Audiologists
Assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders. May fit hearing aids and provide auditory training. May perform research related to hearing problems.
What it pays
Audiologists earn a median of $46.05/hr — about $96,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $31.06/hr; the top 10% earn $64.00/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Audiologists earn a median of $46.05/hr — about $96,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $31.06/hr; the top 10% earn $64.00/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Maintain patient records at all stages, including initial and subsequent evaluation and treatment activities.
- Evaluate hearing and balance disorders to determine diagnoses and courses of treatment.
- Fit, dispense, and repair assistive devices, such as hearing aids.
- Administer hearing tests and examine patients to collect information on type and degree of impairment, using specialized instruments and electronic equipment.
- Monitor patients' progress and provide ongoing observation of hearing or balance status.
- Instruct patients, parents, teachers, or employers in communication strategies to maximize effective receptive communication.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; it rewards working independently; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 4.4% of audiologists are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are analytical, people-focused and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a audiologist make?
- The median pay is $46.05 per hour — roughly $96,000 a year, with the real range running from about $31.06/hr (10th percentile) to $64.00/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a audiologist?
- The typical entry-level education is: Doctoral degree. Overall preparation level: extensive preparation (Job Zone 5 of 5).
- What does a audiologist actually do all day?
- Maintain patient records at all stages, including initial and subsequent evaluation and treatment activities. Evaluate hearing and balance disorders to determine diagnoses and courses of treatment. Fit, dispense, and repair assistive devices, such as hearing aids.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.