Occupational Therapist vs Orthotists and Prosthetists: $100K vs $81K Median Pay

Occupational Therapist vs Orthotists and Prosthetists: what changes?

Consider Occupational Therapist if you want to assess, plan, and organize rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental…. Consider Orthotists and Prosthetists if you would rather design, measure, fit, and adapt orthopedic braces, appliances or prostheses, such as limbs or facial parts for patients with disabling conditions. Both list master's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Occupational Therapist and Orthotists and Prosthetists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Occupational Therapist

National median pay (2025): $100,330
Route into the job: Master's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 10,000

Know before you choose

The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

See the full Occupational Therapist brief

Orthotists and Prosthetists

National median pay (2025): $81,110
Route into the job: Master's degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.
Work to investigate: Fit, test, and evaluate devices on patients, and make adjustments for proper fit, function, and comfort.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 700

Know before you choose

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

See the full Orthotists and Prosthetists brief

How the national numbers differ

Occupational Therapist has the edge on annual openings

Occupational Therapist is at 10,000 annual openings, compared with 700 annual openings for Orthotists and Prosthetists.

Occupational Therapist has the edge on median pay

Occupational Therapist is at $100,330, compared with $81,110 for Orthotists and Prosthetists.

Occupational Therapist has the edge on projected growth

Occupational Therapist is at 14.8% projected growth, compared with 12.9% projected growth for Orthotists and Prosthetists.

69.8/ 100

Occupational Therapist

51.1/ 100

Orthotists and Prosthetists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Occupational Therapist vs Orthotists and Prosthetists

Dimension	Occupational Therapist	Orthotists and Prosthetists
Median pay (2025)	$100,330	$81,110
Pay percentile	82.9 percentile	73.5 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	14.8%	12.9%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	10,000	700
2025 employment	169,600	9,500
How you qualify	Master's degree	Master's degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 5	Job Zone 5
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Occupational Therapist brief Read Orthotists and Prosthetists brief

Occupational Therapist vs Orthotists and Prosthetists: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Occupational Therapist

Orthotists and Prosthetists

How the national numbers differ

Occupational Therapist has the edge on annual openings

Occupational Therapist has the edge on median pay

Occupational Therapist has the edge on projected growth

Occupational Therapist vs Orthotists and Prosthetists

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