### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Audiologists Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			audiologists imageAudiologists fit and dispense hearing aids.							
						Quick Facts:     Audiologists2023     Median Pay
            						$87,740     per year
										$42.19     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Doctoral or professional degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    14,400Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    11% (Much faster than average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    1,500What Audiologists Do
                                                
                        
                        
Audiologists diagnose, manage, and treat patients who have hearing, balance, or related problems.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Most audiologists work in healthcare facilities, such as physicians’ offices, audiology clinics, and hospitals. Some work in schools or for school districts and travel between facilities.
            
                                                How to Become an Audiologist
                                                
                        
Audiologists typically need a doctor of audiology degree (Au.D.) to enter the occupation. All states require audiologists to be licensed.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for audiologists was $87,740 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of audiologists is projected to grow							 11 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
						About 900 openings for audiologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for audiologists.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of audiologists with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about audiologists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Audiologists Do 
            

			AudiologistsAudiologists diagnose, manage, and treat patients who have hearing, balance, or related problems.			
Audiologists diagnose, manage, and treat patients who have hearing, balance, or related problems.
Duties
Audiologists typically do the following:
Examine patients who have conditions related to the outer, middle, or inner ear
Assess the results of the examination and diagnose problems
Create treatment plans to meet patients’ goals
Provide care for routine procedures, such as testing
Fit and dispense hearing aids and other assistive listening devices
Counsel patients and their families on ways to listen and communicate, such as by lip reading or through technology
Evaluate patients regularly to monitor their condition and modify treatment plans, as needed
Record patient progress
Research the causes and treatment of hearing and balance disorders
Educate patients on ways to prevent hearing lossAudiologists diagnose conditions such as hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ear). They use a variety of devices to identify the extent and underlying cause of hearing loss. For example, with audiometers they measure the volume and frequency at which a person hears.
Treatment depends on the type and severity of a patient’s hearing loss and may range from cleaning wax out of ear canals to fitting and checking hearing aids. (Audiologists’ ability to diagnose as well as treat patients distinguishes their work from that of hearing aid specialists.) Audiologists work with physicians and surgeons treating patients whose hearing may be improved with cochlear implants, small devices that are surgically embedded near the ear to deliver electrical impulses to the auditory nerve.
Audiologists also counsel patients and their families on adapting to hearing loss, such as through use of technology, and may refer them to resources and other support.
In addition to their work related to hearing conditions, audiologists help patients who have vertigo or other balance problems. For example, they may demonstrate exercises involving head movement or positioning to relieve some symptoms.
Some audiologists work with specific age groups, such as older adults or children. Other audiologists may fit patients for products that help protect their hearing on the job.
 Work Environment
			AudiologistsAudiologists identify symptoms of hearing loss and other auditory, balance, and related sensory and neural disorders.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Audiologists held about 14,400 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of audiologists were as follows:
        Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists
                27%Offices of physicians
                25Hospitals; state, local, and private
                14Educational services; state, local, and private
                11Some audiologists, such as those contracted by a school system, travel between multiple facilities. Audiologists may work closely with other healthcare specialists, including audiology assistants (a type of medical assistant), physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, and speech-language pathologists.
Work Schedules
Most audiologists work full time. Some work weekends and evenings to meet patients' needs.
 How to Become an Audiologist

			AudiologistsAudiologists must be licensed in all states.			
Audiologists typically need a doctor of audiology (Au.D.) degree to enter the occupation. All states require audiologists to be licensed.
Education
Audiologists need a doctor of audiology (Au.D.) degree, which typically takes 4 years to complete. To enter an Au.D. program, students need a bachelor’s degree.
Au.D. coursework includes anatomy and physiology, diagnosis and treatment, and statistics. Students also complete supervised clinical practice.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Audiologists must be licensed in all states. Requirements vary by state but typically include having earned an Au.D. from an accredited program. For specific requirements, contact your state’s licensing board for audiologists.
Audiologists may earn other credentials, such as certificates or certifications offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Board of Audiology. These credentials usually require completion of an accredited doctor of audiology program and passing an exam. Some employers may require or prefer that candidates have certification or a certificate, and in some states having the credential can help to meet licensure requirements.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Audiologists need to convey information, including test results and proposed treatments, so that patients understand their diagnosis and options.
***Compassion.*** Audiologists should be empathetic and supportive of their patients, who may be frustrated because of their hearing or balance problems.
***Critical-thinking skills.*** In order to propose the best treatment options, audiologists must concentrate when testing a patient’s hearing and in analyzing the results.
***Interpersonal skills.*** Audiologists often collaborate with other healthcare providers regarding patient care.
***Patience.*** Audiologists work with patients who may have communication difficulties and need extra time or attention.
***Problem-solving skills.*** Audiologists must figure out the causes of hearing or balance problems and determine appropriate treatment options. They also must be able to propose alternatives if patients do not respond to initial treatment.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                AudiologistsMedian annual wages, May 2023Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners$98,760  Audiologists$87,740  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for audiologists was $87,740 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,090, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $124,800.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for audiologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Hospitals; state, local, and private
                $98,030Educational services; state, local, and private
                92,550Offices of physicians
                88,270Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists
                81,260Most audiologists work full time. Some may work weekends and evenings to meet patients’ needs. Those who work on a contract basis may spend time traveling between facilities.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                AudiologistsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Audiologists11%  Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners9%  Total, all occupations3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of audiologists is projected to grow				 11 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.
			
			About 900 openings for audiologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Because health problems are prevalent in older age groups, an aging baby-boom population will continue to increase the demand for most healthcare services. This includes hearing loss and balance disorders, with larger numbers of older people creating increased demand for audiologists.
The early identification and diagnosis of hearing disorders in infants also may support employment growth. Growing awareness regarding advances in hearing aid technology, such as smaller size and reduced feedback, may make such devices more appealing as a means to treat auditory loss. This may lead to more demand for audiologists.
			

                        Employment projections data for     audiologists, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Audiologists**
			29-1181
			14,400
			15,900
			11
			1,500
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Audiologists **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of audiologists. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners**
            Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.
            Master's degree
            $129,480**Optometrists**
            Optometrists diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system, including examining eyes and prescribing corrective lenses.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $131,860**Physical Therapists**
            Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            $99,710**Physicians and Surgeons**
            Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.
            Doctoral or professional degree
            This wage is equal to or greater than $239,200 per year.**Psychologists**
            Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and to their environments.
            See How to Become One
            $92,740**Speech-Language Pathologists**
            Speech-language pathologists assess and treat people who have communication disorders.
            Master's degree
            $89,290
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information on state-specific licensing requirements, contact the state’s licensing board.
For more information about audiologists, including requirements for certification and state licensure, visit
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
American Academy of Audiology
For more information about accredited audiology programs, visit
Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE)
Council on Academic Accreditation

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Audiologists
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Audiologists, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/audiologists.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


**U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics**
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections 
PSB Suite 2135 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE  
Washington, DC 20212-0001 Telephone:1-202-691-5700 

www.bls.gov/ooh
Contact OOH