Hearing Aid Specialists: Job Description
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.
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What Tasks Do Hearing Aid Specialists Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of hearing aid specialists cover:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Top hearing aid specialists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Hearing Aid Specialists Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 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. Employment is projected to grow by +12.0% over the projection horizon.
Hearing Aid Specialists Pay
| 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 |
Pay can vary substantially 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. The following regions pay the most:
| 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 |
Industry Breakdown
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 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field 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)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions 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)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future hearing aid specialists typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on 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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