Job Description of Audiologists:
Audiologists work with those who have ear problems including hearing difficulties and balance problems.Employment Facts for Audiologists:
Audiologists held about 12,000 jobs in 2006. More than half of all audiologists worked in doctors' offices or in the offices of other healthcare practitioners. Approximately 13 percent of all audiologists worked in schools. Other audiologists held jobs in health and personal care stores, for example hearing aid stores. Some worked instate and local governments. A small number of audiologists owned private practices.Educational Requirements for Audiologists:
Audiologists must be licensed or registered, which in turn requires that one has at least a master's degree in audiology. Eight states, as of 2007, require audiologists to have a doctoral degree, something that is becoming more common for those working in the field in general.Other Requirements for Audiologists:
All 50 state require audiologists to be registered or licensed. Most have continuing education requirements for license renewal. In 20 states and in Washington, DC, audiologists who dispense hearing aids must have a Hearing Aid Dispenser license. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association offers the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) which may satisfy licensure requirements in some states.Audiologists must have good communication skills, the ability to approach problems objectively, patience, and compassion.
Job Outlook for Audiologists:
Employment of audiologists is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016.How Much Do Audiologists Earn?:
Median annual earnings of audiologists were $57,120 in May 2006.Use the Salary Wizard at Salary.com to find out how much audiologists currently earn in your city.
A Day in an Audiologist's Life:
On a typical day an audiologist will:
- identify, assess, and manage auditory, balance, and other neural systems;
- use audiometers, computers, and other testing devices to measure the loudness at which a person begins to hear sounds, the ability to distinguish between sounds, and the nature and extent of hearing loss;
- interpret these results and may coordinate them with medical, educational, and psychological information to make a diagnosis and determine a course of treatment;
- may recommend, fit, and dispense personal or large area amplification systems, such as hearing aids and alerting devices;
- provide fitting and tuning of cochlear implants and provide the necessary rehabilitation for adjustment to listening with implant amplification systems;
- measure noise levels in workplaces and conduct hearing protection programs in industry, as well as in schools and communities;
Information courtesy of Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Audiologist, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos085.htm (visited July 28, 2008).
