Orthodontist salary in California
The modeled median orthodontist in California earns $352,750 ($169.60/hr). California pays roughly 22% above the national median of $289,140.
Orthodontist pay in California: the analysis
At a modeled median of $352,750, orthodontists in California earn notably above the U.S. median of $289,140 — a gap of about 22%. Among the 51 states where the BLS reports orthodontist pay, California ranks 5th.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of orthodontists in this state earn around $121,820, while the top tenth earn $507,520 or more — a spread of about $385,700. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
Within California, a orthodontist earns about 2.1× what a general dentist earns, about 2.8× what a dental hygienist earns and about 7.0× what a dental assistant earns ($165,950, $124,930, $50,110 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Within the state, orthodontist pay is highest in San Jose at about $404,220 and lowest in Los Angeles at about $239,200. Metro-level demand and cost of living explain most of the in-state variation — see the metro breakdown below.
Orthodontist pay distribution — California (modeled)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between modeled anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $121,820 |
| 25th percentilei | $208,419est. |
| Median (50th)i | $352,750 |
| 75th percentilei | $449,481est. |
| 90th percentilei | $507,520 |
| Mean (average)i | $316,470 |
Orthodontist pay by metro in California
The one California metro where BLS publishes a orthodontist wage, ranked against the state median of $352,750.
Verified BLS OEWS metropolitan wage estimates (May 2025). Percentages compare each metro median with the California median. Metros where BLS does not publish a orthodontist wage are not listed.
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How much does a orthodontist make in California?
The modeled median orthodontist in California earns about $352,750 ($169.60/hr), derived from verified national BLS data and California's labor-cost index.
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