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Hearing Aid Specialists: Career Profile
Select and fit hearing aids for customers. Administer and interpret tests of hearing. Assess hearing instrument efficacy. Take ear impressions and prepare, design, and modify ear molds.
The Daily Work of Hearing Aid Specialists Do?
The core tasks performed by hearing aid specialists include:
- Train clients to use hearing aids or other augmentative communication devices.
- Counsel patients and families on communication strategies and the effects of hearing loss.
- Select and administer tests to evaluate hearing or related disabilities.
- Administer basic hearing tests including air conduction, bone conduction, or speech audiometry tests.
- Maintain or repair hearing aids or other communication devices.
- Perform basic screening procedures, such as pure tone screening, otoacoustic screening, immittance screening, and screening of ear canal status using otoscope.
- Create or modify impressions for earmolds and hearing aid shells.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in audiology.
What Hearing Aid Specialists Need to Know
Successful hearing aid specialists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Audiology Assistant
- Audiology Technician
- Audioprosthologist
- Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (Board Certified HIS)
- Hearing Aid Attendant
- Hearing Aid Consultant
- Hearing Aid Dispenser
- Hearing Aid Fitter
Employment and Demand
There are about 366,866 hearing aid specialists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +12.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Hearing Aid Specialists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $96,168 |
| Hourly median | $46.23 |
| 10th percentile | $63,138 |
| 25th percentile | $79,653 |
| 75th percentile | $112,683 |
| 90th percentile | $129,198 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $91,000 |
| New York | $80,710 |
| New Mexico | $79,930 |
| California | $78,830 |
| Nevada | $78,310 |
| Arkansas | $76,750 |
| Washington | $74,670 |
| Maryland | $74,670 |
| Montana | $74,220 |
| Colorado | $73,220 |
| North Carolina | $72,950 |
| Idaho | $72,590 |
| Arizona | $71,470 |
| Virginia | $71,450 |
| Wisconsin | $71,110 |
| Massachusetts | $67,460 |
| Ohio | $63,640 |
| Iowa | $63,280 |
| Kentucky | $62,920 |
| Florida | $62,120 |
| Missouri | $61,930 |
| Oregon | $61,850 |
| Texas | $61,560 |
| Delaware | $58,130 |
| Connecticut | $57,970 |
| Minnesota | $57,080 |
| Tennessee | $56,010 |
| Indiana | $55,790 |
| Georgia | $54,100 |
| Nebraska | $50,030 |
| Illinois | $49,090 |
| Utah | $47,710 |
| Michigan | $46,680 |
| Louisiana | $45,850 |
| New Jersey | $45,550 |
| Oklahoma | $43,480 |
| Kansas | $42,190 |
| South Carolina | $36,240 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for hearing aid specialists shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $74,669 | 13.0% | 1.04 |
| New England | $64,092 | 3.2% | 0.84 |
| Southwest | $62,138 | 7.6% | 0.63 |
| Southeast | $58,967 | 31.7% | 1.89 |
| Rocky Mountains | $58,639 | 4.5% | 1.55 |
| Plains States | $56,883 | 11.1% | 1.70 |
| Great Lakes | $54,594 | 20.5% | 1.40 |
| Middle Atlantic | $32,552 | 8.5% | 0.87 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $97,640 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $82,990 | 40 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | FL | $78,980 | 180 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $78,830 | 50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $78,830 | 100 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | FL | $78,170 | 30 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | FL | $76,070 | 80 |
| Richmond, VA | VA | $75,910 | 30 |
Which Industries Hire Hearing Aid Specialists
The bulk of hearing aid specialists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 6,810 | $63,110 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 3,360 | $58,430 |
| Manufacturing | 70 | $60,290 |
| Educational Services | 40 | $44,900 |
Below are examples of industries where hearing aid specialists work:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for hearing aid specialists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Supplemental)
- Prosthodontists (Supplemental)
- Optometrists (Supplemental)
- Speech-Language Pathologists (Supplemental)
- Audiologists (Supplemental)
- Urologists (Supplemental)
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians (Supplemental)
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for hearing aid specialists commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists).
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