Audiologists

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 loss

Audiologists 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.

Audiologists held about 15,800 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of audiologists were as follows:

Some 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.

Audiologists typically need a doctor of audiology degree (Au.D.) to enter the occupation. All states require audiologists to be licensed.

The median annual wage for audiologists was $92,120 in May 2024.

Employment of audiologists is projected to grow 9 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 700 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.