All careers › Hearing Aid Specialists
Hearing aid specialist: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $38,400lowest 10% earn less
- $48,39025th percentile
- $65,160median
- $80,01075th percentile
- $94,020top 10% earn more
The median wage for hearing aid specialists was $65,160 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 19.4% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +19.4%[2]
- Openings per year
- 900[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do hearing aid specialists make?
The median wage was $65,160 a year, or $31.33 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $66,370 a year, or $31.91 an hour[7].
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,400, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $48,390[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $80,010, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $94,020[3]. Hourly, those marks were $18.46, $23.27, $38.47 and $45.20[8]. These are boundaries between groups of workers. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].
For all occupations in the US, the median was $50,980[4]. The median for hearing aid specialists was higher.
These wages cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10].
Pay by state and city
New York had the highest state median at $82,990, followed by Nevada at $81,800 and California at $80,060[11]. West Virginia had the lowest listed median, at $35,110[11]. Many states have small job counts, so single-state figures rest on few workers[11].
The most jobs were in Florida (1,150), California (990), Texas (970), Pennsylvania (870) and Minnesota (530)[12]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median at $83,930[13]. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL was next at $81,140, then Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA at $80,050[13].
The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 590, with a median of $75,720[14]. Pittsburgh had 310 jobs and a median of $44,990[14].
Show median pay in 43 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York[11] | $82,990 | 380 |
| Nevada | $81,800 | 60 |
| California | $80,060 | 990 |
| Tennessee | $78,270 | 190 |
| Colorado | $77,540 | 140 |
| Washington | $77,510 | 280 |
| Maryland | $77,460 | 50 |
| Arizona | $76,750 | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $76,750 | 170 |
| North Carolina | $75,810 | 240 |
| New Jersey | $75,720 | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $75,310 | n/a |
| Alaska | $75,300 | 30 |
| Idaho | $75,300 | 160 |
| Montana | $75,300 | 60 |
| Virginia | $75,300 | 210 |
| Kentucky | $75,200 | 100 |
| Hawaii | $74,800 | 90 |
| Connecticut | $74,520 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $74,510 | 40 |
| Florida | $67,010 | 1,150 |
| Oregon | $66,350 | 170 |
| Louisiana | $64,580 | 80 |
| Illinois | $63,050 | 360 |
| Ohio | $62,680 | 260 |
| Minnesota | $61,390 | 530 |
| Indiana | $60,900 | 310 |
| Iowa | $59,550 | 200 |
| Delaware | $59,160 | n/a |
| Texas | $59,140 | 970 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,080 | 870 |
| Utah | $57,940 | 200 |
| Vermont | $57,850 | n/a |
| Georgia | $56,010 | 320 |
| Michigan | $55,100 | 460 |
| South Dakota | $54,910 | n/a |
| Missouri | $51,680 | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $47,840 | 80 |
| South Carolina | $47,190 | 220 |
| Kansas | $46,820 | 100 |
| Alabama | $46,530 | 50 |
| Nebraska | $45,660 | 90 |
| West Virginia | $35,110 | 50 |
How to become a hearing aid specialist
Our data gives only the typical path from BLS. It does not cover licensing rules, exams or program length.
- First: have a high school diploma or equivalent, which BLS lists as the typical entry education[6].
- Next: expect no related work experience to be needed[6].
- Then: learn the job through moderate-term on-the-job training, which BLS lists as typical[6].
In an ONET survey of 18 workers, 44% said a doctoral degree was required, and 22% said a high school diploma or equivalent[15]. Another 12% said a post-secondary certificate and 12% a post-baccalaureate certificate, and 9% an associate's degree or other 2-year degree[15]. That is a small survey, so it shows variety more than a rule. ONET places the job in a group that needs medium preparation[16].
What hearing aid specialists do
O*NET describes the work as selecting and fitting hearing aids, giving and interpreting hearing tests, and taking ear impressions to make or change ear molds[17]. Tasks include:
- Teaching clients to use hearing aids and similar devices[18]
- Counseling patients and families about communication and the effects of hearing loss[18]
- Giving basic hearing tests, including air conduction, bone conduction and speech tests[18]
- Running basic screenings, such as a check of the ear canal with an otoscope[18]
- Maintaining or repairing hearing aids and other devices[18]
- Making or changing impressions for earmolds and hearing aid shells[18]
- Showing clients assistive listening devices[18]
- Helping audiologists with some ear and hearing procedures[18]
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 19.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 11,200 to 13,400 jobs, a change of 2,200[2]. For all occupations, projected growth is 3.5%[19]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. The OEWS count of 11,270 jobs covers wage and salary workers only[20]. Only 0.5% of hearing aid specialists were self-employed in 2025[21].
About 900 openings are projected each year on average[5]. That figure includes jobs left by people who retire or change occupations, as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.6% of workers leave the labor force and 3.3% move to a different occupation[22]. The projected gain is 2,200 jobs[2].
Is it a good fit?
The median wage is above the all-occupations median, and the range runs from under $38,400 for the lowest-paid 10% to over $94,020 for the highest-paid 10%[1][4][3]. The typical entry education is a high school diploma, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. Growth is projected well above the all-occupations rate[2][19]. Pay differs by state[11]. Our data does not cover licensing, so check the rules where you live before planning a move into this work.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a hearing aid specialist make an hour?
- The median wage was $31.33 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $31.91[1][7].
- What education do you need to be a hearing aid specialist?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
- Is hearing aid specialist a growing job?
- Employment is projected to grow 19.4% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 900 openings a year[2][19][5].
- What is the highest paying state for hearing aid specialists?
- New York, with a median of $82,990, followed by Nevada at $81,800[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Hearing Aid Specialists in the US was $65,160 per year and $31.33 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Hearing Aid Specialists is projected to grow 19.4% from 2025 to 2035, from about 11,200 to 13,400 jobs (a change of +2,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Hearing Aid Specialists: 10th percentile $38,400, 25th percentile $48,390, 75th percentile $80,010, 90th percentile $94,020. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 900 openings for Hearing Aid Specialists are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Hearing Aid Specialists: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Hearing Aid Specialists was $66,370 per year and $31.91 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Hearing Aid Specialists: 10th percentile $18.46, 25th percentile $23.27, 75th percentile $38.47, 90th percentile $45.20. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Hearing Aid Specialists in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Hearing Aid Specialists jobs: Florida 1,150; California 990; Texas 970; Pennsylvania 870; Minnesota 530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Hearing Aid Specialists (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $83,930; Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $81,140; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $80,050; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $78,830; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $75,830; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $75,720; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $69,320; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $67,420. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Hearing Aid Specialists jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 590 (median $75,720); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 480 (median $80,050); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 390 (median $61,390); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 330 (median $61,980); Pittsburgh, PA 310 (median $44,990); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 210 (median $56,010). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 29-2092.00 survey of workers (18 respondents), education level they say is required: Doctoral Degree 44%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 22%, Post-Secondary Certificate 12%, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 12%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 9% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 29-2092.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Hearing Aid Specialists. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Hearing Aid Specialists. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 11,270 people were employed as Hearing Aid Specialists in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.5% of Hearing Aid Specialists were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Hearing Aid Specialists: 2.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.