How much do audiologists make?
Answer
Audiologists in the US earned a median of $95,780 a year ($46.05 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $79,340 to $111,300.
- Median annual pay
- $95,780
- Mean $97,740
- Median hourly pay
- $46.05
- Mean $46.99
- Typical range (10th–90th)
- $64.6K–$133K
- $64,610 to $133,120
- US jobs
- 13,660
- +11.0% projected, 2025–35
BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology
How to become an audiologist: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: North Dakota
Audiologist pay range
Annual wages, May 2025
- 10th percentile$64,610
- 25th percentile$79,340
- Median$95,780
- 75th percentile$111,300
- 90th percentile$133,120
Half of all audiologists earned more than $95,780 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $64,610; the top 10% made over $133,120. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $79,340 to $111,300.
These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,610 | $31.06 | $5,384 |
| 25th | $79,340 | $38.14 | $6,612 |
| Median (50th) | $95,780 | $46.05 | $7,982 |
| 75th | $111,300 | $53.51 | $9,275 |
| 90th | $133,120 | $64.00 | $11,093 |
| Mean (average) | $97,740 | $46.99 | $8,145 |
Audiologist salary by state
Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024
Highest-paying states
- 1. Nevada $133,110
- 2. New Jersey $119,230
- 3. North Dakota $118,750
- 4. California $114,910
- 5. Alaska $114,170
Lowest-paying states
- 49. Louisiana $75,200
- 48. Oklahoma $76,880
- 47. West Virginia $79,990
- 46. Virginia $80,010
- 45. Mississippi $80,740
Best after cost of living: North Dakota. Its median of $118,750 is worth about $133,488 at national-average prices, more than in Nevada once prices are counted.
| Alabama | $86,300 | 39 | $97,160 | 29 | $41.49 | 190 | 0.09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $114,170 | 5 | $111,539 | 4 | $54.89 | — | — |
| Arizona | $83,210 | 41 | $82,650 | 48 | $40.01 | 240 | 0.07 |
| Arkansas | $96,980 | 26 | $111,552 | 3 | $46.63 | 110 | 0.09 |
| California | $114,910 | 4 | $103,784 | 16 | $55.25 | 1,740 | 0.10 |
| Colorado | $102,270 | 15 | $99,241 | 26 | $49.17 | 430 | 0.15 |
| Connecticut | $113,180 | 7 | $109,237 | 9 | $54.41 | 70 | 0.04 |
| Delaware | $85,700 | 40 | $85,865 | 46 | $41.20 | 70 | 0.14 |
| District of Columbia | $102,500 | 14 | $93,266 | 35 | $49.28 | 40 | 0.06 |
| Florida | $93,480 | 30 | $90,394 | 39 | $44.94 | 700 | 0.07 |
| Georgia | $98,470 | 21 | $102,261 | 21 | $47.34 | 470 | 0.10 |
| Hawaii | $113,850 | 6 | $103,546 | 18 | $54.73 | 90 | 0.14 |
| Idaho | $95,120 | 27 | $99,608 | 25 | $45.73 | 200 | 0.23 |
| Illinois | $93,510 | 29 | $93,549 | 33 | $44.96 | 330 | 0.05 |
| Indiana | $90,280 | 35 | $96,733 | 30 | $43.40 | 410 | 0.13 |
| Iowa | $97,180 | 25 | $110,731 | 5 | $46.72 | 270 | 0.17 |
| Kansas | $97,250 | 24 | $107,974 | 11 | $46.76 | 200 | 0.14 |
| Kentucky | $92,520 | 31 | $102,619 | 20 | $44.48 | 90 | 0.04 |
| Louisiana | $75,200 | 49 | $85,254 | 47 | $36.15 | 140 | 0.07 |
| Maine | $102,060 | 17 | $105,162 | 14 | $49.07 | 60 | 0.10 |
| Maryland | $91,260 | 32 | $86,948 | 45 | $43.88 | 160 | 0.06 |
| Massachusetts | $104,130 | 12 | $98,462 | 28 | $50.06 | 220 | 0.06 |
| Michigan | $97,790 | 22 | $101,635 | 22 | $47.02 | 250 | 0.06 |
| Minnesota | $102,130 | 16 | $103,558 | 17 | $49.10 | 290 | 0.10 |
| Mississippi | $80,740 | 45 | $92,855 | 36 | $38.82 | — | — |
| Missouri | $99,450 | 20 | $109,506 | 7 | $47.81 | 220 | 0.07 |
| Montana | $86,990 | 38 | $91,912 | 37 | $41.82 | 60 | 0.12 |
| Nebraska | $97,460 | 23 | $108,165 | 10 | $46.85 | 90 | 0.09 |
| Nevada | $133,110 | 1 | $133,138 | 2 | $64.00 | — | — |
| New Hampshire | $105,590 | 10 | $101,368 | 24 | $50.77 | 50 | 0.07 |
| New Jersey | $119,230 | 2 | $109,581 | 6 | $57.32 | 210 | 0.05 |
| New Mexico | $83,050 | 42 | $90,064 | 40 | $39.93 | 80 | 0.10 |
| New York | $100,860 | 19 | $93,457 | 34 | $48.49 | 690 | 0.07 |
| North Carolina | $88,920 | 37 | $94,269 | 32 | $42.75 | 450 | 0.09 |
| North Dakota | $118,750 | 3 | $133,488 | 1 | $57.09 | 40 | 0.10 |
| Ohio | $81,390 | 44 | $87,729 | 43 | $39.13 | 1,230 | 0.22 |
| Oklahoma | $76,880 | 48 | $87,520 | 44 | $36.96 | 210 | 0.12 |
| Oregon | $109,560 | 8 | $105,997 | 12 | $52.67 | 140 | 0.07 |
| Pennsylvania | $89,480 | 36 | $91,707 | 38 | $43.02 | 460 | 0.08 |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | $82,330 | 43 | $87,820 | 42 | $39.58 | 200 | 0.09 |
| South Dakota | $91,190 | 33 | $102,940 | 19 | $43.84 | 40 | 0.08 |
| Tennessee | $90,540 | 34 | $98,552 | 27 | $43.53 | 270 | 0.08 |
| Texas | $93,570 | 28 | $96,407 | 31 | $44.98 | 1,020 | 0.07 |
| Utah | $104,450 | 11 | $105,650 | 13 | $50.21 | 120 | 0.07 |
| Vermont | $101,730 | 18 | $103,851 | 15 | $48.91 | — | — |
| Virginia | $80,010 | 46 | $79,136 | 49 | $38.46 | 260 | 0.06 |
| Washington | $108,580 | 9 | $101,464 | 23 | $52.20 | 320 | 0.09 |
| West Virginia | $79,990 | 47 | $89,377 | 41 | $38.46 | 120 | 0.17 |
| Wisconsin | $102,840 | 13 | $109,294 | 8 | $49.44 | 280 | 0.09 |
