Hearing Aid Specialists
Hearing Aid Specialists (SOC 29-2092) earn a median $65,160 a year ($31.33 an hour) in the United States, with 11,270 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What hearing aid specialists do
Hearing aid specialists select and fit hearing aids for customers, administer and interpret tests of hearing, and assess how well a hearing instrument works. The SOC excludes audiologists, who have their own code. They select and administer tests to evaluate hearing, including basic tests such as air conduction, bone conduction and speech audiometry, and perform basic screening procedures such as pure tone, otoacoustic and immittance screening and checks of the ear canal with an otoscope. They create or modify impressions for earmolds and hearing aid shells, and prepare, design and modify the molds. They train clients to use hearing aids and other communication devices, maintain or repair them, and counsel patients and families on communication strategies and the effects of hearing loss. They also keep up with developments in audiology by reading the literature and talking with colleagues. Education is varied: 44 percent of respondents report a doctoral degree, 22 percent a high school diploma and 12 percent a postsecondary certificate. Variant titles include hearing aid dispenser, hearing aid fitter, hearing instrument specialist and audioprosthologist.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a doctoral degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (44 percent).
Also called: Audiology Assistant, Audiology Technician, Audioprosthologist, Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (Board Certified HIS), Hearing Aid Attendant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.46 | $23.27 | $31.33 | $38.47 | $45.20 | $31.91 | 11,270 |
| Annual | $38,400 | $48,390 | $65,160 | $80,010 | $94,020 | $66,370 | ||
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 hearing aid specialists 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 | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.94 | $28.29 | $39.90 | $47.84 | $65.67 | $40.80 | 380 | 0.04 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $47,710 | $58,840 | $82,990 | $99,510 | $136,580 | $84,860 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $21.47 | $30.13 | $39.33 | $40.18 | $47.06 | $36.67 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $44,660 | $62,680 | $81,800 | $83,570 | $97,880 | $76,280 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.41 | $29.73 | $38.49 | $40.18 | $46.64 | $36.05 | 990 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $50,770 | $61,830 | $80,060 | $83,570 | $97,010 | $74,990 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $16.71 | $27.64 | $37.63 | $49.80 | $53.27 | $36.83 | 190 | 0.06 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $34,760 | $57,490 | $78,270 | $103,570 | $110,800 | $76,610 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $25.36 | $30.51 | $37.28 | $39.55 | $45.67 | $36.82 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $52,760 | $63,470 | $77,540 | $82,270 | $94,990 | $76,590 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.60 | $30.10 | $32.22 | $38.33 | $39.67 | $32.89 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $44,930 | $62,600 | $67,010 | $79,720 | $82,510 | $68,410 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.41 | $29.73 | $38.49 | $40.18 | $46.64 | $36.05 | 990 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $50,770 | $61,830 | $80,060 | $83,570 | $97,010 | $74,990 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.98 | $18.90 | $28.43 | $32.42 | $38.08 | $27.45 | 970 | 0.07 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $35,310 | $39,320 | $59,140 | $67,420 | $79,210 | $57,100 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.82 | $19.71 | $27.92 | $36.56 | $43.19 | $29.31 | 870 | 0.14 | 1.97 |
| Annual | $39,150 | $40,990 | $58,080 | $76,050 | $89,840 | $60,960 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $16.88 | $16.88 | $29.52 | $35.19 | $38.57 | $27.96 | 530 | 0.18 | 2.47 |
| Annual | $35,110 | $35,110 | $61,390 | $73,200 | $80,230 | $58,170 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $36.90 | $37.33 | $43.75 | $53.27 | $53.27 | $44.54 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $76,750 | $77,640 | $91,010 | $110,800 | $110,800 | $92,640 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $30.06 | $31.88 | $41.39 | $46.13 | $49.27 | $39.77 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $62,520 | $66,320 | $86,090 | $95,950 | $102,470 | $82,730 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $26.45 | $30.81 | $40.35 | $42.23 | $48.59 | $37.70 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $55,020 | $64,070 | $83,930 | $87,840 | $101,070 | $78,420 | ||||
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | Hourly | $18.09 | $31.56 | $39.81 | $39.81 | $39.81 | $35.14 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $37,630 | $65,640 | $82,800 | $82,800 | $82,800 | $73,080 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $27.09 | $31.90 | $39.31 | $45.70 | $48.88 | $38.39 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $56,350 | $66,350 | $81,770 | $95,060 | $101,670 | $79,840 | ||||
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 | $21.34 | $28.29 | $36.41 | $47.10 | $55.84 | $38.13 | 590 | 0.06 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $44,390 | $58,840 | $75,720 | $97,960 | $116,140 | $79,300 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.98 | $25.88 | $38.49 | $38.50 | $45.62 | $34.54 | 480 | 0.08 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $47,800 | $53,820 | $80,050 | $80,070 | $94,890 | $71,830 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $16.88 | $16.88 | $29.52 | $30.34 | $38.82 | $27.47 | 390 | 0.20 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $35,110 | $35,110 | $61,390 | $63,110 | $80,740 | $57,130 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $18.51 | $22.00 | $29.80 | $36.84 | $39.90 | $30.44 | 330 | 0.12 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $38,500 | $45,770 | $61,980 | $76,630 | $82,990 | $63,320 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $18.85 | $19.03 | $21.63 | $28.84 | $41.37 | $26.38 | 310 | 0.28 | 3.82 |
