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Medical Appliance Technicians: Career Overview
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
What Do Medical Appliance Technicians Perform?
The core tasks performed by medical appliance technicians span:
- Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- 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.
- Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns.
- Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
- Cover or pad metal or plastic structures or devices, using coverings such as rubber, leather, felt, plastic, or fiberglass.
- Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top medical appliance technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Medical Appliance Technicians Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Arch Support Maker
- Arch Support Technician
- Arch-Support Maker
- Artificial Eye Maker
- Artificial Limb Maker
- Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
- Brace Maker
- Certified Pedorthotist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 355,112 medical appliance technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +8.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Medical Appliance Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $29,828 |
| Hourly median | $14.34 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $23,162 |
| 75th percentile | $36,494 |
| 90th percentile | $43,160 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Medical Appliance Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Nebraska | $84,070 |
| West Virginia | $73,580 |
| Arizona | $65,040 |
| Colorado | $58,390 |
| New Hampshire | $53,170 |
| Oklahoma | $52,520 |
| Tennessee | $52,130 |
| Massachusetts | $52,000 |
| Idaho | $51,530 |
| New Mexico | $51,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,460 |
| Michigan | $50,950 |
| New Jersey | $50,690 |
| Texas | $50,430 |
| Virginia | $50,240 |
| California | $47,380 |
| New York | $47,310 |
| Iowa | $47,290 |
| Mississippi | $46,990 |
| North Carolina | $46,750 |
| Ohio | $46,740 |
| South Carolina | $46,710 |
| Washington | $46,550 |
| Missouri | $46,390 |
| Rhode Island | $46,090 |
| Connecticut | $45,870 |
| Maryland | $45,290 |
| Kansas | $45,290 |
| Arkansas | $45,140 |
| Florida | $44,920 |
| Wisconsin | $42,060 |
| Nevada | $41,600 |
| Utah | $40,600 |
| Illinois | $40,230 |
| South Dakota | $39,370 |
| Indiana | $39,330 |
| Georgia | $36,300 |
| Oregon | $30,820 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,240 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for medical appliance technicians shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest | $57,247 | 7.9% | 1.04 |
| Rocky Mountains | $51,223 | 4.7% | 1.45 |
| New England | $49,195 | 6.9% | 2.26 |
| Middle Atlantic | $48,428 | 18.7% | 1.37 |
| Southeast | $46,936 | 22.8% | 1.47 |
| Far Western US | $46,544 | 16.9% | 1.14 |
| Plains States | $45,997 | 3.8% | 1.20 |
| Great Lakes | $43,167 | 14.9% | 1.16 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | AZ | $76,040 | 270 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $61,510 | 70 |
| Tucson, AZ | AZ | $60,980 | |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $59,420 | |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $58,520 | 100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $55,370 | 90 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | TX | $55,080 | 40 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | NH | $54,260 | 50 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of medical appliance technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7,140 | $46,450 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,760 | $50,910 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,120 | $57,620 |
| Retail Trade | 900 | $46,220 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 200 | $40,810 |
Below are examples of industries where medical appliance technicians work:
Tech Stack
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for medical appliance technicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
Typical medical appliance technicians positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric (Supplemental)
- Pediatric Surgeons (Supplemental)
- Surgical Technologists (Primary-Long)
- Orthotists and Prosthetists (Supplemental)
- Medical Equipment Preparers (Primary-Long)
- Endoscopy Technicians (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future medical appliance technicians often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9082.00 (Medical Appliance Technicians).
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