Orthotists and Prosthetists
Orthotists and Prosthetists (SOC 29-2091) earn a median $81,110 a year ($38.99 an hour) in the United States, with 9,390 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What orthotists and prosthetists do
Orthotists and prosthetists design, measure, fit and adapt orthopedic braces, appliances or prostheses, such as limbs or facial parts, for patients with disabling conditions. They examine, interview and measure patients to find out what appliance is needed and which factors could affect its fit. Devices are designed from physicians' prescriptions and the examination and measurements, and materials and components are selected to match the design. They construct and fabricate the appliances, or supervise others who do, and fit, test and evaluate the devices on patients, making adjustments for proper fit, function and comfort. They instruct patients in the use and care of orthoses and prostheses, repair, rebuild and modify existing appliances, and maintain patient records. O*NET alternate titles such as certified orthotist, certified prosthetist, certified prosthetist orthotist, certified pedorthist and artificial limb fitter show that practitioners may specialize in braces, artificial limbs, or both. About nine in ten respondents report a master's degree. Making and fitting devices is the center of the work, which differs from the broader rehabilitation care that therapists provide.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a master's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (90 percent).
Also called: American Board Certified Orthotist (ABC Orthotist), Artificial Limb Fitter, Board Orthotist, Board Prosthetist, Certified Orthotic Fitter.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.28 | $29.47 | $38.99 | $48.07 | $57.60 | $40.26 | 9,390 |
| Annual | $46,350 | $61,290 | $81,110 | $99,990 | $119,810 | $83,740 | ||
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 orthotists and prosthetists 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 | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $28.98 | $36.78 | $57.19 | $63.89 | $64.69 | $50.81 | 240 | 0.06 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $60,280 | $76,500 | $118,950 | $132,890 | $134,550 | $105,690 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $31.41 | $36.25 | $50.59 | $55.22 | $59.47 | $47.88 | 250 | 0.07 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $65,330 | $75,390 | $105,240 | $114,850 | $123,700 | $99,590 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $34.51 | $42.85 | $46.41 | $46.45 | $48.28 | $44.32 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $71,780 | $89,130 | $96,530 | $96,610 | $100,420 | $92,180 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $26.74 | $34.08 | $45.69 | $73.89 | $74.87 | $51.64 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $55,620 | $70,880 | $95,030 | $153,680 | $155,720 | $107,420 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $29.41 | $33.19 | $45.09 | $52.40 | $72.11 | $46.41 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $61,170 | $69,040 | $93,790 | $108,990 | $149,990 | $96,520 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $28.64 | $36.14 | $44.15 | $53.27 | $60.38 | $44.73 | 1,050 | 0.06 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $59,570 | $75,160 | $91,820 | $110,810 | $125,590 | $93,030 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.11 | $30.03 | $39.12 | $55.39 | $94.24 | $46.20 | 550 | 0.06 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $43,910 | $62,460 | $81,370 | $115,210 | $196,010 | $96,100 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $22.78 | $29.63 | $37.13 | $46.05 | $51.49 | $37.86 | 500 | 0.04 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $47,390 | $61,630 | $77,220 | $95,790 | $107,100 | $78,750 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.00 | $27.10 | $39.16 | $46.17 | $49.71 | $38.47 | 430 | 0.07 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $45,760 | $56,370 | $81,460 | $96,040 | $103,400 | $80,020 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $20.26 | $22.88 | $31.19 | $49.24 | $52.86 | $35.52 | 390 | 0.07 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $42,130 | $47,600 | $64,870 | $102,420 | $109,950 | $73,880 