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How to Become an Audiologist: Education, Licensing & Certification

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

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.

Where you’ll work: Hospitals and rehabilitation centers, private practice, audiology clinics, and schools

Degree you’ll need: Doctoral degree and state licensing

Median annual salary: $78,950

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: $78,950

Projected job growth: 15.7%

10th Percentile: $58,920

25th Percentile: $71,390

75th Percentile: $99,340

90th Percentile: $120,210

Projected job growth: 15.7%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$76,770	$58,670	$80,310
Arkansas	N/A	N/A	N/A
Arizona	$75,110	$40,260	$99,410
California	$100,870	$78,070	$129,440
Colorado	$91,680	$60,820	$126,140
Connecticut	$79,100	$60,100	$102,250
District of Columbia	$120,000	$75,380	$126,330
Delaware	$69,570	$54,650	$95,220
Florida	$75,000	$60,550	$123,920
Georgia	$78,670	$36,820	$125,930
Hawaii	$78,070	$75,440	$95,360
Iowa	$77,890	$59,640	$101,330
Idaho	$75,660	$45,150	$80,140
Illinois	$79,050	$59,690	$103,170
Indiana	$77,020	$48,090	$99,780
Kansas	$77,630	$48,920	$95,220
Kentucky	$68,490	$39,910	$80,090
Louisiana	$75,320	$60,320	$98,400
Massachusetts	$99,030	$71,970	$125,110
Maryland	$78,070	$72,770	$100,870
Maine	$76,730	$59,640	$124,630
Michigan	$80,690	$60,720	$101,810
Minnesota	$94,800	$74,990	$100,870
Missouri	$75,040	$59,640	$94,800
Mississippi	$60,320	$37,250	$98,000
Montana	$79,360	$47,390	$124,970
North Carolina	$76,730	$47,470	$98,680
North Dakota	$77,280	$59,910	N/A
Nebraska	$98,780	$60,540	$120,000
New Hampshire	$77,740	$44,810	$95,810
New Jersey	$101,650	$58,650	$101,650
New Mexico	$77,030	$61,810	$94,690
Nevada	$94,690	$29,690	N/A
New York	$92,890	$61,760	$125,930
Ohio	$65,550	$44,440	$94,800
Oklahoma	$76,470	$61,030	$94,720
Oregon	$91,900	$73,440	$125,920
Pennsylvania	$78,670	$62,390	$100,080
Rhode Island	$88,600	$69,560	$101,650
South Carolina	$73,950	$57,760	$93,520
South Dakota	$77,630	$75,040	$123,640
Tennessee	$79,360	$64,220	$100,990
Texas	$88,460	$62,390	$105,720
Utah	N/A	N/A	N/A
Virginia	$78,670	$47,850	$105,690
Washington	$99,870	$76,460	$107,280
Wisconsin	$77,450	$62,170	$102,770
West Virginia	$77,030	$59,540	$97,590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2021 median salary; projected job growth through 2030. Actual salaries 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.