Audiologists
What Audiologists Do
Assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders. May fit hearing aids and provide auditory training. May perform research related to hearing problems.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- Self-employed
- 4.4%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 5 of 5Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Job training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 4.8/5
- Therapy and Counselingimportance 4.6/5
- Psychologyimportance 4.3/5
- Medicine and Dentistryimportance 4.3/5
- English Languageimportance 4.2/5
- Sales and Marketingimportance 4.1/5
- Computers and Electronicsimportance 4.1/5
- Biologyimportance 4.0/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- E-Mail5.0/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0/5
- Telephone Conversations4.9/5
- Contact With Others4.7/5
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.6/5
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.6/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Nurse Anesthetists96% skill match
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary92% skill match
- Physical Therapist Assistants92% skill match
- Respiratory Therapists92% skill match
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons91% skill match
- Embalmers90% skill match
- Forensic Science Technicians89% skill match
- Orthotists and Prosthetists89% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.8/5
- Service Orientationimportance 3.6/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.6/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.4/5
- Time Managementimportance 3.3/5
- Persuasionimportance 3.1/5
- Instructingimportance 3.1/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Abacus Data Solutions HearWare
- Bio-logic Systems HINT Pro
- Chart Links
- Computers Unlimited TIMS for Audiology
- Ear Works
- Ear measurement software
- Etymotic Research QuickSIN
- GN Otometrics CHARTR EP
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- InvestigativeHigh
- SocialHigh
- RealisticMedium
- ConventionalMedium
- ArtisticLow
- EnterprisingLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where audiologists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Youngstown-Warren, OH3.92× national avg
- 2Akron, OH3.60× national avg
- 3Cleveland, OH3.26× national avg
- 4Boise City, ID3.21× national avg
- 5San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA2.87× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Nurse PractitionersLateral Move
- Nurse AnesthetistsLateral Move
- Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsLateral Move
- ProsthodontistsLateral Move
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General
- Emerson College (Boston, MA)grads earn ~$74,005
- Utah State University (Logan, UT)grads earn ~$57,140
- New York University (New York, NY)grads earn ~$75,912
- Baylor University (Waco, TX)grads earn ~$65,075
- University of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)grads earn ~$51,149