Home » Specialties » Audiologist

How to Become an Audiologist: Education, Licensing & Certification

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

Search for programs near you
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: $82,680

Search for programs near you

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: $82,680

Projected job growth: 10.6%

10th Percentile: $56,990

25th Percentile: $68,750

75th Percentile: $101,100

90th Percentile: $120,380

Projected job growth: 10.6%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $74,440 $66,880 $88,030
Arizona $85,240 $66,300 $104,990
Arkansas $85,280 $49,560 $126,800
California $107,080 $82,620 $140,480
Colorado $96,840 $63,890 $130,840
Connecticut $79,080 $60,750 $110,460
Delaware $77,860 $62,040 $84,850
District of Columbia $134,460 $84,880 $134,470
Florida $81,900 $61,990 $168,180
Georgia $82,740 $60,840 $113,960
Hawaii N/A N/A N/A
Idaho $81,990 $55,140 $92,120
Illinois $81,320 $69,230 $122,750
Indiana $80,330 $63,620 $102,660
Iowa $83,400 $56,990 $103,960
Kansas $76,320 $45,890 $99,060
Kentucky $74,150 $50,100 $94,110
Louisiana $70,040 $58,390 $97,690
Maine $79,770 $65,660 $99,710
Maryland $81,720 $45,330 $98,970
Massachusetts $97,820 $40,080 $110,450
Michigan $67,760 $62,360 $90,140
Minnesota $97,090 $74,990 $109,810
Mississippi $66,060 $41,120 $83,450
Missouri $80,360 $69,520 $97,870
Montana $79,550 $69,100 $127,630
Nebraska $94,580 $66,290 $107,730
New Hampshire $82,960 $45,090 $100,720
New Jersey $93,600 $77,590 $110,160
New Mexico $82,100 $67,870 $104,760
New York $78,180 $62,670 $113,450
North Carolina $77,840 $61,530 $111,940
North Dakota $75,900 $73,930 $122,990
Ohio $76,940 $53,740 $102,690
Oklahoma $74,820 $64,540 $82,660
Oregon $86,920 $57,730 $116,720
Pennsylvania $83,220 $63,050 $143,580
Rhode Island $73,490 $66,500 $94,840
South Carolina $78,040 $30,870 $96,070
South Dakota $89,730 $80,100 $101,230
Tennessee $75,590 $51,030 $114,400
Texas $74,920 $21,490 $101,410
Utah N/A N/A N/A
Virginia $77,470 $43,650 $111,180
Washington $102,350 $56,790 $110,730
West Virginia $60,870 $41,600 $81,510
Wisconsin $83,120 $62,240 $116,650
Wyoming $93,960 $59,600 $144,810

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 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.