Audiologist: Career Information

Job Description of Audiologists: Audiologists work with those who have ear problems including hearing and balance difficulties.

Employment Facts for Audiologists: Audiologists held about 10,000 jobs in 2004. More than half of all audiologists worked in doctors' offices or in the offices of other healthcare practitioners. Approximately one in five 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: Currently 49 states require that one has at least a master's degree in audiology. However, new requirements, set to take effect in 2007, will make a doctoral degree in audiology necessary.

Other Requirements for Audiologists: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association offers the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A). The American Board of Audiology also offers certification. In addition, audiologists must have good communication skills, the ability to approach problems objectively, patience, and compassion.

Future Requirements for Audiologists: According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, as of 2007, audiologists will need to have a bachelor’s degree and complete 75 hours of credit toward a doctoral degree in order to seek certification. As of 2012, audiologists will have to earn a doctoral degree in order to be certified.

Job Outlook for Audiologists: Employment of audiologists is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2014.

Earnings of Audiologists: Median annual earnings of audiologists were $51,470 in May 2004.

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;

*This is the most recent year for which this information is available.

Information courtesy of Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition, Audiologist, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos085.htm (visited March 3, 2006).