An audiologist diagnoses and treats hearing and balance disorders in patients of all ages. You'll work one-on-one with people, use specialized equipment, and help them improve their quality of life. The role requires a doctoral degree and extensive preparation.
Pathly builds you a free, personalized roadmap and helps your counselor champion you along the way.
Audiologists assess hearing and balance function using advanced diagnostic equipment and techniques. You conduct tests, interpret results, and work directly with patients to develop treatment plans. Much of your day involves counseling people about their conditions, fitting and adjusting hearing aids or other devices, and staying current with the latest research and technology. You'll also document patient progress, communicate with other healthcare providers, and sometimes educate patients and families about hearing health and prevention.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Audiologists earn a median of $95,780 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 10 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average for all occupations, with about 700 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need a doctoral degree in audiology, which typically follows a bachelor's degree. Your education covers anatomy, physiology, acoustics, psychology, and clinical practice. Doctoral programs include supervised clinical training where you work directly with patients under expert guidance. After graduation, you may need to meet additional credentialing requirements depending on your state and workplace. The path requires strong commitment to science and patient care, but opens doors to a specialized, in-demand field.
The main route is a doctoral program after your bachelor's degree. The length and structure of that path varies, so if you're exploring timelines and what to expect, Pathly can map the audiologist path that fits you and work through it with your school counselor or career advisor.
Many audiologists must be licensed, and professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You're drawn to investigative work: diagnosing problems, analyzing data, and understanding how systems work. You combine that with genuine interest in helping people and building trust through clear communication.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
Your free AI guide weighs this career against your strengths and goals, and surfaces the colleges, trades, and scholarships that match, so you know if it truly fits before you commit.
Get a personalized, step-by-step plan to reach this career, with the training, coursework, and credentials tracked in one place. Link your school or IEC and your counselor in the loop.
Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).