Audiologists
Audiologists (SOC 29-1181) earn a median $95,780 a year ($46.05 an hour) in the United States, with 13,660 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nevada.
What audiologists do
Audiologists assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders, including balance problems. They give hearing tests and examine patients with specialized instruments and electronic equipment to learn the type and degree of impairment, then evaluate hearing and balance disorders to determine a diagnosis and a course of treatment. They fit, dispense and repair assistive devices such as hearing aids, and may provide auditory training. Follow-up includes monitoring a patient's hearing or balance status over time. They instruct and counsel patients, parents, teachers or employers in communication strategies, and teach families techniques to improve communication related to hearing loss. Records are kept at every stage, from the first evaluation through later treatment, and patients are referred to medical or educational services when needed. O*NET alternate titles such as dispensing, educational, industrial and forensic audiologist suggest the variety of roles. Nearly all respondents report a doctoral degree. The SOC adds that audiologists may perform research related to hearing problems.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a doctoral degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (95 percent).
Also called: Audiologist, Audiology Doctor (AUD), Audiology Extern, Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology Licensed Audiologist (CCC-A Licensed Audiologist), Clinical Audiologist.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $31.06 | $38.14 | $46.05 | $53.51 | $64.00 | $46.99 | 13,660 |
| Annual | $64,610 | $79,340 | $95,780 | $111,300 | $133,120 | $97,740 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where audiologists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $29.88 | $42.99 | $64.00 | $64.00 | $65.73 | $57.15 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $62,150 | $89,430 | $133,110 | $133,120 | $136,720 | $118,870 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $38.87 | $46.55 | $57.32 | $60.00 | $65.05 | $54.59 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $80,850 | $96,820 | $119,230 | $124,810 | $135,310 | $113,560 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $41.47 | $45.17 | $57.09 | $64.84 | $78.47 | $59.62 | 40 | 0.10 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $86,250 | $93,960 | $118,750 | $134,870 | $163,220 | $124,010 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $29.85 | $35.62 | $55.25 | $66.87 | $76.27 | $54.17 | 1,740 | 0.10 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $62,090 | $74,090 | $114,910 | $139,080 | $158,640 | $112,680 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $42.70 | $42.80 | $54.89 | $57.03 | $68.57 | $54.50 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $88,820 | $89,020 | $114,170 | $118,620 | $142,630 | $113,360 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $29.85 | $35.62 | $55.25 | $66.87 | $76.27 | $54.17 | 1,740 | 0.10 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $62,090 | $74,090 | $114,910 | $139,080 | $158,640 | $112,680 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $21.78 | $33.45 | $39.13 | $46.85 | $51.62 | $39.68 | 1,230 | 0.22 | 2.52 |
| Annual | $45,310 | $69,580 | $81,390 | $97,450 | $107,360 | $82,540 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $35.30 | $37.32 | $44.98 | $57.29 | $66.03 | $47.49 | 1,020 | 0.07 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $73,430 | $77,620 | $93,570 | $119,160 | $137,340 | $98,780 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $30.28 | $37.55 | $44.94 | $53.50 | $57.74 | $44.76 | 700 | 0.07 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $62,980 | $78,100 | $93,480 | $111,280 | $120,100 | $93,110 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $36.99 | $42.37 | $48.49 | $56.94 | $62.27 | $50.19 | 690 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $76,940 | $88,140 | $100,860 | $118,440 | $129,530 | $104,390 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $36.21 | $53.99 | $64.90 | $67.04 | $79.25 | $61.45 