Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 13,700 people employed as audiologists in the United States. The median annual salary is $81,000. Entry level employees earn approximately $56,550 per year and senior employees earn approximately $128,160 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• 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.
• Counsel and instruct patients and their families in techniques to improve hearing and communication related to hearing loss.
• Refer patients to additional medical or educational services, if needed.
• Participate in conferences or training to update or share knowledge of new hearing or balance disorder treatment methods or technologies.
• Examine and clean patients' ear canals.
• Recommend assistive devices according to patients' needs or nature of impairments.
• Advise educators or other medical staff on hearing or balance topics.
• Program and monitor cochlear implants to fit the needs of patients.
• Educate and supervise audiology students and health care personnel.
• Plan and conduct treatment programs for patients' hearing or balance problems, consulting with educators, physicians, nurses, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and other health care personnel, as necessary.
• Develop and supervise hearing screening programs.
• 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.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams to assess and rehabilitate recipients of implanted hearing devices through auditory training and counseling.
• Conduct or direct research on hearing or balance topics and report findings to help in the development of procedures, technology, or treatments.
• Perform administrative tasks, such as managing office functions and finances.
• Provide information to the public on hearing or balance topics.
• Engage in marketing activities, such as developing marketing plans, to promote business for private practices.
• Measure noise levels in workplaces and conduct hearing conservation programs in industry, military, schools, and communities.

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