontists.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Orthodontists include Medicine and Dentistry, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Biology, Computers and Electronics.

Knowledge areas required for Orthodontists.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Orthodontists include Problem Sensitivity, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Finger Dexterity, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression.

Required abilities for Orthodontists.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Orthodontists.

Daily Activities

Orthodontists spend their time on activities such as Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Developing and Building Teams, Documenting/Recording Information.

Most important work activities for Orthodontists.

About

Orthodontists

The average yearly wage for Orthodontists was $198,410 in 2023.

SOC Code

29-1023 - Orthodontists

Insights and Analysis

High earnings profile: Orthodontists reports an average salary of $198,410, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 670 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.