Orthodontists Outlook & Requirements
May 2024 national BLS data. Figures are national medians and percentiles from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024); your local market, employer and experience will differ. Wage data ages — this reflects the May 2024 release, verified June 2026. Informational only, not career, salary-negotiation or financial advice.
The outlook for Orthodontists starts with what it takes to enter: the typical entry-level education is “Doctoral or professional degree”, and the field currently employs roughly 5,150 people nationwide with a national median wage of ≥ $239,200/yr (May 2024 BLS).
Employers also commonly look for internship/residency. We report the education, experience and current scale of the field rather than a projected-growth forecast (that BLS projection is out of scope for this page). National figures; your market differs. Informational, not career advice.
| Factor | Typical (BLS) |
|---|---|
| Typical entry-level education | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Related work experience | None |
| On-the-job training | Internship/residency |
| Current employment (May 2024) | 5,150 |
| National median pay | ≥ $239,200/yr |
No growth forecast here. This page reports the education/experience requirements and the current scale of the field, not a BLS projected-growth percentage (that projection is out of scope for this dataset).
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