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Orthotic assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an orthotic assistant. Orthotic assistants usually study business, medical assisting services, or kinesiology. 65% of orthotic assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 52 real orthotic assistant resumes to see exactly what orthotic assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for orthotic assistants are the Central Michigan University and the Central Michigan University.
There are also many online orthotic assistant courses to help get the education required to be an orthotic assistant.
What education do you need to become an orthotic assistant?
What degree do you need to be an orthotic assistant?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Associate, 12%
- Diploma, 9%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become an orthotic assistant?
- Business, 12%
- Kinesiology, 9%
- Other Majors, 61%
Most common colleges for orthotic assistants
| Orthotic assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Central Michigan University | 8.70% |
| Michigan State University | 8.70% |
| American InterContinental University | 8.70% |
| University of Central Missouri | 4.35% |
| Miami University | 4.35% |
Best majors for orthotic assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 11.8% |
| 2 | Medical Assisting Services | 11.8% |
| 3 | Kinesiology | 8.8% |
| 4 | Computer Applications | 5.9% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 5.9% |
Best colleges for orthotic assistants
The best colleges for orthotic assistants are Northwestern University, Emory University, and University of Southern California.
An orthotic assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for orthotic assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become orthotic assistants.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
5. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
10. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
20 best online courses for orthotic assistants
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Top 10 most affordable universities for orthotic assistants
The most affordable schools for orthotic assistants are University of Florida, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for orthotic assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for orthotic assistants.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for orthotic assistants
The hardest universities for orthotic assistants to get into are Northwestern University, Emory University, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for orthotic assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for orthotic assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for orthotic assistants
The easiest schools for orthotic assistants to get into are Barry University, adventhealth university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an orthotic assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for orthotic assistants.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
5. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
6. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
7. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
8. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
10. Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,033
Average orthotic assistant salary by education level
| Orthotic assistant education level | Orthotic assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $92,291 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,105 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $57,118 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,141 |
Orthotic assistant education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025