Audiologist
Audiologists and hearing aid dispensers work with children and adults who have hearing loss, tinnitus, or problems with balance.
- Starter salary£32,000 a year
- Experienced£57,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
As an audiologist you could:
- see NHS and private clients in clinics, retail settings or in their own homes
- assess hearing using different tests
- fit, test or repair hearing aids
- advise on ear health and hygiene or remove ear wax
- keep customer records and administration up to date
Working environment
You could work in an NHS or private hospital or in a therapy clinic.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- customer service skills
- sensitivity and understanding
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- thinking and reasoning skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- the ability to work well with others
- knowledge of English language
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a audiologist
You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.
University
You can complete the NHS Practitioner Training Programme leading to a degree in healthcare science (audiology). This is a 3-year training scheme and includes a mix of on the job training and study.
To work as an audiologist or hearing aid dispenser in the private sector, you'll need to do an audiology or hearing aid dispensing foundation degree approved by the Health and Care Professions Council .
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
- at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
- 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including a science, for a degree
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
Apprenticeship
You might be able to do a Hearing Aid Dispenser Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship usually takes 2 years to complete and is a mix of learning on the job and study. This will qualify you to work independently to test people's hearing and fit hearing aids.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Work
You could start as an audiology practitioner or a hearing care assistant and take further study to qualify as an audiologist or hearing aid dispenser.
Volunteering
Volunteering in the NHS is a good way to get work experience in healthcare. This can be helpful when you apply for jobs or training.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks
Career path and progression
With experience you could specialise in an area like:
- cochlear implants
- managing tinnitus
- working with deafblind people
- assisting people with learning disabilities
You could:
- lead a clinical team, manage a unit or move into a general management position in healthcare
- become a director of your own retail stores
- move into research or become a higher education lecturer at a university
Professional and industry bodies
To keep up to date with developments in audiology or to find training, you could register with the British Academy of Audiology or the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists .
Guides for this industry
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0