Medical Appliance Technicians earn a median of $48,030 per year ($23.09/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 3.5% through 2035, with about 1,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9082
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Medical Appliance Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $48,030a year, or $23.09/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $76K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.5%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,30011,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202511.3K
- Projected 203511.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 11.3K Projected 2035 11.7K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Certified Orthotist (CO), Certified Pedorthotist, Certified Prosthetist (CP), Hearing Aid Repair Technician (Hearing Aid Repair Tech), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Orthopedic Technician (Orthopedic Tech).
Pay
How much do Medical Appliance Technicians make?
Every medical appliance technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$48,030
Middle half earn $42,210 to $60,580
- 10th
- $36,510
- 25th
- $42,210
- 75th
- $60,580
- 90th
- $75,740
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $36,510 |
| 25th | $42,210 |
| Median | $48,030 |
| 75th | $60,580 |
| 90th | $75,740 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $48,030
- Median hourly wage
- $23.09/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $52,730
- People employed
- 11,280
Versus all US occupations
At $48,030, Medical Appliance Technicians earn 6% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,950 a year.
Versus production occupations
The median is typical for the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $75,740 or more while the bottom 10% earn $36,510, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 18% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Arizona pays the most at $72,760, and still leads at $72,271 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Medical Appliance Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Arizona | $72,760 | $72,271 | 300 |
| 2Pennsylvania | $60,920 | $62,436 | 200 |
| 3Massachusetts | $59,810 | $56,554 | N/A |
| 4Colorado | $59,560 | $57,796 | N/A |
| 5Virginia | $56,260 | $55,646 | 260 |
| 6New Hampshire | $54,980 | $52,782 | 40 |
| 7Nebraska | $54,770 | $60,786 | 170 |
| 8North Carolina | $54,650 | $57,937 | 600 |
| 9Connecticut | $54,430 | $52,534 | 130 |
| 10Minnesota | $53,750 | $54,502 | N/A |
Job outlook
Is Medical Appliance Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Medical Appliance Technicians | +3.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Medical Appliance Technicians to change 3.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,300 openings are projected each year, 11.5% of the 11,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians varies by occupation (see table).
Demand for dental laboratory technicians is expected to decline as 3D printing and other laborsaving technologies are increasingly used to produce dental parts and appliances.
Getting in
How to become a Medical Appliance Technician
To enter the occupation, dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically receive on-the-job training to attain competency.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Medical Appliance Technician do?
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products.
Day-to-day tasks
- Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components.
- Lay out and mark dimensions of parts, using templates and precision measuring instruments.
- Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
- Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
- 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.
- Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- Service or repair machinery used in the fabrication of appliances.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians work full time, and schedules may vary.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Learning3.1
- Writing2.9
- Learning Strategies2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8
- Troubleshooting3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Service Orientation3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.8 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Medical Appliance Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Medical Appliance Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic7.0
- Investigative4.0
- Conventional3.7
- Social3.2
- Artistic1.6
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Medical Appliance Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Production
- Production
- Production
Molder, Shaper, and Caster, Except Metal and Plastic
$46,170median a year
Most earn $36K to $62K
+5.8%High school - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More production careers
Median annual pay, with medical appliance technicians highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Medical Appliance Technician$48,030
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Medical Appliance Technician | $48,030 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within medical appliance technician
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Medical Appliance Technician appears on
Questions
Medical Appliance Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Medical Appliance Technicians make?
Medical Appliance Technicians earn a median of $48,030 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 6% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.09/hr. The middle half earn between $42,210 and $60,580. The top 10% earn $75,740 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Medical Appliance Technician?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Medical Appliance Technicians. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Medical Appliance Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.5% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Medical Appliance Technician do?
Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products. A core O*NET task: bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Medical Appliance Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Medical Appliance Technicians are Arizona ($72,760), Pennsylvania ($60,920), Massachusetts ($59,810) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Medical Appliance Technician?
O*NET scores Medical Appliance Technicians highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.