Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Orthodontists: Similar Pay, 1.7% vs 6% Growth

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Orthodontists: what changes?

Consider Obstetricians and Gynecologists if you want to provide medical care related to pregnancy or childbirth. Consider Orthodontists if you would rather examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions and oral cavity anomalies. Both list doctoral or professional degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Orthodontists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

National median pay (2025): $292,910
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Treat diseases of female organs.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 500

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Obstetricians and Gynecologists brief

Orthodontists

National median pay (2025): $289,140
Route into the job: Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Diagnose teeth and jaw or other dental-facial abnormalities.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 200

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Orthodontists brief

How the national numbers differ

Orthodontists has the edge on projected growth

Orthodontists is at 6% projected growth, compared with 1.7% projected growth for Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists has the edge on annual openings

Obstetricians and Gynecologists is at 500 annual openings, compared with 200 annual openings for Orthodontists.

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

43.2/ 100

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

51.3/ 100

Orthodontists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Orthodontists

Dimension	Obstetricians and Gynecologists	Orthodontists
Median pay (2025)	$292,910	$289,140
Pay percentile	98.8 percentile	98.6 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	1.7%	6%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	500	200
2025 employment	22,800	7,100
How you qualify	Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements	Doctoral or professional degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 5
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.	Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Obstetricians and Gynecologists brief Read Orthodontists brief

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Orthodontists: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Orthodontists

How the national numbers differ

Orthodontists has the edge on projected growth

Obstetricians and Gynecologists has the edge on annual openings

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Obstetricians and Gynecologists vs Orthodontists

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