Medical Appliance Technicians Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 51-9082 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$48,027
$23.09/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Medical Appliance Technicians is $48,027 per year ($23.09/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $42,203 and $60,570 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $75,733 per year. There are approximately 11,280 medical appliance technicians employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.7%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
12K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing
NAICS 339100
6K
$46,740
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
NAICS 423400
1K
$56,090
Health and Personal Care Retailers
NAICS 456100
1K
$49,070
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
710
$50,090
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
640
$48,990
Wage range across top 5 industries: $46,740 to $56,090 (20% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.55
$36,504
P25
$20.29
$42,203
P50MEDIAN
$23.09
$48,027
P75
$29.12
$60,570
P90
$36.41
$75,733
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average medical appliance technicians salary?
The national median salary for Medical Appliance Technicians is $48,027 per year ($23.09/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $42,203 and $60,570 annually.
How much do top-earning medical appliance technicians make?
The 90th percentile salary for Medical Appliance Technicians is $75,733 per year ($36.41/hr). The 75th percentile is $60,570 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for medical appliance technicians?
Entry-level Medical Appliance Technicians (10th percentile) earn approximately $36,504 per year ($17.55/hr). The 25th percentile is $42,203 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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