| Wyoming | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure (2 states). State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.
Best-paying metro areas for audiologists
83 metro areas with published pay
| Metro area | Median | Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $134,990 | $126,549 | — |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $133,910 | $121,270 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $132,390 | $114,511 | 220 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $128,350 | $115,492 | 170 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,110 | $112,807 | 520 |
| Fresno, CA | $117,580 | $115,096 | 40 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $115,070 | $102,227 | 530 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $114,730 | $108,459 | 230 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $113,850 | $102,604 | — |
| Jacksonville, FL | $111,280 | $111,857 | 160 |
| Metro area | Jobs | Median | Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 530 | $115,070 | $102,227 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 520 | $128,110 | $112,807 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 390 | $83,200 | $74,361 |
| Cleveland, OH | 300 | $80,640 | $85,858 |
| Columbus, OH | 260 | $75,400 | $78,979 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 250 | $91,970 | $89,680 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 230 | $100,930 | $97,427 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 230 | $114,730 | $108,459 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 220 | $87,030 | $91,255 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 220 | $132,390 | $114,511 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).
What moves audiologist pay: employers and settings
Setting is the biggest pay factor for audiologists. Outpatient care centers pay the highest median at $132,390 while hospitals pay $103,700. School districts pay $97,790 and physicians' offices, the largest employer along with private audiology practices, pay $92,620. Hearing aid retailers pay $87,990 while private audiology and other health practitioner offices pay the least, at $81,710.
Public employers pay slightly more than the private sector: $102,720 for state government and $97,790 for local government, against $95,030 for private employers.
Location matters too. Nevada has the highest median at $133,110, followed by New Jersey at $119,230, North Dakota at $118,750, and California. North Dakota also leads after cost of living ($133,488 adjusted). Louisiana ($75,200) and Oklahoma are lowest. Across the field, the 10th percentile is $64,610, the 90th is $133,120, and that spread reflects setting, location and role as well as experience, so a higher percentile is not a measure of years on the job.
| Industry | Share of jobs | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 26.8% | $92,620 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 26.8% | $81,710 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 15.1% | $103,700 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | 10% | $87,990 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 6.3% | $97,790 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 5.3% | $132,390 |
| Employer type | Jobs | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Private employers | 12,170 | $95,030 |
| State government (incl. schools and hospitals) | 440 | $102,720 |
| Local government (incl. schools and hospitals) | 1,050 | $97,790 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).
Audiologist pay over time
Median annual pay, 2015–2025
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
The median rose from $74,890 in 2015 to $95,780 in 2025, up 28% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $101,236 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay fell 5% over the period.
BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.
What audiologists do
An audiologist is a doctoral-level hearing and balance specialist. Audiologists test hearing in people of every age, from newborns who fail a hospital screening to older adults who struggle to follow conversation, and work out what kind of hearing loss they have and how severe it is. They then treat it: selecting, fitting and programming hearing aids, managing cochlear implant patients, counseling families, treating tinnitus, and running vestibular tests for people with dizziness and balance problems.
About a quarter work in physicians' offices, often alongside ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, and another quarter in private audiology practices. Others work in hospitals, hearing aid retail chains, outpatient centers and school districts, where educational audiologists support students with hearing loss. Some work in industrial hearing conservation, the military or the VA. The work happens in sound-treated booths and exam rooms, using audiometers, tympanometers, otoscopes and hearing aid fitting software. Most audiologists work full time on a regular daytime schedule; some clinics add evening or weekend hours.
