How to become a Medical Appliance Technician

Official title: Medical Appliance Technicians

Also called: Certified Orthotist (CO), Certified Pedorthotist, Certified Prosthetist (CP), Hearing Aid Repair Technician (Hearing Aid Repair Tech), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Orthopedic Technician (Orthopedic Tech), Orthotic Technician (Orthotic Tech), Prosthetic Lab Tech (Prosthetic Laboratory Technician), Prosthetic Technician (Prosthetic Tech), Registered Prosthetic Orthotic Technician (Registered Prosthetic Orthotic Tech)

Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.

Main tasks

• 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.

How to become one

To enter the occupation, dental or ophthalmic laboratory technicians or medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically receive on-the-job training to attain competency.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (Nof).
• Apprenticeship: Orthotics Technician.
• Apprenticeship: Prosthetics Technician.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $48,030 a year The middle half earn $42,210 to $60,580.
• About 11,300 people work in this job now, and about 11,700 are projected by 2035. (+3.5%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Dental Laboratory Technicians
• Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
• Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
• Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Medical Appliance Technician?

To enter the occupation, dental or ophthalmic laboratory technicians or medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically receive on-the-job training to attain competency.

How much does a Medical Appliance Technician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $48,030 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $42,210 to $60,580.

Is a Medical Appliance Technician a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 11,300 to about 11,700 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Medical Appliance Technician?

Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (Nof).

Will AI change the work of a Medical Appliance Technician?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the 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.