Career comparison
Orthotist and Prosthetist vs. Physical Therapist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Physical therapists earn more at the median ($102,760 vs. $81,110), while orthotist and prosthetists usually get to work faster (6–7 years of training). Orthotist and prosthetists design and fit braces and artificial limbs that help people move. Physical therapists help people recover movement and manage pain after injury or illness.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Orthotist and Prosthetist | Physical Therapist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $81,110 ($38.99/hr) | $102,760 ($49.40/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $46,350 – $119,810 | $77,140 – $135,140 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +12.9% (much faster than average) | +11.9% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 700 | 13,400 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 6–7 years | 7 years after high school |
| Key credential | Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO) | NPTE |
| Work setting | Practitioners work in O&P clinics, hospitals and rehab centers.. | PTs work in outpatient clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities, homes, schools and sports settings.. |
What each job does
Orthotist and Prosthetist
- Evaluate patients’ needs
- Take casts, measurements and scans
- Design orthoses and prostheses
- Fit and adjust devices
- Train patients to use devices
Physical Therapist
- Examine and evaluate patients
- Diagnose movement problems
- Design treatment plans
- Guide therapeutic exercise
- Provide manual therapy
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, hands-on work, indoor work, and high-pay. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose orthotist and prosthetist if…
- I want to help people move
- I like hands-on design
- I enjoy biomechanics
Choose physical therapist if…
- I love anatomy and exercise
- I enjoy motivating people
- I like hands-on work
Still torn? Take the Orthotist and Prosthetist fit quiz and the Physical Therapist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, orthotist and prosthetist or physical therapist?
Physical Therapists earn more at the median: $102,760 versus $81,110 for orthotist and prosthetists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Orthotist and Prosthetists typically train faster (6–7 years) than physical therapists (7 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects orthotist and prosthetists to grow +12.9% from 2025–35, compared with +11.9% for physical therapists.