Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Salary
The median oral and maxillofacial surgeons salary in the United States is $352,220 per year ($169.34/hour). Salaries range from $86,250 at the entry level to $622,640+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 4,910 oral and maxillofacial surgeons jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2034.
Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary Distribution
Job Growth (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
Education Required
Training Needed
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Career Guide
Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for oral and maxillofacial surgeonss.
Oral + Maxillofacial Surgeons (OMFS) perform surgical procedures on the face, mouth, and jaw β dental implants, wisdom tooth extractions, corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic), facial trauma repair, oral pathology, cleft lip/palate reconstruction, TMJ surgery. Path: dental school (DDS/DMD) + 4-6 year OMFS residency (some programs award MD as well = 6 years). Career splits: private practice (highest earnings β dental implants + wisdom teeth = high-volume + cash-pay), hospital-based (trauma + reconstruction + oncology), academic (teaching + research + lower cash). OMFS consistently top-paying dental + surgical specialty. Median compensation $310-450k for early career; $500-900k for established private practice partners; $800k-$1.5M+ for high-volume implant + facial cosmetic practices.
Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For
How to Become a Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- 1Bachelor's + strong DAT + dental school (DDS/DMD, 4 years)Dental school prerequisite. Strong GPA + DAT + shadowing OMFS.
- 2OMFS Residency (4-6 years)4-year certificate program or 6-year MD/OMFS program. Extremely competitive match. Includes anesthesia + medicine + surgery rotations.
- 3Board certification (ABOMS)Written + oral boards. Required for hospital privileges + credentialing.
- 4State dental + medical license (if MD)State licensing + DEA registration.
- 5Optional fellowship (1-2 years β pediatric craniofacial, oncology, cosmetic)Sub-specialty. Academic or hospital-based practice.
- 6First practice settingHospital-employed, group practice (partnership track), or private practice ownership.
- 7Partnership or ownership (5-10 years)Buy-in to established practice OR start own practice. Ownership = highest income potential.
Career Progression
- β’Progressive surgical autonomy
- β’Anesthesia + medicine + surgery rotations
- β’Board prep
- β’Independent practice
- β’Trauma call (hospital)
- β’Building patient panel
- β’Established referral network
- β’Complex cases + implants
- β’Practice governance
- β’Business ownership + P&L
- β’Marketing + growth
- β’Team of associates + staff
Interview Questions & Answers
5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 11 total plus resume bullets for every level.
Q1. Walk me through your surgical case volume during residency.case
Q2. How do you handle a difficult third molar extraction?technical
Q3. Tell me about a complication you managed.behavioral
Q4. Why our practice / hospital?culture
Q5. How do you approach dental implant treatment planning?case
Resume Template β Attending OMFS (0-5 yrs post-residency)
Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.
- βΈAttending OMFS, [Practice/Hospital]. Board eligible ABOMS. 2024 volume: 1,200 third molar extractions + 180 implants + 24 orthognathic cases.
- βΈIV sedation + general anesthesia certified. Office-based surgery accredited (AAOMS).
- βΈZero substantiated complications requiring hospitalization over 24 months.
- βΈPrecept 4 residents/year on outpatient rotation. Trauma call coverage 5 days/month at [Hospital].
What Gets You Rejected
- βWeak surgical case volume during residency.
- βPoor understanding of anesthesia protocols.
- βMissing ABOMS eligibility or delayed boarding.
- βHistory of nerve injuries or major complications without honest disclosure.
- βBad-mouthing prior program or partners.
- βWeak business + practice management awareness.
- βInability to articulate a case + its lesson.
Salary Negotiation Levers
- βBase + productivity (collections-based typical).
- βSign-on bonus $30-150k common.
- βLoan repayment $100-300k over 3-5 years (dental school debt often $300k+).
- βPartnership track 2-4 years with buy-in structure.
- βTrauma call pay $2-5k/day at hospitals.
- βMalpractice tail coverage.
- βCME budget $8-15k/year.
- βNon-compete radius + duration.
- βPractice ownership stake + real estate opportunity.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Resume Review β $29
Personalized resume review from someone who has hired oral and maxillofacial surgeonss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.
- β Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
- β Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
- β Missing skills / keywords flagged
- β Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
- β 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Career Kit β $19
- β All 11 interview questions with expert answers
- β 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
- β Interview format intel for 7 top employers
- β 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
- β Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
- β 30β60β90 day plan for your first role
- β Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
- β Detailed salary negotiation script
- β Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
- β Downloadable PDF for offline access
- β Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.
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Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Salary by State
Best Cities (cost-adjusted) βSalary Map β Click a state for details
Top Paying States
| State | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $553,740 | +57.2% |
| Minnesota | $475,250 | +34.9% |
| Rhode Island | $414,060 | +17.6% |
| Virginia | $403,430 | +14.5% |
| Colorado | $360,820 | +2.4% |
| New York | $342,710 | -2.7% |
| Arizona | $322,800 | -8.4% |
| Florida | $233,050 | -33.8% |
| North Carolina | $224,040 | -36.4% |
| Georgia | $129,010 | -63.4% |
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Salary by Metro Area
Limited metro data available β BLS only publishes data for areas with sufficient survey responses.
| Metro Area | Median | vs. National |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $431,910 | +22.6% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $394,690 | +12.1% |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $377,990 | +7.3% |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $360,820 | +2.4% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $347,810 | -1.3% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $342,730 | -2.7% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $313,780 | -10.9% |
| Tucson, AZ | $299,990 | -14.8% |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $219,990 | -37.5% |