Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
National median · BLS
$48,030
▲ +2.06%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$52,730
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
11,280
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Medical Appliance Technicians
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$36,510
25th
$42,210
Median (50th)
$48,030
75th
$60,580
90th — top pay
$75,740
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Medical Appliance Technicians
BLS projects employment of medical appliance technicians to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 1,300 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
11,300 → 11,700
+400 jobs
Projected change
+3.5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,300
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What medical appliance technicians do
Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels.
Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns.
Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required.
Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components.
Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures.
Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Medical Appliance Technicians, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $48,030.
