Orthodontist salary in Durham
Durham–Chapel Hill, NC
The verified BLS median orthodontist in the Durham metro earns $199,990 ($96.15/hr). Durham pays roughly 31% below the national median of $289,140.
Orthodontist pay in Durham: the analysis
At a verified median of $199,990, orthodontists in Durham earn substantially below the U.S. median of $289,140 — a gap of about 31%. Among the 377 metro areas where the BLS reports orthodontist pay, Durham ranks 373rd.
Compared with North Carolina as a whole (median $224,990), Durham pays orthodontists about 11% less than the statewide median. Local demand, cost of labor, and the mix of practices drive most of that difference.
The pay range is wide: the lowest-paid tenth of orthodontists in this metro area earn around $199,990, while the top tenth earn $361,050 or more — a spread of about $161,060. That gap reflects experience, practice setting, and local demand more than any single factor, so an individual offer can sit well above or below the midpoint.
Within Durham, a orthodontist earns about 1.0× less than a general dentist, about 2.0× what a dental hygienist earns and about 3.9× what a dental assistant earns ($208,490, $101,460, $51,670 respectively) — a quick way to see where the role sits in the local dental pay ladder.
Orthodontist pay distribution — Durham (verified)
Inner percentiles marked “est.” are interpolated between published anchors.
| Percentile | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| 10th percentilei | $199,990 |
| 25th percentilei | $199,990 |
| Median (50th)i | $199,990 |
| 75th percentilei | $361,050 |
| 90th percentilei | $361,050 |
| Mean (average)i | $278,540 |
North Carolina context
North Carolina verified median: $224,990.
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Submit your salary →Frequently asked questions
How much does a orthodontist make in Durham?
The verified BLS OEWS median orthodontist in the Durham metro earns about $199,990 ($96.15/hr), from the official May 2025 metropolitan wage survey.
How does Durham orthodontist pay compare to North Carolina overall?
The verified BLS OEWS Durham metro median is about $199,990, versus the verified BLS OEWS North Carolina statewide median of about $224,990.
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