Hearing Aid Specialists
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.
Also called: Audiology Assistant, Audiology Technician, Audioprosthologist, Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (Board Certified HIS), Hearing Aid Attendant, Hearing Aid Consultant
Median pay
$65,160
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$38,400 – $94,020
People employed
11,270
Holland code
SCI
Social · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 2.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 3.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 4.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 5.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 6.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 7.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Hearing Aid Specialists pay by state
Annual median pay by state (43 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What hearing aid specialists do
- 01Train clients to use hearing aids or other augmentative communication devices.
- 02Counsel patients and families on communication strategies and the effects of hearing loss.
- 03Select and administer tests to evaluate hearing or related disabilities.
- 04Administer basic hearing tests including air conduction, bone conduction, or speech audiometry tests.
- 05Maintain or repair hearing aids or other communication devices.
- 06Perform basic screening procedures, such as pure tone screening, otoacoustic screening, immittance screening, and screening of ear canal status using otoscope.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Therapy and Counseling
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 3 months, up to and including 6 months.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from hearing aid specialists
- Dental Assistants79% · −26%
- Physical Therapist Assistants72% · +5%
- Audiologists69% · +47%
- Respiratory Therapists68% · +26%
- Occupational Therapy Assistants68% · +11%
Change into hearing aid specialists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Dental Assistants78% · $48,070
- Physical Therapist Assistants72% · $68,380
- Medical Assistants71% · $45,690
- Audiologists69% · $95,780
- Occupational Therapy Assistants68% · $72,300
Majors that lead here
- Hearing Instrument Specialist
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.