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $39.37 | $41.62 | $51.98 | $58.59 | $66.97 | $50.91 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $81,880 | $86,570 | $108,110 | $121,870 | $139,300 | $105,900 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $28.94 | $35.77 | $51.69 | $63.07 | $64.69 | $49.24 | 320 | 0.03 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $60,200 | $74,400 | $107,520 | $131,190 | $134,550 | $102,410 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $30.70 | $38.19 | $51.44 | $54.85 | $74.20 | $48.88 | 110 | 0.09 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $63,850 | $79,430 | $106,990 | $114,090 | $154,340 | $101,680 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $31.54 | $36.25 | $50.68 | $59.10 | $60.28 | $48.17 | 130 | 0.06 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $65,600 | $75,390 | $105,420 | $122,930 | $125,380 | $100,190 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $31.12 | $36.50 | $49.55 | $58.44 | $60.38 | $46.52 | 280 | 0.05 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $64,730 | $75,920 | $103,070 | $121,540 | $125,590 | $96,770 | ||||
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 | $28.94 | $35.77 | $51.69 | $63.07 | $64.69 | $49.24 | 320 | 0.03 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $60,200 | $74,400 | $107,520 | $131,190 | $134,550 | $102,410 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $31.12 | $36.50 | $49.55 | $58.44 | $60.38 | $46.52 | 280 | 0.05 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $64,730 | $75,920 | $103,070 | $121,540 | $125,590 | $96,770 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $21.17 | $21.17 | $39.82 | $41.39 | $55.25 | $36.62 | 250 | 0.08 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $44,040 | $44,040 | $82,830 | $86,090 | $114,920 | $76,170 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $33.59 | $36.11 | $43.35 | $51.45 | $59.74 | $45.42 | 220 | 0.08 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $69,870 | $75,100 | $90,160 | $107,020 | $124,250 | $94,480 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $27.10 | $33.79 | $45.00 | $48.68 | $50.67 | $42.52 | 200 | 0.07 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $56,370 | $70,290 | $93,600 | $101,250 | $105,390 | $88,440 | ||||
Top industries employing orthotists and prosthetists
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing employ 25.2% of orthotists and prosthetists nationally (2,370 jobs) at a median $83,370 a year ($40.08 an hour), followed by Offices of Other Health Practitioners (17.7%) and Health and Personal Care Retailers (12.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing NAICS 339100 | 2,370 | 25.2% | $83,370 | $40.08 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 1,660 | 17.7% | $83,550 | $40.17 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 1,190 | 12.7% | $78,320 | $37.65 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 920 | 9.8% | $91,170 | $43.83 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 590 | 6.3% | $65,320 | $31.40 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (9,390). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $75,440 for orthotists and prosthetists in May 2021 and $81,110 in May 2025, with employment of 10,410 and 9,390.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $75,440 | $36.27 | 10,410 |
| May 2022 | $77,070 | $37.05 | 9,150 |
| May 2023 | $78,100 | $37.55 | 8,820 |
| May 2024 | $78,310 | $37.65 | 9,930 |
| May 2025 | $81,110 | $38.99 | 9,390 |
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
44 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 | New Jersey profile | $57.19 | $118,950 | $60,280 | $134,550 | 240 | 0.06 | 0.93 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $50.59 | $105,240 | $65,330 | $123,700 | 250 | 0.07 | 1.15 |
| 3 | Utah profile | $46.41 | $96,530 | $71,780 | $100,420 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.65 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $45.69 | $95,030 | $55,620 | $155,720 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.53 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $45.09 | $93,790 | $61,170 | $149,990 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.98 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $44.88 | $93,350 | $61,500 | $110,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Virginia profile | $44.68 | $92,930 | $53,250 | $133,150 | 340 | 0.08 | 1.35 |
