Best institutions to study Orthodontics/Orthodontology
A program that focuses on the advanced study of the guidance of growing dental structures and the correction of misalignments, disproportionate growth, and traumas caused by genetics, disease, injuries, and dysfunctional behaviors.
40 U.S. institutions graduated 332 Orthodontics/Orthodontology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.0508, a specialization of Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (CIP 51.05), and leads most directly to the Orthodontists occupation (BLS SOC 29-1023).
About Orthodontics/Orthodontology programs
A program that focuses on the advanced study of the guidance of growing dental structures and the correction of misalignments, disproportionate growth, and traumas caused by genetics, disease, injuries, and dysfunctional behaviors. Includes instruction in craniofacial growth and development, malocclusion, design and fabrication of orthodontic appliances, craniofacial alignment, physiological function and analysis, cephalometrics, model analysis, space analysis, surgical orthodontics, cleft lip and palate, and treatment planning and management.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Orthodontics/Orthodontology program, part of Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, focuses on the advanced study of dental structures and the correction of misalignments. This program is designed for dental professionals seeking to specialize in orthodontics, addressing issues caused by genetics, disease, injuries, and dysfunctional behaviors in dental-facial structures.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in craniofacial growth, malocclusion, and the design and fabrication of orthodontic appliances. Coursework emphasizes critical thinking, active listening, and scientific principles essential for diagnosing and treating dental-facial abnormalities.
Credentials awarded
What Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Post-master's certificate191 graduates / yr · 28 institutions58%
- Master's degree119 graduates / yr · 19 institutions36%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate22 graduates / yr · 3 institutions6.6%
Graduates over time
Orthodontics/Orthodontology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 232 |
| 2013 | 195 |
| 2014 | 233 |
| 2015 | 255 |
| 2016 | 272 |
| 2017 | 246 |
| 2018 | 279 |
| 2019 | 264 |
| 2020 | 280 |
| 2021 | 288 |
| 2022 | 295 |
| 2023 | 300 |
| 2024 | 323 |
| 2025 | 332 |
Top 40 institutions for Orthodontics/Orthodontology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FLPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert.Master's | 30 | 51% | $25,813 | — |
| 2 | University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, MIPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's | 19 | 67% | $16,109 | — |
| 3 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicMaster'sMaster's | 19 | 75% | — | — |
| 4 | Boston University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's | 17 | 89% | $21,956 | — |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's | 14 | 96% | $15,315 | — |
| 6 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TXPublicMaster'sMaster's | 14 | — | — | — |
| 7 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 13 | 80% | $24,886 | — |
| 8 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's | 12 | — | — | — |
| 9 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicMaster's | 12 | 75% | — | — |
| 10 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 11 | 97% | $22,055 | $220,594 |
| 11 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's | 10 | 87% | $27,976 | — |
| 12 | Roseman University of Health Sciences Henderson, NVPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 10 | — | — | — |
| 13 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, ILPublicMaster's | 9 | 62% | — | — |
| 14 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 8 | 69% | $23,964 | — |
| 15 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NVPublicMaster's | 8 | 51% | — | — |
| 16 | Oregon Health & Science University Portland, ORPublicMaster'sMaster's | 8 | — | — | — |
| 17 | Seton Hill University Greensburg, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 8 | 67% | $19,887 | — |
| 18 | Tufts University Medford, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 7 | 94% | $23,570 | — |
| 19 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIPublicMaster's | 7 | 93% | — | — |
| 20 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | 92% | $26,873 | — |
| 21 | Howard University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | 70% | $48,194 | — |
| 22 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FLPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | 63% | $31,672 | — |
| 23 | University of Louisville Louisville, KYPublicMaster's | 6 | 61% | — | — |
| 24 | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNPublicPost-degree cert. | 6 | 85% | — | — |
| 25 | A T Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville, MOPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 6 | — | — | — |
| 26 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicMaster's | 6 | 84% | — | — |
| 27 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IAPublicMaster's | 5 | 75% | — | — |
| 28 | University of Rochester Rochester, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 85% | $25,874 | — |
| 29 | University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center Oklahoma City, OKPublicMaster's | 5 | — | — | — |
| 30 | The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio San Antonio, TXPublicMaster's | 5 | — | — | — |
| 31 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicMaster's | 5 | 85% | — | — |
| 32 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WIPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 5 | 83% | $25,376 | — |
| 33 | University of Puerto Rico - Medical Sciences San Juan, PRPublicMaster'sMaster's | 5 | — | — | — |