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $75,310 | $112,300 | $134,990 | $139,450 | $164,840 | $127,820 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $33.66 | $60.18 | $64.38 | $69.20 | $87.93 | $63.62 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $70,010 | $125,180 | $133,910 | $143,930 | $182,890 | $132,330 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $51.08 | $51.08 | $63.65 | $67.54 | $78.87 | $61.89 | 220 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $106,240 | $106,240 | $132,390 | $140,490 | $164,050 | $128,740 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $52.19 | $52.33 | $61.71 | $63.99 | $68.76 | $60.73 | 170 | 0.08 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $108,560 | $108,840 | $128,350 | $133,090 | $143,010 | $126,310 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.08 | $46.73 | $61.59 | $66.87 | $93.94 | $60.56 | 520 | 0.08 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $62,560 | $97,200 | $128,110 | $139,080 | $195,390 | $125,960 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $43.62 | $47.50 | $55.32 | $61.04 | $67.49 | $55.71 | 530 | 0.06 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $90,730 | $98,800 | $115,070 | $126,950 | $140,380 | $115,890 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.08 | $46.73 | $61.59 | $66.87 | $93.94 | $60.56 | 520 | 0.08 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $62,560 | $97,200 | $128,110 | $139,080 | $195,390 | $125,960 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $29.85 | $29.85 | $40.00 | $47.50 | $56.65 | $40.60 | 390 | 0.25 | 2.87 |
| Annual | $62,090 | $62,090 | $83,200 | $98,800 | $117,840 | $84,440 | ||||
| Cleveland, OH | Hourly | $18.52 | $21.78 | $38.77 | $46.22 | $51.62 | $37.65 | 300 | 0.29 | 3.26 |
| Annual | $38,510 | $45,310 | $80,640 | $96,140 | $107,360 | $78,320 | ||||
| Columbus, OH | Hourly | $28.37 | $32.08 | $36.25 | $48.19 | $50.38 | $39.42 | 260 | 0.24 | 2.68 |
| Annual | $59,010 | $66,730 | $75,400 | $100,240 | $104,790 | $81,990 | ||||
Top industries employing audiologists
Offices of Physicians employ 26.8% of audiologists nationally (3,660 jobs) at a median $92,620 a year ($44.53 an hour), followed by Offices of Other Health Practitioners (26.8%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (15.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 3,660 | 26.8% | $92,620 | $44.53 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 3,660 | 26.8% | $81,710 | $39.28 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 2,060 | 15.1% | $103,700 | $49.86 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 1,370 | 10.0% | $87,990 | $42.31 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 860 | 6.3% | $97,790 | $47.02 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (13,660). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,950 for audiologists in May 2021 and $95,780 in May 2025, with employment of 13,240 and 13,660.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,950 | $37.96 | 13,240 |
| May 2022 | $82,680 | $39.75 | 13,940 |
| May 2023 | $87,740 | $42.19 | 13,880 |
| May 2024 | $92,120 | $44.29 | 14,730 |
| May 2025 | $95,780 | $46.05 | 13,660 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada profile | $64.00 | $133,110 | $62,150 | $136,720 | ** | ** | ** |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $57.32 | $119,230 | $80,850 | $135,310 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| 3 | North Dakota profile | $57.09 | $118,750 | $86,250 | $163,220 | 40 | 0.10 | 1.12 |
| 4 | California profile | $55.25 | $114,910 | $62,090 | $158,640 | 1,740 | 0.10 | 1.09 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $54.89 | $114,170 | $88,820 | $142,630 | ** | ** | ** |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | $54.73 | $113,850 | $87,990 | $127,150 | 90 | 0.14 | 1.54 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $54.41 | $113,180 | $65,360 | $123,640 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.45 |
| 8 | Oregon profile | $52.67 | $109,560 | $80,590 | $242,080 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $52.20 | $108,580 | $68,310 | $137,190 | 320 | 0.09 | 1.02 |