| 8 | California profile | $44.15 | $91,820 | $59,570 | $125,590 | 1,050 | 0.06 | 0.95 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $43.20 | $89,860 | $65,820 | $122,140 | 350 | 0.10 | 1.59 |
| 10 | Wisconsin profile | $43.13 | $89,710 | $58,670 | $119,030 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.79 |
| 11 | New York profile | $43.08 | $89,610 | $52,960 | $125,160 | 300 | 0.03 | 0.51 |
| 12 | Illinois profile | $42.87 | $89,180 | $56,520 | $106,920 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.66 |
| 13 | Iowa profile | $41.97 | $87,300 | $61,910 | $104,560 | 90 | 0.06 | 0.99 |
| 14 | Oklahoma profile | $40.28 | $83,780 | $48,740 | $104,690 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.75 |
| 15 | North Carolina profile | $39.52 | $82,190 | $44,460 | $112,400 | 260 | 0.05 | 0.88 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania profile | $39.16 | $81,460 | $45,760 | $103,400 | 430 | 0.07 | 1.18 |
| 17 | Florida profile | $39.12 | $81,370 | $43,910 | $196,010 | 550 | 0.06 | 0.92 |
| 18 | Maine profile | $39.05 | $81,230 | $33,370 | $161,720 | 60 | 0.10 | 1.60 |
| 19 | West Virginia profile | $38.87 | $80,860 | $70,020 | $107,140 | 70 | 0.09 | 1.55 |
| 20 | South Dakota profile | $38.83 | $80,760 | $52,220 | $108,730 | 40 | 0.09 | 1.45 |
| 21 | Mississippi profile | $38.70 | $80,500 | $43,090 | $117,670 | 60 | 0.05 | 0.86 |
| 22 | Nevada profile | $38.65 | $80,390 | $36,400 | $121,120 | 100 | 0.07 | 1.08 |
| 23 | South Carolina profile | $38.46 | $79,990 | $47,540 | $101,960 | 230 | 0.10 | 1.63 |
| 24 | Arkansas profile | $37.91 | $78,850 | $36,800 | $105,560 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.52 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $37.55 | $78,100 | $44,350 | $96,010 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.43 |
| 26 | Texas profile | $37.13 | $77,220 | $47,390 | $107,100 | 500 | 0.04 | 0.59 |
| 27 | Connecticut profile | $37.04 | $77,030 | $50,200 | $118,570 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | Colorado profile | $36.89 | $76,720 | $52,930 | $118,600 | ** | ** | ** |
| 29 | Alabama profile | $36.73 | $76,400 | $49,020 | $122,930 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.81 |
| 30 | Georgia profile | $36.50 | $75,920 | $48,600 | $133,600 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| 31 | Michigan profile | $36.45 | $75,810 | $39,990 | $99,990 | ** | ** | ** |
| 32 | Minnesota profile | $36.31 | $75,530 | $46,870 | $99,820 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.52 |
| 33 | Louisiana profile | $36.28 | $75,460 | $49,230 | $99,360 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| 34 | Kansas profile | $35.59 | $74,030 | $43,550 | $92,560 | ** | ** | ** |
| 35 | New Hampshire profile | $33.84 | $70,400 | $57,510 | $134,330 | 130 | 0.20 | 3.24 |
| 36 | Arizona profile | $32.38 | $67,350 | $50,020 | $107,370 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.37 |
| 37 | Indiana profile | $31.82 | $66,180 | $41,170 | $92,880 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.64 |
| 38 | Tennessee profile | $31.33 | $65,170 | $51,620 | $96,830 | 250 | 0.08 | 1.24 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $31.19 | $64,870 | $42,130 | $109,950 | 390 | 0.07 | 1.16 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $31.12 | $64,730 | $60,410 | $100,270 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.69 |
| 41 | New Mexico profile | $30.27 | $62,970 | $31,710 | $107,910 | 70 | 0.08 | 1.32 |
| 42 | North Dakota profile | $30.08 | $62,570 | $42,520 | $97,830 | 40 | 0.08 | 1.35 |
| 43 | Nebraska profile | $29.47 | $61,290 | $53,850 | $92,550 | 110 | 0.11 | 1.84 |
| 44 | District of Columbia profile | $21.19 | $44,080 | $44,040 | $84,990 | 170 | 0.24 | 4.05 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-2090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical 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 29-2091 Orthotists and Prosthetists.
**- 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 29-2091, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-2091.00, 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.