Medical Appliance Technicians
Medical Appliance Technicians (SOC 51-9082) earn a median $48,030 a year ($23.09 an hour) in the United States, with 11,280 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Arizona.
What medical appliance technicians do
Medical appliance technicians make, repair, and adjust supportive devices that patients wear or use, such as braces, orthotic and prosthetic devices, arch supports, artificial limbs, and surgical supports. They build devices from a prescription or specification. Materials include thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics, metal alloys, and leather, shaped with hand and power tools. A technician may make or receive casts or impressions of a patient's torso or limb and use them as patterns, then bend, form, and shape material to the prescribed contours and join the parts by gluing, welding, bolting, or riveting after drilling and tapping holes. Existing devices are repaired, modified, or maintained as needs change. Finished devices are checked with meters and alignment fixtures for correct alignment, movement, and biomechanical stability, and metal or plastic structures may be covered or padded with rubber, leather, felt, plastic, or fiberglass.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, an associate degree is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Arch Support Maker, Arch Support Technician, Arch-Support Maker, Artificial Eye Maker, Artificial Limb Maker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.55 | $20.29 | $23.09 | $29.12 | $36.41 | $25.35 | 11,280 |
| Annual | $36,510 | $42,210 | $48,030 | $60,580 | $75,740 | $52,730 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where medical appliance technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $24.63 | $30.87 | $34.98 | $39.23 | $39.26 | $34.06 | 300 | 0.09 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $51,240 | $64,200 | $72,760 | $81,600 | $81,650 | $70,840 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $20.21 | $22.55 | $29.29 | $37.04 | $48.20 | $31.14 | 200 | 0.03 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $42,040 | $46,910 | $60,920 | $77,040 | $100,250 | $64,780 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $22.69 | $25.25 | $28.75 | $35.36 | $40.99 | $30.49 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $47,200 | $52,520 | $59,810 | $73,550 | $85,250 | $63,420 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $21.63 | $23.11 | $28.64 | $37.62 | $41.49 | $30.56 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $44,990 | $48,060 | $59,560 | $78,250 | $86,300 | $63,570 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $20.87 | $22.05 | $27.05 | $29.73 | $36.49 | $26.86 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $43,410 | $45,860 | $56,260 | $61,830 | $75,900 | $55,870 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.64 | $17.45 | $22.17 | $27.35 | $30.31 | $22.97 | 1,800 | 0.18 | 2.49 |
| Annual | $34,620 | $36,290 | $46,110 | $56,890 | $63,040 | $47,780 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.74 | $21.56 | $24.77 | $29.78 | $40.05 | $27.21 | 1,300 | 0.07 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $38,980 | $44,850 | $51,530 | $61,950 | $83,300 | $56,610 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.76 | $18.99 | $22.29 | $27.39 | $30.85 | $24.09 | 790 | 0.13 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $39,030 | $39,500 | $46,370 | $56,970 | $64,170 | $50,110 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.75 | $20.71 | $23.12 | $24.08 | $29.91 | $23.47 | 720 | 0.08 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $36,920 | $43,070 | $48,080 | $50,090 | $62,210 | $48,820 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $19.43 | $21.34 | $26.28 | $31.73 | $36.61 | $27.13 | 600 | 0.12 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $40,410 | $44,380 | $54,650 | $65,990 | $76,140 | $56,430 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $23.54 | $30.66 | $39.23 | $39.25 | $39.89 | $34.29 | 190 | 0.08 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $48,960 | $63,780 | $81,600 | $81,630 | $82,960 | $71,310 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $22.05 | $23.92 | $29.76 | $33.42 | $41.37 | $29.84 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $45,860 | $49,740 | $61,890 | $69,520 | $86,050 | $62,070 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $23.56 | $25.25 | $28.80 | $35.80 | $42.10 | $31.06 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $49,000 | $52,530 | $59,910 | $74,460 | $87,570 | $64,600 | ||||
| Richmond, VA | Hourly | $21.00 | $22.30 | $27.98 | $36.49 | $36.49 | $27.83 | 60 | 0.10 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $46,390 | $58,210 | $75,900 | $75,900 | $57,880 | ||||
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Hourly | $21.34 | $23.76 | $27.83 | $36.46 | $36.46 | $28.61 | 130 | 0.10 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $44,380 | $49,430 | $57,880 | $75,830 | $75,830 | $59,520 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.91 | $21.84 | $23.48 | $27.13 | $30.52 | $24.71 | 690 | 0.07 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $37,250 | $45,420 | $48,850 | $56,420 | $63,490 | $51,400 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.97 | $18.99 | $22.74 | $28.62 | $30.85 | $24.28 | 640 | 0.14 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $39,450 | $39,500 | $47,310 | $59,530 | $64,170 | $50,500 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.24 | $21.56 | $25.94 | $29.41 | $34.12 | $26.12 | 420 | 0.07 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $40,020 | $44,850 | $53,950 | $61,160 | $70,970 | $54,330 | ||||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Hourly | $15.10 | $16.64 | $22.22 | $23.89 | $29.16 | $21.96 | 340 | 0.23 | 3.21 |
