Is There Good Money Being An Audiologist?

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Doug5

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Im moving to AZ and they got a lot of old people. Plus I can get my hearing aids whole sale. I already got a degree in mechanical engineering. How hard would it be to switch?
 
I heard you can do it with certification.

I was hoping there was an audiologist on the board that could explain the details
 
In order to practice in the USA (unless things have radically changed in the last 2years) you require at MINIMUM and Master's Degree in Audiology, and in some states a Doctorate (Au.D).

There are provisions often for Master's students to take their Doctoral courses via distance Education.

Also many (here at least) Audiologists also take a certain amount of SLP training as well ... All and all, Audiology would involve a number of years of full time schooling in order to enter the field

here is some info taken from the allalliedhealth website :
If you're planning to become an audiologist, you should earn your bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders or a related discipline and then enter a graduate program in audiology.

If you've already completed your bachelor's degree, but didn't take general communication sciences and disorders coursework during your undergraduate years, you can enter a one-to-two year post-baccalaureate program to complete the required prerequisites for graduate school.

In order to practice, audiologists must complete a two-year master's or a four-year doctoral (AuD) program in audiology.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, as of 2007, audiologists will need to have a bachelor's degree and complete 75 hours of credit toward a doctoral degree in order to seek certification. As of 2012, audiologists will have to earn a doctoral degree in order to be certified.
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Mechanical Engineering really isn't going to be much of an asset when it comes to Audiology per say - however it may be of some advantage if you were wanting to get into being a HA and ALD repair technician ... I have no idea what the specialized training would be for that however. (I was a Repair Tech in a different field for 11 years, and that did have some relation to Mech Eng.)

Sorry to disappoint ... however if becoming and Audie is what you really want to do - I believe AZ has a number of schools which offer Aud programs !


HTH
 
siyavi said:
I'm glad becoming an audiologist is difficult.
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Why?

Anyway..according to this link, the mean annual salary of certified audis was $51K in 2004.

To some that may mean good money while to others, it is not. For me, it is not good money. Probably cuz I live in the most expensive state according to Consumer Report in 2007.
 
shel90 said:
Why?

Anyway..according to this link, the mean annual salary of certified audis was $51K in 2004.

To some that may mean good money while to others, it is not. For me, it is not good money. Probably cuz I live in the most expensive state according to Consumer Report in 2007.
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yeah, its hard to live comfortably with under 100k a year.
 
I believe you need a Doctoral degree to become an Audiologist. I don't believe they operate under a certificate. It used to take a Master's degree to become an Audiologist.
 
ClearSky said:
I believe you need a Doctoral degree to become an Audiologist. I don't believe they operate under a certificate. It used to take a Master's degree to become an Audiologist.
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thats seems excessive
 
Yes, but that's what I heard before. I know a person who was deaf her whole life and got a CI later in life and was studying to become an audiologist. She had at least a Masters or Doctoral, whichever was at the time. It seems exessive to the rest of us, but I know it's not 4 years of study.
 
I don't think that's excessive. I want the person looking after me to be the most qualified they can rather than holding a certificate that they earned in 2 days. No offence, but I'd rather have the peace of mind knowing my audi actually knows thoroughly what they are doing.
 
If Master's and a Phd's are required, I wonder why it is that there doesn't appear to be courses on deafness, deaf culture, etc along the way? I am assuming there isn't any because it is rare (in my own experience) to come across an audiologist who has.
 
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement [About this section] [To Top]

Audiologists are regulated in 49 States; all require that individuals have at least a master�s degree in audiology. However, a clinical doctoral degree is expected to become the new standard, and several States are currently in the process of changing their regulations to require the Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree or equivalent. A passing score on the national examination on audiology offered through the Praxis Series of the Educational Testing Service also is needed. Other requirements typically are 300 to 375 hours of supervised clinical experience and 9 months of postgraduate professional clinical experience. Forty-one States have continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. An additional examination and license is required in order to dispense hearing aids in some States.
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Career Information - Audiologists



Qualification required of audiologists, and a link to the source.
 
I suggest you contact the college counselor about that and they will give you a best answer to the question.
 
AliciaM said:
oo where is SteveAud when u need him! lol
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;)

You can dispense hearing aids by getting your license as a hearing aid dispenser (much like you find at miracle ear). Check the state laws in which you'd like to practice. To become an audiologist it is required (since 2007) that you possess a Doctorate. To go back and take the necessary classes I would imagine you'd be looking at 6yrs more schooling.
 
Tousi said:
If Master's and a Phd's are required, I wonder why it is that there doesn't appear to be courses on deafness, deaf culture, etc along the way? I am assuming there isn't any because it is rare (in my own experience) to come across an audiologist who has.
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that is a very good point too, but i still reckon PhDs is excessive, maybe a Masters is sufficient and add say a certificate (endorsed by Deaf organisations, not Hearing-based institutions) should be strongly encouraged for Audi's to acquire. BUt PhD's nah i dont think so, it is in my opinion too obsessive about Hearing and missing a hell of a lot on communication (no, not the hearing communication but broad spectrum and a say , a real insight added on how Hoh people adapts, what do they strategy/tactics do they employ to get by. If Audis understand this better, (and deaf culture bits in order not get arrogant towards paents and young children) then it would be a hell of alot better. But on other hand, I kind of dont like deaf/hohs to BE Audis, since it replicates/reinforces audism by way of 'technicalising deafness' is easier when they HAVE Deaf people working otheir side. just too eerie.
 
I am a Hard of Hearing person just starting my first year in my Doctors of Audiology graduate school at the U of MN. The requirements are that you complete either an AuD or PhD according to the ASHA (American Speech & Hearing Association) law in order to practice in hospitals, clinics, schools and private practices. There are a couple of students in my class who has other degree when they went for their undergraduate degree, but they are on the 5-year plan, meaning that they catch up with the Communication Science and Disorder classes required during the first year before taking on any graduate courses for Audiology for the next four years. I am interested in becoming an Audiologist because I want to bring back to my community what they have given me. I am the only one in my school who understands both Deaf & Hard of Hearing and Hearing side. Audiologists make pretty good money depending on where you work at and how big your company is. If it's a small clinic or hospital then of course, you won't make much money. Each state has different salaries based on the economy they're in. That's all for now. Thanks!
 
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