Career
Orthotists and prosthetists
Design and fit braces and artificial limbs.
$81,110
Median pay
+12.9%
Job growth, 2025–35
700
Openings a year
Master's degree
Typical education
6 years
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Fit, test, and evaluate devices on patients, and make adjustments for proper fit, function, and comfort.
- Instruct patients in the use and care of orthoses and prostheses.
- Maintain patients' records.
- Examine, interview, and measure patients to determine their appliance needs and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit.
- Select materials and components to be used, based on device design.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then ideas & analysis?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Fit, test, and evaluate devices on patients, and make adjustments for proper fit, function, and comfort.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
6 years of education after high school (master's degree), for a median of $81,110 a year and 700 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Orthotist/ProsthetistCIP 51.2307
- Assistive/Augmentative Technology and Rehabilitation EngineeringCIP 51.2312
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$358,550 · +4.0%
- Medical Appliance Technicians$48,030 · +3.5%
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
- Podiatrists$160,300 · +2.0%
- Audiologists$95,780 · +11.0%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.