Hearing Instrument Specialist
Featured schools near , edit
Types of Degrees Hearing Instrument Specialist Majors Are Earning
Students pursuing Hearing Instrument Specialist may pursue degrees at several award levels.
| Award Level | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Associate’s Degree | 12 |
What Hearing Instrument Specialist Majors Need to Know
Programs in Hearing Instrument Specialist emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates commonly enter.
Knowledge Areas
Coursework in Hearing Instrument Specialist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
- Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
- Sales and Marketing — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
- Therapy and Counseling — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
- Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
- Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*
Skills
The skill set developed in a Hearing Instrument Specialist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
- Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
- Service Orientation — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
- Instructing — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
- Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
- Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
Abilities
The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Hearing Instrument Specialist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:
- Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
- Oral Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
- Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
- Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3 / 7.
- Speech Recognition — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
Common Job Activities
Day-to-day, Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates report doing:
| Activity | Frequency / Importance |
|---|---|
| Assisting and Caring for Others | 4.7 / 7 |
| Performing for or Working Directly with the Public | 4.4 / 7 |
| Getting Information | 4.3 / 7 |
| Working with Computers | 4.3 / 7 |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge | 4.3 / 7 |
| Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events | 4.2 / 7 |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships | 4.1 / 7 |
| Documenting/Recording Information | 4.1 / 7 |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems | 4.0 / 7 |
| Selling or Influencing Others | 4.0 / 7 |
Technology Skills Used on the Job
Most frequently-cited tools used by Hearing Instrument Specialist professionals:
| Tool / Software | Category | In-Demand |
|---|---|---|
| HIMSA Noah | Medical software | — |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | ✓ |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | — |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | — |
| Otometrics OTOsuite | Medical software | — |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | — |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | — |
Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*
Sample Job Titles
Real job postings for Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates include:
- Audiology Technician
- Hearing Health Technician (Hearing Health Tech)
- Hearing Aid Specialist
- Hearing Specialist
- Hearing Technician (Hearing Tech)
- Hearing Care Practitioner
- Hearing Aid Attendant
- Hearing Aid Technician (Hearing Aid Tech)
- Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (Board Certified HIS)
- National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (National Board Certified HIS)
- Hearing Screener
- Newborn Hearing Screener
- Hearing Screening Technician (Hearing Screening Tech)
- Audiology Assistant
- Hearing Instrument Specialist (HIS)
Education Typically Required
Across the occupations open to Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:
| Education Level | Share of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 44.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 22.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 12.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 11.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.4% |
| Master’s degree | 0.4% |
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Who Is Earning a Degree in Hearing Instrument Specialist?
Gender Distribution
This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 83.3% of Hearing Instrument Specialist degrees.
| Gender | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 10 | 83.3% |
| Men | 2 | 16.7% |
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 9 | 75.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2 | 16.7% |
| Two or More Races | 1 | 8.3% |
See minority definition below.
How Much Do Hearing Instrument Specialist Graduates Earn?
College Scorecard reports median earnings of Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $67,845 |
| 4 years | $61,295 |
| 5 years | $69,015 |
By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,015 — roughly 2% above the 1-year mark.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Is a Degree in Hearing Instrument Specialist Worth It?
On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Hearing Instrument Specialist graduates earn a median of $61,295 four years after completion — roughly 61% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).
ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.
Related Programs
You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:
Explore Hearing Instrument Specialist by State
Alabama
California
District of Columbia
Idaho
Kansas
Maryland
Mississippi
Nevada
New York
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Utah
West Virginia
Alaska
Colorado
Florida
Illinois
Kentucky
Massachusetts
Missouri
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Oregon
South Dakota
Vermont
Wisconsin
References
The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.