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Orthotist/Prosthetist

A program that prepares individuals, in consultation with physicians and other therapists, to design and fit orthoses for patients with disabling conditions of the limbs and/or spine, and prostheses for patients who have partial or total absence of a limb or significant superficial deformity. Includes instruction in biomechanics, gait analysis, pathomechanics, kinesiology, pathology, neuroanatomy, materials science, diagnostic imaging, patient analysis and measurement, impression taking, model rectification, assistive/restorative technology and engineering applications, product finishing, diagnostic and definitive fitting and alignment, power devices, postoperative management, and patient counseling and follow-up.

Types of Degrees Orthotist/Prosthetist Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Orthotist/Prosthetist have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	46
Associate’s Degree	38
Bachelor’s Degree	7
Master’s Degree	317

What Orthotist/Prosthetist Majors Need to Know

Studies in Orthotist/Prosthetist build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Orthotist/Prosthetist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Orthotist/Prosthetist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Orthotist/Prosthetist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Orthotist/Prosthetist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS	Medical software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Vorum Research Corporation CANFIT-PLUS	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Gait analysis software	Medical software	—
Seattle Systems Shapemaker	Computer aided design CAD software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates include:

• Orthotic Fitter
• Board Orthotist
• Orthopedic Assistant
• American Board Certified Orthotist (ABC Orthotist)
• Orthotist Clinician
• Prosthetist
• Pedorthist
• Prosthetic Practitioner
• Certified Pedorthist
• Artificial Limb Fitter
• Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (Orthotic and Prosthetic Tech)
• Orthotist and Prosthetist
• Licensed Orthotist
• Orthotist
• Orthopedic Mechanic

What Can You Do With a Orthotist/Prosthetist Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Orthotist/Prosthetist commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	69.1%
Bachelor’s degree	8.0%
Doctoral degree	6.7%
Post-doctoral training	5.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.7%
Postsecondary certificate	1.6%
Some college courses	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Orthotist/Prosthetist?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 57.6% women and 42.4% men among Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	235	57.6%
Men	173	42.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	266	65.2%
Asian	28	6.9%
Hispanic or Latino	44	10.8%
Black or African American	15	3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Two or More Races	14	3.4%
Race Unknown	30	7.4%
International Students	10	2.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Orthotist/Prosthetist Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$67,332
4 years	$70,102
5 years	$75,167

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,167 — roughly 12% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Orthotist/Prosthetist Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Orthotist/Prosthetist. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	2	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Orthotist/Prosthetist Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Orthotist/Prosthetist graduates earn a median of $70,102 four years after completion — roughly 84% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	29,603
Physical Therapy/Therapist	13,424
Occupational Therapy/Therapist	10,460
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Rehabilitation Science	1,107
Art Therapy/Therapist	768
Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy	722
Music Therapy/Therapist	651
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other	621
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Kinesiotherapy/Kinesiotherapist	121

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.