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Orthotic/prosthetic practitioner education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner. Orthotic/prosthetic practitioners usually study business, geography, or physiology and anatomy. 50% of orthotic/prosthetic practitioners hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 32 real orthotic/prosthetic practitioner resumes to see exactly what orthotic/prosthetic practitioner education sections show.

The most common colleges for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners are the Central Michigan University and the Central Michigan University.

There are also many online orthotic/prosthetic practitioner courses to help get the education required to be an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner.

What education do you need to become an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner?

What degree do you need to be an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner?

The most common degree for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners is bachelor's degree, with 50% of orthotic/prosthetic practitioners earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 17% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 50%
  • Associate, 17%
  • Master's, 11%
  • Diploma, 11%
  • Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner?

You should major in business to become an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner. 17% of orthotic/prosthetic practitioners major in business. Other common majors for an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner include geography and physiology and anatomy.

Most common colleges for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

Orthotic/prosthetic practitioners often get their degrees at Central Michigan University, St. Petersburg College, and University of Nevada - Las Vegas. Here are the most common colleges for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners in the US based on their resumes.
Orthotic/prosthetic practitioner common collegePercentages
Central Michigan University11.11%
St. Petersburg College11.11%
University of Nevada - Las Vegas11.11%
Cornell University11.11%
Appalachian State University11.11%

Best majors for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

Best colleges for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

The best colleges for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

An orthotic/prosthetic practitioner 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/prosthetic practitioners. 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/prosthetic practitioners.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

3. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,653

Enrollment

16,405

10. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

20 best online courses for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

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8. The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare

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9. Trauma Emergencies and Care

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Top 10 most affordable universities for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

The most affordable schools for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners 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/prosthetic practitioners.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

8. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

10. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

The hardest universities for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.

Some great schools for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners 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/prosthetic practitioners 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. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

7. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

8. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

9. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

10. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

Admissions rate

26%

SAT average

1,427

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners

The easiest schools for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners to get into are D'Youville College, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an orthotic/prosthetic practitioner 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/prosthetic practitioners.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

6. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

7. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

8. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

9. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average orthotic/prosthetic practitioner salary by education level

Orthotic/prosthetic practitioners with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $357,580 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, orthotic/prosthetic practitioners earn a median annual income of $253,633 compared to $231,049 for orthotic/prosthetic practitioners with an Associate degree.
Orthotic/prosthetic practitioner education levelOrthotic/prosthetic practitioner salary
Master's Degree$357,580
High School Diploma or Less$203,894
Bachelor's Degree$253,633
Some College/ Associate Degree$231,049

Orthotic/prosthetic practitioner education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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