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Orthotists and Prosthetists

Typical education: Master's degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Design, measure, fit, and adapt orthopedic braces, appliances or prostheses, such as limbs or facial parts for patients with disabling conditions.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $81,110 Median per year · $38.99/hr Most earn $46,350–$119,810

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Examine, interview, and measure patients to determine their appliance needs and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit.
  • Examine, interview, and measure patients to determine their appliance needs and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit.
  • Examine, interview, and measure patients to determine their appliance needs and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit.
  • Maintain patients' records.
  • Construct and fabricate appliances, or supervise others constructing the appliances.
  • Construct and fabricate appliances, or supervise others constructing the appliances.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
13% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing24.5%
  • Offices of all other health practitioners17.0%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service10.3%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals5.9%
  • Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals3.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Orthotists and prosthetists usually need a master's degree and some hands-on experience first, so this is not a job you can start straight out of high school. Most people spend roughly 6 to 8 years or more getting here, including college, a technician job, and graduate school.

  1. Bachelor's degree in a science or related field

    4 years

    Study subjects like biology, kinesiology, or engineering to build the science and math base that graduate programs expect.

  2. Medical Appliance Technician

    1-2 years

    Work hands-on building, adjusting, and repairing braces and artificial limbs under supervision, which gives you real fitting and fabrication experience.

  3. Master's degree in orthotics and prosthetics

    2-3 years

    Complete advanced coursework and clinical training in designing and fitting orthoses and prostheses, which is the credential this career requires.

  4. Orthotist and Prosthetist

    Ongoing career

    Measure patients, design and fit devices, and adjust them over time to help people with limb differences or disabling conditions move more easily.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Orthotist and Prosthetist

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on complex cases, train newer staff, and often handle more difficult fittings while still seeing your own patients.

  2. Clinic Manager

    5+ years of experience first

    You oversee a clinic's staff, scheduling, and operations, and spend less time on direct patient fitting than before.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take anatomy, biology, and physicsThese classes build the body and science knowledge you will use when designing devices for patients.
  • Take drafting, woodshop, or technology classesHands-on making and measuring skills are a good match for the fabrication side of this job.
  • Volunteer at a hospital or rehab centerSeeing patients with disabilities and the care team in action helps you decide if this field fits you.
  • Join a science or robotics clubTeamwork on building projects shows you enjoy designing and problem-solving with real materials.
  • Get a part-time job that involves customer care or toolsWorking with people and practical tasks builds communication and hands-on skills that help in patient fittings.

In college

  • Major in kinesiology, biology, or engineeringThese majors cover the anatomy, biomechanics, and math that graduate orthotics and prosthetics programs look for.
  • Work or intern at a prosthetics or orthotics clinicHands-on time with patients and fabrication gives you experience that strengthens your graduate school applications.
  • Seek a job as a medical appliance or medical equipment technicianThis is a direct way to build the 1-2 years of practical experience typically expected before this career.
  • Get involved in a biomechanics or engineering design clubDesign teams teach you to build and test devices, which is a core skill in this field.
  • Take a course in human anatomy or medical terminologyStrong knowledge of the body prepares you for clinical coursework and conversations with physicians and patients.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask to shadow an orthotist or prosthetist at a local clinic or hospital rehab department to see the daily work up close.
  • Get comfortable with both science classes and hands-on projects, since this career combines anatomy, math, and building things with your hands.
  • Keep track of your grades and volunteer hours early, because graduate programs in this field look at your academic record and hands-on experience.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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