Oral and maxillofacial surgeons salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $86,250 | $41.47 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $352,220 | $169.34 |
| Mean (average) | $346,490 | $166.58 |
| 90th percentile | $622,640 | $299.35 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 22 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Data unavailable | 130 | 1.89 | ||
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 40 | 4.08 | ||
| Arizona | $322,800 | $112,100 | $432,240 | ||
| California | Data unavailable | 670 | 1.17 | ||
| Colorado | $360,820 | $67,000 | $435,590 | ||
| Florida | $233,050 | $64,730 | $370,530 | ||
| Georgia | $129,010 | $36,770 | $267,390 | 180 | 1.14 |
| Illinois | $70,220 | $47,380 | $405,260 | ||
| Indiana | Data unavailable | 70 | 0.69 | ||
| Iowa | Data unavailable | ||||
| Michigan | $97,040 | $64,750 | $473,680 | 50 | 0.39 |
| Minnesota | $475,250 | $48,240 | $475,250 | 40 | 0.4 |
| New Hampshire | Data unavailable | ||||
| New York | $342,710 | $89,600 | $392,410 | 350 | 1.14 |
| North Carolina | $224,040 | $176,110 | $544,140 | ||
| North Dakota | Data unavailable | ||||
| Pennsylvania | $553,740 | $215,290 | $603,880 | ||
| Rhode Island | $414,060 | $104,690 | $417,050 | ||
| South Carolina | Data unavailable | ||||
| South Dakota | Data unavailable | 40 | 2.97 | ||
| Tennessee | Data unavailable | 50 | 0.49 | ||
| Virginia | $403,430 | $227,230 | $422,890 | 210 | 1.63 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 12.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for oral and maxillofacial surgeons
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery CIP 51.0507
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program CIP 60.0101
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Administer general and local anesthetics.
- Remove impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth.
- Evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to determine whether problems exist currently or might occur in the future.
- Treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck.
- Collaborate with other professionals, such as restorative dentists and orthodontists, to plan treatment.
- Perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants and to aid in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues.
- Remove tumors and other abnormal growths of the oral and facial regions, using surgical instruments.
- Provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones.
Technology skills
- Ada
- Apteryx Imaging Suite
- DSN Software Oral Surgery-Exec
- DecisionBase TiME for OMS
- DentalEye
- Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions Dolphin Management
- Gendex Dental Systems VixWin PRO
- Kodak Dental Systems Kodak Cosmetic Imaging Module
- Planmeca Oy Dimaxis
- Sirona SIDEXIS XG
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Systems Analysis, Time Management.
Common job titles: DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor), Maxillofacial Surgeon, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Resident, Oral Surgeon, Surgeon.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do oral and maxillofacial surgeons make?
The national median annual wage for oral and maxillofacial surgeons was $352,220 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $86,250 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $622,640. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do oral and maxillofacial surgeons need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is oral and maxillofacial surgeons a growing career?
BLS projects employment of oral and maxillofacial surgeons to change +5.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay oral and maxillofacial surgeons the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Pennsylvania ($553,740), Minnesota ($475,250), Rhode Island ($414,060). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.