Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 58'500 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 62'400 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 66'300 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 78'000 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 72'500 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 73'000 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsHealthcare
Orthopädist/in EFZ
You craft individual prostheses and orthoses for greater freedom of movement.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
You advise clients, plan and manufacture custom orthopaedic aids, and support their rehabilitation.
Orthopaedists combine precise craftsmanship with medical expertise. You take impressions of body parts, plan individual aids, and manufacture them in the workshop. You work millimeter-accurate with various materials. You advise clients in detail and adjust the devices continuously. Your careful work allows people with limitations to walk safely or stand up again.
FieldHealthcare
Education pathVocational Training (Apprenticeship)
IndustryMedical Technology
Swissdoc 0.723.20.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Exact salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Orthopädistin. Based on 113 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+20% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 56'500 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 66'200 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 72'000 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 67'600 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Zurich | CHF 72'150 | 17 |
| Berne | CHF 66'300 | 15 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Technology | CHF 71'250 | 20 |
| Service sector in general | CHF 70'980 | 5 |
| Commercial operation / Skilled crafts | CHF 69'000 | 23 |
| Health care / Social services | CHF 65'000 | 54 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
- 🎓 Orthopädist/in EFZ
- ⏱ 4 Jahre
Official education path
The training takes place over four years in an orthopaedic workshop with weekly school attendance.
Typical training path
Orthopädist/in EFZ
Curriculum
- Orthetik
- Prothetik
- Ortho-Reha/Rehabilitationsmittel
- Arbeitsprozesse, Qualitätssicherung
- Arbeitssicherheit, Gesundheitsschutz und Umweltschutz
- Naturwissenschaftliche Grundlagen
Prerequisites
- Completed compulsory school
- Good grades in arithmetic, physics, drawing, technical drawing, and crafts
Requirements
- Interest in medical questions
- Enjoyment of working with various materials
- Technical understanding
- Sense of form
- Precise and careful way of working
- Empathy
- Communication skills and sociability
- 1Orthetik
- 2Prothetik
- 3Ortho-Reha/Rehabilitationsmittel
- 4Arbeitsprozesse, Qualitätssicherung
- 5Arbeitssicherheit, Gesundheitsschutz und Umweltschutz
- 6Naturwissenschaftliche Grundlagen
Where this can lead
Lateral entry is rarely possible because the initial training is very specific. You can expand your skills with further training as a federal certified expert or federal specialist.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Craftsmanship
- Technical understanding
- Empathy
- Careful working style
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand at the workbench and carefully adjust a new knee orthosis while the client watches patiently. You then check the fit together and explain how to use it correctly.
- You advise clients on choosing the right orthopaedic aids.
- You take millimeter-accurate impressions for individual prostheses and orthoses.
- You plan and manufacture rehabilitation aids according to medical instructions.
- You work with metals, plastics, and leather using special tools.
- You adjust aids continuously during rehabilitation.
- You repair damaged walking or sitting aids correctly.
- You document all work steps and material thicknesses carefully.
Working conditions
You work in orthopaedic workshops or in clinics and rehabilitation centres. You often design your workspace independently or in a small team.
Where to learn
- Ortho Reha SuisseTägerhardring 8, 5436 Würenlos
Strengths
- Craftsmanship
- Technical understanding
- Empathy
- Careful working style
Trade-offs
- Physical strain
- High responsibility
- Changing tasks
- Time pressure
06 · Similar
