HealthcareBLS OESTech Hub

Orthodontist Salary in Raleigh

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$254,963/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $212,542 – $305,851

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100

Key insights for Orthodontists in Raleigh

βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology
  • β€ΊAfter a simplified take-home estimate, $255K nets about $161K/yr β€” roughly $127K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
  • β€ΊPay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Orthodontist reaches about $326K β€” a +28% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Orthodontists in Raleigh typically earn $213K–$306K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $255K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $360K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Orthodontist Salary Analysis β€” Raleigh

Orthodontists in Raleigh earn a median salary of $255K, which is 11% above the national median of $230K. Raleigh's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Raleigh.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Raleigh's cost of living is at the US average. Your $255K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $255K in a city with average US living costs.

$255K
Nominal salary
0%
CoL vs US avg
$255K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Raleigh

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$180,364

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$212,542

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$254,963

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$305,851

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$360,416

Staff / principal / lead

-3%
vs US avg
+6%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 21, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$255K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’29%
Take-home$181K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$181K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$94K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
44/100
Below Average
Job demand growth+6%
Automation riskLow

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Official Salary Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $255K a good salary for Orthodontist in Raleigh?

Based on BLS data for 254,963 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $180KΒ·Median: $255KΒ·Top 10%: $360K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $255K for Orthodontists in Raleigh

-3%
NC market level
NC pays 3% below the global baseline β€” lower cost of living often offsets this.
+35%
Occupation skill premium
Orthodontists earn well above the national average due to specialized skills required.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Orthodontist Salary by Experience Level in Raleigh

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$178,474$14,873$86
Junior22 yrs$219,268$18,272$105
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$243,065$20,255$117
Senior66 yrs$269,241$22,437$129
Staff1010 yrs$326,353$27,196$157
Principal1414 yrs$375,306$31,276$180
Distinguished1818 yrs$387,544$32,295$186

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Orthodontist

Estimated premium above the Raleigh median based on market demand

Orthodontics+4% β‰ˆ +$10K/yr
Braces+4% β‰ˆ +$10K/yr
Invisalign+4% β‰ˆ +$10K/yr
Cephalometry+4% β‰ˆ +$10K/yr
Oral Surgery+4% β‰ˆ +$10K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$51K/yr
Highest single skill
Orthodontics +4%
Orthodontics+4% Β· +$10K/yr
Braces+4% Β· +$10K/yr
Invisalign+4% Β· +$10K/yr
Cephalometry+4% Β· +$10K/yr
Oral Surgery+4% Β· +$10K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Orthodontist Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

D44/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+6%/yr
AI Displacement Risk10% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+1.5%/yr
Below Average: Moderate risk from automation. Consider adjacent skills to broaden earning power.
$263K
In 2 yrs
$275K
In 5 yrs
$296K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Orthodontist

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$325K–$348K
per year
Base (76%)Bonus (6%)Equity (2%)Benefits (17%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$254,963
Annual Bonus
Typical: 3–12% of base
$19,123
Equity (annualised)
~3% of base β€” RSUs/options
$6,374
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$56,092
Total Comp (mid)
$336,552

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Orthodontists

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Orthodontist Salaries by City

How Raleigh, NC stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Raleigh, NC (current)$254,963$305,851+-3%
New York, NY$374,961$449,800++43%
San Francisco, CA$432,781$519,160++65%
Seattle, WA$369,889$443,715++41%
Austin, TX$298,796$358,433++14%
Boston, MA$357,890$429,321++37%
Chicago, IL$293,355$351,906++12%
Los Angeles, CA$359,823$431,640++38%
Denver, CO$299,392$359,148++14%

Official Salary Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Orthodontist?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Orthodontist salary in Raleigh, NC?

The median Orthodontist salary in Raleigh, NC is $255K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $306K+ per year.

What is a good Orthodontist salary in Raleigh, NC?

The 75th percentile ($306K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($255K) is above-average for this role in Raleigh, NC.

How much does a Orthodontist earn per hour in Raleigh, NC?

Based on the median annual salary of $255K, a Orthodontist in Raleigh, NC earns approximately $123/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$147/hr.

Is Raleigh, NC a good market for Orthodontists?

Raleigh, NC pays 3% below the US national average for this role. Demand for Orthodontists is growing 6% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Orthodontist salary in Raleigh, NC?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($306K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Raleigh figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Raleigh, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

What a Orthodontist salary really means in Raleigh

Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking β€” on the $254,963 median.

Estimated take-home

$180,855/yr

β‰ˆ $15,071/month net

Gross median
$254,963
Income tax
βˆ’$54,603
Social / FICA
βˆ’$19,505
Effective rate
29%

Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate β€” not tax advice.

Rent affordability

8%

of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,176/mo)

The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$2,800/mo), roughly $12,271/mo is left to save or invest.

Cost-of-living estimate for Raleigh; rent β‰ˆ 42% of budget.

Remote vs onsite

$254,963–$261,583

typical fully-remote benchmark range

Onsite Orthodontists in Raleigh earn the local median of $254,963. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($261,583) and the local rate β€” employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.

Compare all Orthodontist markets β†’
βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology
Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Orthodontist

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-45%
~$140K
Associate's Degree
-18%
~$209K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$255K
Master's Degree
+20%
~$306K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$301K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+130%
~$586K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Raleigh benchmarks
$255K
Market median
$306K
P75 target
$360K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Orthodontist in Raleigh β€” Distribution
P10
$180K
P25
$213K
P50
$255K
P75
$306K
P90
$360K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Jun 21, 2026

Full methodology β†’
Check If You're Underpaid β†’