29 Series · SOC 29-2091
Orthotists and Prosthetists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $81,110
- Median / year
- $119,810
- Top 10% earn
- +13.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 9,390
- US workers
Orthotists and Prosthetists earn a median of $81,110 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $81,110, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $46,350 (10th percentile) to $119,810 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 9,390 US workers. New Jersey pays the most ($118,950), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Orthotists and Prosthetists earn a median of $81,110, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 74% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #45 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 13.3% by 2033.
- $81,110
- Median annual wage
- Top 26%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #45 of 71
- in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- 2.6×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Jersey at $118,950. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
Orthotists and Prosthetists (SOC 29-2091) pays a national median of $81,110 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $46,350 at the 10th percentile to $119,810 at the 90th, with a mean of $83,740 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 9,390 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 57 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +13.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as much faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Master's degree and internship/residency of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Jersey pays the highest state median at $118,950, which is +47% above the national figure. The top metro is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $108,110 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$81,110
per year
Median Hourly
$38.99/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$83,740
average
Employment
9,390
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Orthotists and Prosthetists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$81,110 Top 26% higher than 74% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Orthotists and Prosthetists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Orthotists and Prosthetists sits on the faster-growing side at +13.3% growth and $81,110 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+13.3%
Much faster than average
Annual Openings
900
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Master's degree
On-the-Job Training
Internship/residency
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
0.7/100K
Injury Rate
1.5/100
Danger Index
6.4/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Orthotists and Prosthetists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Design orthopedic and prosthetic devices, based on physicians' prescriptions and examination and measurement of patients.
- ▸ Repair, rebuild, and modify prosthetic and orthopedic appliances.
- ▸ Construct and fabricate appliances, or supervise others constructing the appliances.
- ▸ Make and modify plaster casts of areas to be fitted with prostheses or orthoses to guide the device construction process.
- ▸ Confer with physicians to formulate specifications and prescriptions for orthopedic or prosthetic devices.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$46,350
25th Percentile
$61,290
Median
$81,110
75th Percentile
$99,990
90th Percentile
$119,810
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $118,950 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $105,240 | +30% above national |
| 3 | Utah | $96,530 | +19% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $95,030 | +17% above national |
| 5 | Oregon | $93,790 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $93,350 | +15% above national |
| 7 | Virginia | $92,930 | +15% above national |
| 8 | California | $91,820 | +13% above national |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $89,860 | +11% above national |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $89,710 | +11% above national |
| 11 | New York | $89,610 | +10% above national |
| 12 | Illinois | $89,180 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Iowa | $87,300 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Oklahoma | $83,780 | +3% above national |
| 15 | North Carolina | $82,190 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $81,460 | same as national |
| 17 | Florida | $81,370 | same as national |
| 18 | Maine | $81,230 | same as national |
| 19 | West Virginia | $80,860 | same as national |
| 20 | South Dakota | $80,760 | same as national |
| 21 | Mississippi | $80,500 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Nevada | $80,390 | 1% below national |
| 23 | South Carolina | $79,990 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Arkansas | $78,850 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Missouri | $78,100 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Texas | $77,220 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Connecticut | $77,030 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Colorado | $76,720 | 5% below national |
| 29 | Alabama | $76,400 | 6% below national |
| 30 | Georgia | $75,920 | 6% below national |
| 31 | Michigan | $75,810 | 7% below national |
| 32 | Minnesota | $75,530 | 7% below national |
| 33 | Louisiana | $75,460 | 7% below national |
| 34 | Kansas | $74,030 | 9% below national |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $70,400 | 13% below national |
| 36 | Arizona | $67,350 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Indiana | $66,180 | 18% below national |
| 38 | Puerto Rico | $65,360 | 19% below national |
| 39 | Tennessee | $65,170 | 20% below national |
| 40 | Ohio | $64,870 | 20% below national |
| 41 | Kentucky | $64,730 | 20% below national |
| 42 | New Mexico | $62,970 | 22% below national |
| 43 | North Dakota | $62,570 | 23% below national |
| 44 | Nebraska | $61,290 | 24% below national |
| 45 | District of Columbia | $44,080 | 46% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 57 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $108,110 | +33% above national |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,520 | +33% above national |
| 3 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $106,990 | +32% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $105,420 | +30% above national |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $103,070 | +27% above national |
| 6 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $101,230 | +25% above national |
| 7 | Roanoke, VA | $98,380 | +21% above national |
| 8 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $98,320 | +21% above national |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $97,290 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Iowa City, IA | $95,290 | +17% above national |
| 11 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $95,030 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $93,600 | +15% above national |
| 13 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $92,490 | +14% above national |
| 14 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $91,820 | +13% above national |
| 15 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $91,730 | +13% above national |
| 16 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $91,220 | +12% above national |
| 17 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $90,160 | +11% above national |
| 18 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $89,620 | +10% above national |
| 19 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $89,290 | +10% above national |
| 20 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $89,230 | +10% above national |
| 21 | Richmond, VA | $87,530 | +8% above national |
| 22 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $85,550 | +5% above national |
| 23 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,990 | +5% above national |
| 24 | Worcester, MA | $84,930 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Oklahoma City, OK | $83,780 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Rochester, NY | $83,770 | +3% above national |
| 27 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $83,090 | +2% above national |
| 28 | Springfield, MA | $82,970 | +2% above national |
| 29 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $82,830 | +2% above national |
| 30 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $81,540 | +1% above national |
| 31 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $81,260 | same as national |
| 32 | Ann Arbor, MI | $81,140 | same as national |
| 33 | Jacksonville, FL | $81,110 | same as national |
| 34 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $80,600 | 1% below national |
| 35 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $80,550 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $80,390 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $79,080 | 3% below national |
| 38 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $77,550 | 4% below national |
| 39 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $76,990 | 5% below national |
| 40 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $76,880 | 5% below national |
| 41 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $76,720 | 5% below national |
| 42 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $75,810 | 7% below national |
| 43 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $75,810 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Cleveland, OH | $74,560 | 8% below national |
| 45 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $72,980 | 10% below national |
| 46 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $70,770 | 13% below national |
| 47 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $67,350 | 17% below national |
| 48 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $65,290 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Omaha, NE-IA | $63,030 | 22% below national |
| 50 | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,970 | 22% below national |
| 51 | Columbus, OH | $62,550 | 23% below national |
| 52 | Birmingham, AL | $61,780 | 24% below national |
| 53 | Akron, OH | $61,450 | 24% below national |
| 54 | Lincoln, NE | $61,290 | 24% below national |
| 55 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $61,140 | 25% below national |
| 56 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $59,390 | 27% below national |
| 57 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $39,100 | 52% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Orthotists and Prosthetists pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $99,990/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: New Jersey leads at $118,950/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.