Become an Audiologist

As an audiologist, you'll specialize in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of patients, ranging from infants to the elderly, who suffer from hearing, central auditory processing, and balance disorders.

Audiologist Job Description

You can expect your general responsibilities to include the following tasks:

• Measuring hearing ability, including central auditory processing function of children and adults.
• Providing aural rehabilitation to reduce the effects of hearing loss on communication, learning, and job performance.
• Assessing and fitting amplification and assistive listening devices.
• Administering and interpreting hearing screening, assessment, and diagnostic procedures.
• Designing hearing conservation programs in industry and schools to prevent hearing loss from occupational or environmental noise exposure.
• Initiating clinical (applied) and /or basic research related to hearing loss and its effects.

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Audiologist Salaries

The middle 50 percent of audiologists earned between $42,160 and $62,210 in 2004, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If you choose to earn a doctoral degree in audiology, you'll likely put yourself closer to the top of the pay-scale, earning $75,000 or more per year.

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Audiology Career Opportunities

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for audiologists will "grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2014."

Federal legislation mandates increased presence of speech, language, and hearing professionals in public schools. An increase in the number of older adults with language, speech, and hearing problems is also greatly increasing demand greatly for the services of speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Once you gain some experience as an audiologist, you'll be able to practice in any of the following settings:

• hospitals and rehabilitation centers
• private practice
• elementary and secondary schools
• colleges and universities
• state and local health departments
• home health agencies
• long-term facilities
• private industry non-profit clinics

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Audiology Education & Training

If you're planning to become an audiologist, you should earn your bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders or a related discipline and then enter a graduate program in audiology.

If you've already completed your bachelor's degree, but didn't take general communication sciences and disorders coursework during your undergraduate years, you can enter a one-to-two year post-baccalaureate program to complete the required prerequisites for graduate school.

In order to practice, audiologists must complete a two-year master's or a four-year doctoral (AuD) program in audiology.

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.

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Audiologist Licensing

Forty-seven states require licensing for audiologists, and all require a master's degree or equivalent. You'll also need to meet the following requirements:

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

Forty-one states have continuing education requirements for licensure renewal.

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