Average Income

• Health care careers that require a high level of education are some of the best-paying careers in the US. According to the BLS, the average (mean) annual income of oral and maxillofacial surgeons was $210,710 in May 2009. Average income is the total income earned by all workers in the field divided by the number of workers employed in the field. The average annual income of oral and maxillofacial surgeons translates to income of about $101.30 an hour.
  
  

Variation in Income

• Average income provides a gauge of the pay earned by a typical worker in a field, but actual income earned can vary significantly from one individual to the next. Factors such as education and experience can impact annual income. The BLS states that 10 percent of oral and maxillofacial surgeons made less than $101,730 in May 2009, while 75 percent made $163,800 or more. This shows a considerable disparity between those at the low end of the income scale and those close to the average income level.
  
  

Income by Industry

• The industry a surgeon chooses to work in can affect pay. According to the BLS, there are three main industries that employ oral and maxillofacial surgeons: "Offices of Dentists," "General Medical and Surgical Hospitals" and "Offices of Physicians." "Offices of Dentists" employed over 4000 workers, while "General Medical and Surgical Hospitals" and "Offices of Physicians" each employed fewer than 400 workers. BLS data show that in May 2009, surgeons in these fields earned an average annual income of $212,680, $200,020, and $203,850 respectively.
  
  

Regional Income

• The geographical region or city where a person works can impact annual income. The BLS states that the top 5 states for oral and maxillofacial surgeon employment were New York, Kansas, New Mexico, Massachusetts and North Carolina. Workers in New York earned an average annual income of $207,850, while workers in Massachusetts and North Carolina earned $201,500 and $194,770 respectively.