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Preview data: all rankings, scores, votes, refresh labels, methodology, testing and editorial-process statements in Top 49 are illustrative demo content, not live measurements or documented reviews.
Rank 041Down 1
#4 in Highest-Paying Careers
of 20 ranked entries
Orthodontist
Dentistry
Orthodontics requires dental school followed by a competitive residency match, and private-practice ownership economics — not just clinical skill — drive a meaningful share of the income variation within the specialty. Recorded specifics: median pay 267000, typical education Doctoral or professional degree, 10-yr growth 5. Panel highlighted strong private-practice ownership economics beyond base clinical compensation, more predictable scheduling than many acute-care medical specialties and consistent demand tied to long-term, non-cyclical patient treatment plans. The reservation on record is residency placement is competitive and not guaranteed after dental school.
Healthcare
Score breakdown
How Orthodontist earned 91.9
Each criterion is scored independently, then combined using the weights published on Highest-Paying Careers.
- Compensationweight 30%
- 89.7
- Job securityweight 25%
- 91.1
- Entry barrierweight 25%
- 93.2
- Growth outlookweight 20%
- 94.7
On the record
Recorded detail
| Median pay | $267,000 |
|---|---|
| Typical education | Doctoral or professional degree |
| 10-yr growth | 5% |
| Rating | 8.3 |
Panel verdict
Strengths and reservations
What it gets right
- Strong private-practice ownership economics beyond base clinical compensation
- More predictable scheduling than many acute-care medical specialties
- Consistent demand tied to long-term, non-cyclical patient treatment plans
Where it gives ground
- Residency placement is competitive and not guaranteed after dental school
1 appearance
Where this entry ranks
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Top 49 rankings are editorial. Scores are produced from the published criteria on each list and are refreshed on the cadence stated there. Figures shown across this section are curated demonstration data.