| Annual | $31,410 | $34,620 | $46,210 | $49,680 | $60,660 | $45,680 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $18.67 | $22.00 | $22.76 | $29.46 | $43.55 | $27.32 | 290 | 0.19 | 2.57 |
| Annual | $38,840 | $45,750 | $47,340 | $61,280 | $90,580 | $56,820 | ||||
Top industries employing medical appliance technicians
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing employ 51.4% of medical appliance technicians nationally (5,800 jobs) at a median $46,740 a year ($22.47 an hour), followed by Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (12.1%) and Health and Personal Care Retailers (9.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing NAICS 339100 | 5,800 | 51.4% | $46,740 | $22.47 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423400 | 1,370 | 12.1% | $56,090 | $26.97 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 1,010 | 9.0% | $49,070 | $23.59 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 710 | 6.3% | $50,090 | $24.08 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 640 | 5.7% | $48,990 | $23.55 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (11,280). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $45,280 for medical appliance technicians in May 2021 and $48,030 in May 2025, with employment of 15,300 and 11,280.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $45,280 | $21.77 | 15,300 |
| May 2022 | $42,160 | $20.27 | 15,680 |
| May 2023 | $44,960 | $21.62 | 12,550 |
| May 2024 | $47,060 | $22.63 | 11,490 |
| May 2025 | $48,030 | $23.09 | 11,280 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
40 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona profile | $34.98 | $72,760 | $51,240 | $81,650 | 300 | 0.09 | 1.29 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.29 | $60,920 | $42,040 | $100,250 | 200 | 0.03 | 0.46 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $28.75 | $59,810 | $47,200 | $85,250 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Colorado profile | $28.64 | $59,560 | $44,990 | $86,300 | ** | ** | ** |
| 5 | Virginia profile | $27.05 | $56,260 | $43,410 | $75,900 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.87 |
| 6 | New Hampshire profile | $26.44 | $54,980 | $48,400 | $78,560 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.76 |
| 7 | Nebraska profile | $26.33 | $54,770 | $31,480 | $92,050 | 170 | 0.17 | 2.29 |
| 8 | North Carolina profile | $26.28 | $54,650 | $40,410 | $76,140 | 600 | 0.12 | 1.67 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $26.17 | $54,430 | $43,020 | $83,540 | 130 | 0.08 | 1.05 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $25.84 | $53,750 | $40,640 | $70,010 | ** | ** | ** |
| 11 | South Dakota profile | $25.46 | $52,950 | $38,500 | $80,250 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.93 |
| 12 | New Jersey profile | $25.19 | $52,400 | $41,880 | $63,470 | 310 | 0.07 | 0.99 |
| 13 | Iowa profile | $24.90 | $51,790 | $32,470 | $74,140 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.71 |
| 14 | California profile | $24.77 | $51,530 | $38,980 | $83,300 | 1,300 | 0.07 | 0.99 |
| 15 | Louisiana profile | $24.41 | $50,770 | $33,830 | $57,490 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Oklahoma profile | $23.98 | $49,870 | $39,240 | $64,590 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.90 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | $23.62 | $49,140 | $39,320 | $65,020 | 480 | 0.11 | 1.51 |
| 18 | Rhode Island profile | $23.61 | $49,100 | $40,200 | $63,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $23.51 | $48,890 | $36,980 | $60,880 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.46 |
| 20 | New York profile | $23.12 | $48,080 | $36,920 | $62,210 | 720 | 0.08 | 1.03 |
| 21 | Washington profile | $23.09 | $48,030 | $43,010 | $67,760 | 310 | 0.09 | 1.20 |
| 22 | Idaho profile | $23.09 | $48,020 | $44,160 | $61,760 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.69 |
| 23 | Maine profile | $22.92 | $47,670 | $44,830 | $51,180 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.72 |
| 24 | Maryland profile | $22.57 | $46,940 | $46,460 | $78,990 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $22.47 | $46,750 | $35,710 | $68,500 | 350 | 0.12 | 1.62 |
| 26 | Oregon profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $35,900 | $91,380 | 130 | 0.06 | 0.88 |
| 27 | Texas profile | $22.32 | $46,430 | $36,510 | $73,580 | 310 | 0.02 | 0.30 |
| 28 | Illinois profile | $22.29 | $46,370 | $39,030 | $64,170 | 790 | 0.13 | 1.80 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $22.17 | $46,110 | $34,620 | $63,040 | 1,800 | 0.18 | 2.49 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | $22.06 | $45,870 | $31,670 | $58,330 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.80 |
| 31 | Indiana profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $29,470 | $101,300 | 130 | 0.04 | 0.58 |
| 32 | Ohio profile | $21.98 | $45,710 | $39,490 | $64,020 | 420 | 0.08 | 1.04 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $21.97 | $45,690 | $37,980 | $68,040 | ** | ** | ** |
| 34 | Mississippi profile | $21.69 | $45,100 | $32,650 | $95,640 | 110 | 0.09 | 1.29 |
| 35 | Tennessee profile | $21.49 | $44,700 | $27,300 | $75,230 | 370 | 0.11 | 1.55 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $21.21 | $44,110 | $41,920 | $75,260 | 170 | 0.10 | 1.31 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $20.30 | $42,230 | $32,100 | $61,740 | 200 | 0.09 | 1.18 |
| 38 | Arkansas profile | $18.97 | $39,450 | $36,010 | $57,920 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 39 | Georgia profile | $18.00 | $37,440 | $36,710 | $55,270 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $17.83 | $37,090 | $36,240 | $51,290 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9080), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9082 Medical Appliance Technicians.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9082, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9082.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.