A typical day
- Run hearing tests in a sound booth and interpret the audiogram
- Look in ear canals and remove earwax when it blocks testing or a hearing aid
- Recommend, fit and program hearing aids, then fine-tune them at follow-up visits
- Test balance and dizziness with vestibular equipment
- Screen and evaluate infants and young children, sometimes with sedation or play-based tests
- Counsel patients and families on hearing loss, tinnitus and communication strategies
- Refer patients to ENT physicians when results suggest a medical problem
Also called: audiology doctor (aud), certificate of clinical competence in audiology licensed audiologist (ccc-a licensed audiologist), clinical audiologist, dispensing audiologist, educational audiologist, forensic audiologist, industrial audiologist, pediatric audiologist.
How to become an audiologist
Full guideTo become an audiologist, earn a bachelor's degree, complete an accredited Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) program (typically 4 years; a few are designed for 3), pass the Praxis Audiology exam, and get a state license, which every state requires. Expect about 7 to 8 years after high school.
- Typical time
- 8 years after high school
- Fastest: 7 years after high school
- Minimum education
- Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) from an accredited program
- License
- Required in all 50 states and DC
- Typical training cost
- $52.1K–$105K
- See the guide for what it includes
Read the step-by-step guide to becoming an audiologist: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.
Is it worth it? Training cost against pay
Compare careers- Training time
- 8 years after high school
- Typical path in our guide
- Training cost
- $52.1K–$105K
- Tuition and exam fees, before aid
- Median pay
- $95,780
- $44,800 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
- Cost vs. one year's pay
- 54–109%
- Training cost as a share of a year at the median
Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($44,800 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in about 1.2–2.3 years after training ends (8 years after high school in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.
Job outlook for audiologists
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +11.0%
- All occupations +3.5%
- Jobs in 2025
- 14,200
- 15,700 projected for 2035
- Openings each year
- 600
- New jobs plus replacements
- Self-employed
- 2.2%
- Not in the pay figures above
BLS projects audiologist jobs to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, from 14,200 to 15,700, about three times the 3.5% average for all occupations. The field is small, so that works out to about 600 openings a year, many of them from audiologists who retire or change jobs. The main driver is an aging population: hearing loss and balance problems become more common with age. Earlier detection of hearing loss in infants and better, less visible hearing aids that more people are willing to wear should also add demand.
Related careers and their pay
- Optometrist$136,570
- Pediatrician$210,040
- Neurologist$248,560
- Occupational Therapist$100,330
- Speech-language Pathologist$97,870
- Cardiologist$496,010
- Orthopedic Surgeon$358,550
- Chiropractor$79,200
Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Audiologist salary FAQ
How much do audiologists make an hour?
The median hourly wage for audiologists was $46.05 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31.06 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $64.00. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.
Which state pays audiologists the most?
Nevada has the highest median pay for audiologists, $133,110 a year, followed by New Jersey ($119,230) and North Dakota ($118,750). After adjusting for each state's price level, North Dakota comes out ahead at about $133,488 in national-average dollars.
Do audiologists make six figures?
Some do: based on the BLS percentiles, between 25% and 50% of audiologists earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $95,780, and the top 10% earn more than $133,120. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.
Is an audiologist a doctor?
Yes, but not a medical doctor. New audiologists earn a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.), a clinical doctorate that usually takes 4 years after a bachelor's degree. Audiologists diagnose and treat hearing and balance problems without surgery or prescription drugs. Ear, nose and throat physicians (otolaryngologists) are medical doctors who treat ear disease medically and surgically, and the two often work together.
What is the difference between an audiologist and a hearing aid specialist?
Audiologists hold a doctorate and a state audiology license, and they diagnose all kinds of hearing and balance disorders, including in children, as well as fitting hearing aids. Hearing aid specialists (also called dispensers) hold a separate, narrower state license focused on testing hearing for the purpose of selling and fitting hearing aids. Their training is much shorter than a doctorate, and requirements vary by state.
Do audiologists work in schools?
Some do. About 860 audiologists work for elementary and secondary schools. Educational audiologists test students' hearing, manage classroom amplification and remote microphone systems, help write plans for students with hearing loss and train teachers. Check with your state education agency, since school jobs can carry their own credential rules.
Sources
Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 29-1181
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
- O*NET 31.0 Database (29-1181.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
- Audiologists: Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
- License Finder, CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) · checked October 28, 2026
- Audiology (5343), ETS Praxis · checked October 28, 2026
- Apply for Certification in Audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association · checked October 28, 2026
- Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, CAA (ASHA) · checked October 28, 2026
- Clinical Doctor in Audiology (Au.D.): Costs and Financial Aid, University of Kansas Medical Center · checked October 28, 2026
- About the Audiology Praxis Exam, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association · checked October 28, 2026
- Requirements for Maintaining Your ASHA Certification, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association · checked October 28, 2026
- 2020 Standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association · checked October 28, 2026
Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.