| Annual | $39,200 | $39,590 | $44,990 | $59,990 | $86,050 | $54,870 | ||||
Top industries employing hearing aid specialists
Health and Personal Care Retailers employ 33.9% of hearing aid specialists nationally (3,820 jobs) at a median $65,530 a year ($31.51 an hour), followed by General Merchandise Retailers (32.3%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (20.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Personal Care Retailers NAICS 456100 | 3,820 | 33.9% | $65,530 | $31.51 |
| General Merchandise Retailers NAICS 455000 | 3,640 | 32.3% | $77,310 | $37.17 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 2,270 | 20.1% | $59,990 | $28.84 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 540 | 4.8% | $39,110 | $18.80 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 330 | 2.9% | $45,010 | $21.64 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (11,270). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $59,500 for hearing aid specialists in May 2021 and $65,160 in May 2025, with employment of 10,790 and 11,270.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $59,500 | $28.61 | 10,790 |
| May 2022 | $59,020 | $28.38 | 10,080 |
| May 2023 | $58,670 | $28.21 | 10,250 |
| May 2024 | $61,560 | $29.60 | 10,580 |
| May 2025 | $65,160 | $31.33 | 11,270 |
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
43 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 | New York profile | $39.90 | $82,990 | $47,710 | $136,580 | 380 | 0.04 | 0.54 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $39.33 | $81,800 | $44,660 | $97,880 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| 3 | California profile | $38.49 | $80,060 | $50,770 | $97,010 | 990 | 0.06 | 0.75 |
| 4 | Tennessee profile | $37.63 | $78,270 | $34,760 | $110,800 | 190 | 0.06 | 0.80 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $37.28 | $77,540 | $52,760 | $94,990 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $37.26 | $77,510 | $53,000 | $97,510 | 280 | 0.08 | 1.07 |
| 7 | Maryland profile | $37.24 | $77,460 | $58,240 | $90,770 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| 8 | Arizona profile | $36.90 | $76,750 | $63,720 | $84,820 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.48 |
| 9 | Wisconsin profile | $36.90 | $76,750 | $51,530 | $117,630 | 170 | 0.06 | 0.81 |
| 10 | North Carolina profile | $36.45 | $75,810 | $52,110 | $94,000 | 240 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 11 | New Jersey profile | $36.41 | $75,720 | $44,310 | $96,960 | 470 | 0.11 | 1.51 |
| 12 | Massachusetts profile | $36.21 | $75,310 | $46,290 | $80,020 | ** | ** | ** |
| 13 | Alaska profile | $36.20 | $75,300 | $60,390 | $81,990 | 30 | 0.11 | 1.48 |
| 14 | Idaho profile | $36.20 | $75,300 | $44,290 | $91,000 | 160 | 0.18 | 2.50 |
| 15 | Montana profile | $36.20 | $75,300 | $49,620 | $88,680 | 60 | 0.12 | 1.66 |
| 16 | Virginia profile | $36.20 | $75,300 | $37,390 | $82,800 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.72 |
| 17 | Kentucky profile | $36.15 | $75,200 | $36,970 | $104,590 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 18 | Hawaii profile | $35.96 | $74,800 | $38,280 | $113,090 | 90 | 0.14 | 1.91 |
| 19 | Connecticut profile | $35.83 | $74,520 | $52,760 | $84,090 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.90 |
| 20 | New Mexico profile | $35.82 | $74,510 | $36,740 | $81,920 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.59 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $32.22 | $67,010 | $44,930 | $82,510 | 1,150 | 0.12 | 1.60 |
| 22 | Oregon profile | $31.90 | $66,350 | $50,390 | $87,510 | 170 | 0.08 | 1.16 |
| 23 | Louisiana profile | $31.05 | $64,580 | $47,280 | $133,270 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.59 |
| 24 | Illinois profile | $30.31 | $63,050 | $31,200 | $82,890 | 360 | 0.06 | 0.81 |
| 25 | Ohio profile | $30.14 | $62,680 | $43,680 | $80,880 | 260 | 0.05 | 0.66 |
| 26 | Minnesota profile | $29.52 | $61,390 | $35,110 | $80,230 | 530 | 0.18 | 2.47 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $29.28 | $60,900 | $37,010 | $100,380 | 310 | 0.10 | 1.34 |
| 28 | Iowa profile | $28.63 | $59,550 | $38,400 | $94,530 | 200 | 0.13 | 1.81 |
| 29 | Delaware profile | $28.44 | $59,160 | $35,430 | $64,050 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Texas profile | $28.43 | $59,140 | $35,310 | $79,210 | 970 | 0.07 | 0.95 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.92 | $58,080 | $39,150 | $89,840 | 870 | 0.14 | 1.97 |
| 32 | Utah profile | $27.85 | $57,940 | $44,570 | $81,740 | 200 | 0.12 | 1.60 |
| 33 | Vermont profile | $27.81 | $57,850 | $57,840 | $79,750 | ** | ** | ** |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $26.93 | $56,010 | $36,370 | $84,110 | 320 | 0.07 | 0.90 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $26.49 | $55,100 | $35,120 | $105,560 | 460 | 0.11 | 1.45 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $26.40 | $54,910 | $37,430 | $79,490 | ** | ** | ** |
| 37 | Missouri profile | $24.84 | $51,680 | $36,860 | $79,500 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.97 |
| 38 | Oklahoma profile | $23.00 | $47,840 | $32,340 | $75,300 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.67 |
| 39 | South Carolina profile | $22.69 | $47,190 | $33,610 | $76,850 | 220 | 0.10 | 1.31 |
| 40 | Kansas profile | $22.51 | $46,820 | $34,760 | $80,680 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.94 |
| 41 | Alabama profile | $22.37 | $46,530 | $31,040 | $80,680 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.29 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $21.95 | $45,660 | $40,250 | $77,930 | 90 | 0.09 | 1.21 |
| 43 | West Virginia profile | $16.88 | $35,110 | $26,910 | $105,740 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.89 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-2090), with their national median annual wage.
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 29-2092 Hearing Aid Specialists.
**- 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 29-2092, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-2092.00, 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.