| 10 | New Hampshire profile | $50.77 | $105,590 | $91,540 | $124,530 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| 11 | Utah profile | $50.21 | $104,450 | $77,460 | $135,160 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
| 12 | Massachusetts profile | $50.06 | $104,130 | $73,420 | $129,770 | 220 | 0.06 | 0.69 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $49.44 | $102,840 | $53,250 | $134,390 | 280 | 0.09 | 1.07 |
| 14 | District of Columbia profile | $49.28 | $102,500 | $95,770 | $159,410 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.66 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $49.17 | $102,270 | $65,660 | $136,660 | 430 | 0.15 | 1.70 |
| 16 | Minnesota profile | $49.10 | $102,130 | $83,750 | $120,110 | 290 | 0.10 | 1.14 |
| 17 | Maine profile | $49.07 | $102,060 | $86,900 | $119,350 | 60 | 0.10 | 1.11 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $48.91 | $101,730 | $84,540 | $131,320 | ** | ** | ** |
| 19 | New York profile | $48.49 | $100,860 | $76,940 | $129,530 | 690 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $47.81 | $99,450 | $65,820 | $125,090 | 220 | 0.08 | 0.85 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | $47.34 | $98,470 | $71,990 | $126,400 | 470 | 0.10 | 1.10 |
| 22 | Michigan profile | $47.02 | $97,790 | $77,270 | $114,210 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.65 |
| 23 | Nebraska profile | $46.85 | $97,460 | $78,900 | $115,540 | 90 | 0.09 | 1.03 |
| 24 | Kansas profile | $46.76 | $97,250 | $79,210 | $106,330 | 200 | 0.14 | 1.57 |
| 25 | Iowa profile | $46.72 | $97,180 | $73,280 | $122,740 | 270 | 0.17 | 1.97 |
| 26 | Arkansas profile | $46.63 | $96,980 | $78,970 | $134,040 | 110 | 0.09 | 0.98 |
| 27 | Idaho profile | $45.73 | $95,120 | $59,110 | $101,650 | 200 | 0.23 | 2.64 |
| 28 | Texas profile | $44.98 | $93,570 | $73,430 | $137,340 | 1,020 | 0.07 | 0.82 |
| 29 | Illinois profile | $44.96 | $93,510 | $77,780 | $131,380 | 330 | 0.05 | 0.61 |
| 30 | Florida profile | $44.94 | $93,480 | $62,980 | $120,100 | 700 | 0.07 | 0.80 |
| 31 | Kentucky profile | $44.48 | $92,520 | $61,880 | $141,590 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.51 |
| 32 | Maryland profile | $43.88 | $91,260 | $63,120 | $117,320 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| 33 | South Dakota profile | $43.84 | $91,190 | $77,860 | $108,950 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.93 |
| 34 | Tennessee profile | $43.53 | $90,540 | $67,130 | $109,650 | 270 | 0.08 | 0.93 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $43.40 | $90,280 | $65,790 | $108,040 | 410 | 0.13 | 1.47 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania profile | $43.02 | $89,480 | $64,610 | $131,230 | 460 | 0.08 | 0.86 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | $42.75 | $88,920 | $70,120 | $131,210 | 450 | 0.09 | 1.03 |
| 38 | Montana profile | $41.82 | $86,990 | $61,250 | $104,110 | 60 | 0.12 | 1.40 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | $41.49 | $86,300 | $50,530 | $104,610 | 190 | 0.09 | 1.02 |
| 40 | Delaware profile | $41.20 | $85,700 | $75,350 | $105,620 | 70 | 0.15 | 1.65 |
| 41 | Arizona profile | $40.01 | $83,210 | $77,330 | $110,060 | 240 | 0.07 | 0.83 |
| 42 | New Mexico profile | $39.93 | $83,050 | $64,750 | $128,000 | 80 | 0.10 | 1.11 |
| 43 | South Carolina profile | $39.58 | $82,330 | $67,490 | $97,980 | 200 | 0.09 | 0.97 |
| 44 | Ohio profile | $39.13 | $81,390 | $45,310 | $107,360 | 1,230 | 0.22 | 2.52 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $38.82 | $80,740 | $60,410 | $94,990 | ** | ** | ** |
| 46 | Virginia profile | $38.46 | $80,010 | $74,850 | $137,780 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.73 |
| 47 | West Virginia profile | $38.46 | $79,990 | $66,490 | $170,430 | 120 | 0.17 | 1.95 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $36.96 | $76,880 | $40,010 | $105,000 | 210 | 0.12 | 1.39 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $36.15 | $75,200 | $55,550 | $103,300 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.81 |
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1181 Audiologists.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1181, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1181.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.