Average Pay

• In 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published the average annual salary for an orthodontist working in the United States as $206,190. This equates to a monthly income averaging $17,183 and an average hourly wage of $99.13. Orthodontists may also receive additional payments beyond their basic salary--such as pension contributions and health insurance cover--dependent on their contract conditions.
  
  

Pay by Employer

• There are three primary sectors of the health-care industry in which orthodontists find employment. These are the private offices of dentists--either their own single practices or as part of group practices--general medical and surgical hospitals, and the offices of physicians. The Bureau of Labor Statistics 2009 survey found that the average yearly pay rates for these sectors were $208,910, $113,580 and $100,260 respectively.
  
  

Pay by Location

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics also published average orthodontist salaries, across all industry sectors, for several different states. It listed Oregon and Alabama at the top of the table with average pay rates of $224,070 and $205,100 respectively. Oklahoma offered $199,740 and Mississippi was listed at $186,920, while Colorado offered an average wage of just $139,100. The pay comparison website SalaryExpert.com conducted a survey of orthodontist salaries in major cities across the country. It lists Orlando and Miami in Florida as offering identical high average salaries--$284,469--slightly below those in Atlanta, Georgia--$291,083--and above Chicago, Illinois--$278,275. In contrast, Indianapolis, Indiana is listed at $194,926.
  
  

Outlook

• As a specialty dentist, an orthodontist in the United States can expect to experience a reasonably buoyant employment market in the near future. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects to see a 16 percent rise in demand across the profession in the decade between 2008 and 2018. A growing population that is aging--fuelled by the baby boomer generation reaching retirement age--will increase demand for dental services of all kinds, including orthodontics. As such, pay levels within the profession should remain very attractive.