| 34 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, ILPublicMaster's | 4 | 57% | — | — |
| 35 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJPublicMaster's | 4 | 84% | — | — |
| 36 | University of Missouri - Kansas City Kansas City, MOPublicMaster's | 3 | 55% | — | — |
| 37 | University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NEPublicMaster's | 3 | — | — | — |
| 38 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NYPublicMaster's | 3 | 76% | — | — |
| 39 | Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Rochester, MNPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 1 | — | — | — |
| 40 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PAPublicPost-degree cert. | 1 | 85% | — | $170,705 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences field (CIP 51.05) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 22 states & territories
Where Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates come from. Each state links to all Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1023, Orthodontists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Orthodontics/Orthodontology program typically become orthodontists, with a job outlook that is about as fast as average, projecting 200 annual openings and a growth rate of 4.4%. The median wage for orthodontists is approximately $239,200, requiring a doctoral or professional degree for entry into the field.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.0508
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Orthodontistsprimary SOC 29-1023 | $289,140 | +4.4% About as fast as average | ~200 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1071 | $107,310 | +17.3% Much faster than average | ~27,400 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- 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).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Orthodontics/Orthodontology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
- Examine patients to assess abnormalities of jaw development, tooth position, and other dental-facial structures.
- Study diagnostic records, such as medical or dental histories, plaster models of the teeth, photos of a patient's face and teeth, and X-rays, to develop patient treatment plans.
- Fit dental appliances in patients' mouths to alter the position and relationship of teeth and jaws or to realign teeth.
- Adjust dental appliances to produce and maintain normal function.
- Provide patients with proposed treatment plans and cost estimates.
Tools and technology used
Other Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences specializations
The 14 other 6-digit CIP codes under Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (CIP 51.05).
- Dental Clinical SciencesCIP 51.0501419 graduates / yr25 institutions
- Advanced General DentistryCIP 51.0502248 graduates / yr19 institutions
- Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial PathologyCIP 51.0503201 graduates / yr20 institutions
- Endodontics/CIP 51.0506
Endodontology 161 graduates / yr30 institutions - Pediatric Dentistry/CIP 51.0509
Pedodontics 156 graduates / yr22 institutions - Periodontics/CIP 51.0510
Periodontology 150 graduates / yr28 institutions - Advanced/CIP 51.0599
Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences 138 graduates / yr11 institutions - Prosthodontics/CIP 51.0511
Prosthodontology 106 graduates / yr19 institutions - Dental Public Health and EducationCIP 51.050488 graduates / yr13 institutions
- Oral/CIP 51.0507
Maxillofacial Surgery 39 graduates / yr12 institutions - Dental MaterialsCIP 51.0505limited data1 graduates / yr1 institutions
- Implantology/CIP 51.0514
Implant Dentistry limited data1 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 2 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Digital Dentistry51.0512
- Geriatric Dentistry51.0513
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
See all Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences programs →
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a post-master's certificate, a master's degree, or a postbaccalaureate certificate.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 40 colleges offering the Orthodontics/Orthodontology program in the U.S.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in critical thinking, active listening, monitoring, and scientific analysis.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can pursue a career as an orthodontist or a health specialties teacher at the postsecondary level.
What is the CIP code for Orthodontics/Orthodontology?+
Orthodontics/Orthodontology is CIP 51.0508 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (CIP 51.05). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the advanced study of the guidance of growing dental structures and the correction of misalignments, disproportionate growth, and traumas caused by genetics, disease, injuries, and dysfunctional behaviors. Includes instruction in craniofacial growth and development, malocclusion, design and fabrication of orthodontic appliances, craniofacial alignment, physiological function and analysis, cephalometrics, model analysis, space analysis, surgical orthodontics, cleft lip and palate, and treatment planning and management.
How many institutions offer Orthodontics/Orthodontology programs?+
40 U.S. institutions reported Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 22 states & territories, awarding 332 credentials in the year. That is 16.3% of all Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences graduates.
How much do Orthodontics/Orthodontology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Orthodontists occupation, which Orthodontics/Orthodontology most directly leads to, pays a median of $289,140 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences field report median earnings of $220,594 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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