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Orthotist Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an orthotist. Orthotists usually study psychology, business, or medical assisting services. 50% of orthotists hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 129 real orthotist resumes to see exactly what orthotist education sections show.
The most common colleges for orthotists are the Eastern Michigan University and the Eastern Michigan University.
There are also many online orthotist courses to help get the education required to be an orthotist.
There are certain orthotist certifications that you should consider. These orthotist certifications include Orthotic Fitter Certification (BOC-COF) and Orthotist Certification (BOCO).
What education do you need to become an orthotist?
What degree do you need to be an orthotist?
- Bachelor's, 50%
- Associate, 18%
- Master's, 16%
- Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 11%
What should I major in to become an orthotist?
- Psychology, 14%
- Business, 10%
- Nursing, 10%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for orthotists
Orthotist Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Eastern Michigan University | 17.39% |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | 4.35% |
| Brown University | 4.35% |
| New York University | 4.35% |
| Bryan College | 4.35% |
Best majors for orthotists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 14.3% |
| 2 | Business | 9.5% |
| 3 | Medical Assisting Services | 9.5% |
| 4 | Nursing | 9.5% |
| 5 | Kinesiology | 7.1% |
Best colleges for orthotists
The best colleges for orthotists are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.
An orthotist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for orthotists. 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 orthotists.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-State Tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. 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 orthotists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for orthotists
The most affordable schools for orthotists are Brigham Young University, hunter college of the city university of new york, and florida international university.
If the best universities for orthotists 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 orthotists.
1. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Cost of Attendance
13,998
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,556
Cost of Attendance
19,434
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,656
Cost of Attendance
21,623
5. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,283
Cost of Attendance
22,243
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for orthotists
The hardest universities for orthotists to get into are Northwestern University, Tufts University, and Loyola Marymount University.
Some great schools for orthotists 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 orthotists 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. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,461
3. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
47%
SAT Average
1,321
4. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
51%
SAT Average
1,395
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
22%
SAT Average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for orthotists
The easiest schools for orthotists to get into are AdventHealth University, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an orthotist 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 orthotists.
A
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
87%
SAT Average
1,016
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
983
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
100%
SAT Average
1,072
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
84%
SAT Average
1,031
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions Rate
91%
SAT Average
1,006
Average orthotist salary by education level
| Orthotist education level | Orthotist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $109,086 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,786 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $65,856 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $57,423 |
Orthotist 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