Orthodontists Salary
Orthodontists in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN make a median of $361,650 a year, or about $173.87 an hour. The range runs from $100K at the entry level to $363K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $375,389 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,730/month, or 7.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $362K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin sits well above the national pay line for orthodontists, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $289K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,730/month, 8.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin offers a genuinely strong financial position for orthodontistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for orthodontists in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $159K | $159K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $200K | $205K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level orthodontists (10th percentile) start around $100K. Mid-career wages sit at $362K. Top earners bring in $363K or more, a $263K 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track orthodontists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a orthodontist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Yes — at the median salary of $362K, rent takes 8.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for orthodontists in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new orthodontists typically earn — is $100K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,024/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is orthodontist a high-paying job in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $362K here vs. $289K nationally.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for orthodontists?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $362K median vs. the U.S. average of $289K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $375K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do orthodontists make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $361,650 a year, that works out to about $174 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $100,400, and experienced orthodontists can clear $363,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $362K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $21,097/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 8.2% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $375,389 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.