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Medical Appliance Technicians in Virginia

Considering working as a Medical Appliance Technicians in Virginia? Here’s what you need to know. 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 Make in Virginia?

For a medical appliance technicians working in Virginia, wages run about $50,240 per year (or about $24.15/hour).Annual wages span from $44,460 at the 10th percentile to $62,790 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$44,460	$21.38
25th percentile	$45,800	$22.02
Median (50th)	$50,240	$24.15
75th percentile	$58,870	$28.31
90th percentile	$62,790	$30.19

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Virginia compared to the national average — is 0.43, meaning fewer medical appliance technicians per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, medical appliance technicians earn a median of $29,828 per year ($14.34/hour), higher than the Virginia median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 355,112 medical appliance technicians across the United States. In Virginia alone, approximately 130 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 240 medical appliance technicians.

Top Virginia Metros for Medical Appliance Technicians

The largest metro-area employers of medical appliance technicians in Virginia.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Roanoke, VA	30	$45,800

Top States for Medical Appliance Technicians Employment

The table below shows the states where the most medical appliance technicians work.

State	Number Employed
California	1,400
Florida	1,370
New York	1,130
Illinois	720
Washington	420
New Jersey	410
North Carolina	410
Arizona	410
Puerto Rico	390
Pennsylvania	380
Texas	360
Tennessee	330
Massachusetts	320
Colorado	310
Michigan	290
Ohio	280
Missouri	280
Maryland	260
Indiana	240
Utah	210

Highest-Paying States for Medical Appliance Technicians

The highest-paying states for medical appliance technicians.

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

Skills

Top medical appliance technicians skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for medical appliance technicians, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

• 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.
• Lay out and mark dimensions of parts, using templates and precision measuring instruments.
• Fit appliances onto patients, and make any necessary adjustments.
• Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels.
• Take patients' body or limb measurements for use in device construction.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Thinking Creatively
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Processing Information
• Assisting and Caring for Others

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

Related Careers

Related occupations to medical appliance technicians include:

• Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
• Calibration Technologists and Technicians
• Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
• Pediatric Surgeons
• Surgical Technologists
• Orthotists and Prosthetists

Also Known As

Arch Support Maker, Arch Support Technician, Arch-Support Maker, Artificial Eye Maker, Artificial Limb Maker, Artificial Plastic Eye Maker, Brace Maker, Certified Pedorthotist, Cleanroom Technician (Cleanroom Tech), Fabrication Specialist, Hearing Aid Repair Technician, Lab Technician, Medical Appliance Maker, Medical Assembler, Medical Device Assembler.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-9082.00