Orthodontists Salary
Orthodontists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC make a median of $199,990 a year, or about $96.15 an hour. The range runs from $200K at the entry level to $361K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $204,971 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,711/month, or 14.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $200K actually covers in Durham-Chapel Hill, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About orthodontists
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What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Pay for orthodontists in Durham-Chapel Hill runs about 31% below the U.S. median of $289K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,711/month, 14.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Durham-Chapel Hill can be a reasonable trade-off for orthodontists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level orthodontists (10th percentile) start around $200K. Mid-career wages sit at $200K. Top earners bring in $361K or more, a $161K spread from bottom to top.
Orthodontists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Orthodontists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $479K | +66% | N/A |
| Colorado | $416K | +44% | 160 |
| Maryland | $361K | +25% | N/A |
| Michigan | $357K | +24% | 140 |
| Illinois | $343K | +19% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $340K | +17% | N/A |
| Missouri | $333K | +15% | N/A |
| Montana | $313K | +8% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $311K | +8% | N/A |
| Pennsylvania | $311K | +8% | N/A |
| Maine | $301K | +4% | 60 |
| Washington | $290K | +0% | 290 |
| Arizona | $272K | -6% | 120 |
| Alabama | $254K | -12% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $225K | -22% | 160 |
| Ohio | $219K | -24% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $213K | -26% | 90 |
| New York | $173K | -40% | 130 |
| Georgia | $159K | -45% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 19 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track orthodontists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a orthodontist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Yes — at the median salary of $200K, rent takes 14.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for orthodontists in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new orthodontists typically earn — is $200K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $11,661/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 15% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is orthodontist a high-paying job in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Local pay runs 31% below the national median — $200K here vs. $289K nationally.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for orthodontists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $200K median vs. the U.S. average of $289K — that’s -31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $205K — below the national median.
How much do orthodontists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $199,990 a year, that works out to about $96 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $199,990, and experienced orthodontists can clear $361,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $200K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,661/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 14.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a orthodontists salary go in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median orthodontists salary is worth about $204,971 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do orthodontists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.