Audiologists are responsible for evaluating people’s hearing and identifying problems. They usually need to handle a variety of tasks, from determining the level of one’s hearing impairment, to prescribing appropriate treatment and administering it if necessary. An audiologist usually needs to provide appropriate guidance and planning for the patient, and direct them to where they can get treatment. Not all audiologists operate from a doctor’s office though, as some can be found working in hearing aid stores.
Over the past few years, the educational requirements for audiologists have been increasing. It used to be possible to work as an audiologist with just a Master’s degree, but nowadays more and more audiologists need a Doctoral degree to qualify for working as an audiologist. An audiologist needs a proper license to operate, and one is issued from the local authorities against a certain type of diploma. Additionally, those who wish to not only evaluate hearing but also provide aid for problems directly, need a Hearing Aid Dispenser license, which has to be issued in addition to their original one that allows them to practice.
An audiologist can earn well, and employment for them is steadily growing too. In 2009, audiologists in the US earned an average of $63,200. The standard rate for most goes around $60,000, while some are able to earn as much as $77,000 per year. With the increasing demand for audiologists, the salaries tend to go up as well.