Home » Specialties » Audiologist

How to Become an Audiologist: Education, Licensing & Certification

Read about audiology schools and careers, including job description and salary information.

woman looking in child patient ear
Home » Specialties » Audiologist

Audiologist At a Glance

  • What you’ll do: Once you’ve decided to become an audiologist, you’ll diagnose and treat patients suffering from hearing, central auditory processing, and balance disorders. Working with patients of all ages, you’ll measure hearing ability and function; provide aural rehabilitation to reduce the effects of hearing loss on communication, learning and job performance; fit for hearing aids; and conduct research.
  • Degree you’ll need: Doctoral degree and state licensing
  • Median annual salary: $87,740

Education to Become an Audiologist

New audiologists must earn a doctorate in order to begin practicing. The doctoral degree in audiology (AudD) is a four-year graduate program that you can enter while having a bachelor’s degree in any field.

Some audiology programs, like the one at the University of Washington, allow you to specialize in an area of interest, such as pediatric, geriatric, or educational audiology. Your coursework will be more specialized accordingly.

Audiologist Coursework

  • Anatomy and Physiology: Peripheral Hearing
  • Psycho-acoustics
  • Signals, Systems & Acoustics for the Communication Sciences
  • Biological Foundations of Speech & Music
  • Amplification
  • Clinical Practice and Practicum

Typically, your first year or two will include observations, clinical orientation, a written qualifying exam, and a practical assessment. Your third and/or fourth year will offer more hands-on experience through your externship, internship or other Capstone style intensive project.

Median Annual Salary

Take a look at median annual wages for audiologists by state, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Audiologists

National data

Median Salary: $87,740

Projected job growth: 10.6%

10th Percentile: $56,090

25th Percentile: $74,440

75th Percentile: $105,480

90th Percentile: $124,800

Projected job growth: 10.6%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $85,680 $74,820 $93,930
Alaska $103,640 $73,970 $120,480
Arizona $98,310 $72,060 $111,610
Arkansas $91,800 $73,790 $105,380
California $105,560 $56,050 $143,000
Colorado N/A N/A N/A
Connecticut $85,510 $64,830 $133,200
Delaware $82,780 $75,030 $126,770
District of Columbia $112,280 $85,040 $126,880
Florida $99,890 $46,510 $118,890
Georgia $86,700 $66,120 $208,000
Idaho $91,260 $85,760 $91,260
Illinois $81,260 $75,390 $112,170
Indiana $86,740 $62,700 $116,810
Iowa $85,900 $63,700 $99,830
Kansas $70,790 $47,570 $110,840
Kentucky $77,030 $47,990 $101,780
Louisiana $66,020 $62,080 $103,330
Maine $84,070 $75,420 $99,690
Maryland $96,130 $61,500 $111,240
Massachusetts $102,070 $44,910 $120,480
Michigan $82,790 $62,200 $102,390
Minnesota $97,590 $80,160 $115,760
Mississippi $83,200 $43,720 $92,190
Missouri $88,970 $65,000 $132,270
Montana $79,160 $74,980 $120,000
Nebraska $82,500 $71,300 $112,310
New Hampshire $88,530 $82,400 $123,850
New Jersey $101,890 $73,620 $154,300
New Mexico $79,450 $65,060 $102,810
New York $83,480 $64,030 $132,040
North Carolina $81,700 $42,680 $117,820
North Dakota $84,990 $61,550 $95,610
Ohio $82,340 $42,640 $104,440
Oklahoma $78,110 $59,920 $99,990
Oregon $95,760 $66,390 $121,620
Pennsylvania $87,880 $68,010 $123,390
Rhode Island $76,350 $74,410 $89,980
South Carolina $83,930 $35,530 $104,180
South Dakota $112,850 $92,330 $115,310
Tennessee $78,510 $60,250 $101,800
Texas $85,610 $57,710 $116,410
Utah $79,200 $69,680 $114,410
Vermont N/A N/A N/A
Virginia $82,340 $46,580 $107,660
Washington $108,320 $60,860 $144,930
West Virginia $76,550 $44,220 $105,000
Wisconsin $88,340 $52,030 $115,770

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2023 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries may vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

Licensing and Certification

All states now require licensing for audiologists in addition to a doctorate. Most also require continuing education units to renew your license. You’ll also need to meet the following criteria:

  • Complete 300 to 375 hours of supervised clinical experience
  • Earn a passing score on a national exam
  • Complete nine months of post-graduate professional clinical experience

For specific requirements, check with the state’s licensing board for audiologists, in the state you choose to work in.

Audiologists can earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A), offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.They also may be credentialed through the American Board of Audiology. Although it is not required, certification may satisfy some or all of the requirements for licensure and may be required by some employers.