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How to Become an Audiologist: Australian Careers in Health

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What is a Audiologist?

What will I do?

What skills do I need?

Resources

What is a Audiologist?

An audiologist checks and treats hearing and balance problems for people of all ages. They run hearing tests to find the cause of a patient’s hearing loss and how severe it is. Once they have a clear picture, they design a care plan and prescribe hearing aids where needed. This career blends clinical science with patient support, making it both challenging and rewarding.

Day to day, audiologists run a wide range of hearing tests. They look at results alongside medical, social, and health data to get the full picture. This helps them tell the difference between physical and non-physical causes of hearing loss. They then plan the right care, which may include fitting hearing aids, speech reading training, or rehab programmes.

Audiologists work in hospitals, private clinics, schools, and community health centres. They often team up with doctors, speech therapists, and other health professionals. This approach helps patients get care that covers every aspect of their hearing health. Around 2,600 audiologists are employed in Australia, playing a key role in the health system (Your Career, 2024).

The field offers real variety and room to grow. Audiologists can focus on child hearing care, cochlear implants, tinnitus, or hearing care for older adults. Australia has a nationwide shortage of audiologists, making job prospects strong (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025). For anyone who enjoys science and helping people, it is a career that truly makes a difference.

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Career snapshots For Audiologists

Audiology is a growing health field with strong job security and good earning potential. Around 2,600 audiologists are employed in Australia, and the field faces a shortage in every state (Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025). About 63% of audiologists work full-time, averaging 40 hours per week. Women make up 77% of the workforce (Your Career, 2024).

The median weekly pay for an audiologist is $1,971, or around $102,000 a year (Your Career, 2024). Entry-level salaries typically start around $75,000. Senior audiologists and specialists can earn $140,000 or more. The median age in the field is 37, reflecting a young workforce with strong long-term career potential.

What will I do?

Audiologists use hearing tests to help patients of all ages manage hearing loss. They work out what is causing a patient’s difficulties and design a care plan to help. This might mean fitting hearing aids, running a rehab programme, or referring a patient to another specialist. The role combines technical diagnostic work with close, ongoing patient relationships.

  • Administers and interprets a wide range of hearing tests to assess hearing ability and find where problems originate. Tests include pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and acoustic reflex testing.
  • Reviews test results alongside medical, social, and health data. Audiologists build a full picture of each patient’s hearing health before deciding on the right course of action.
  • Assesses total response patterns and acoustic tests to tell the difference between physical and non-physical hearing loss. Correct classification guides the right treatment path.
  • Plans, directs, and takes part in counselling, speech reading, and other rehab programmes. Audiologists run personal programmes that help patients adjust to hearing loss and communicate better.
  • Prescribes the right hearing aids and trains patients in their use. They fit hearing devices and teach patients how to get the most out of them.

What skills do I need?

Audiologists need a mix of technical know-how and strong people skills. The core of the job is running hearing tests with care and reading the results correctly. This takes a solid grasp of how sound works and how to use testing tools. Audiologists also need to explain complex findings in plain language that patients and families can understand.

Good communication and empathy are just as key as clinical skill. Many patients arrive anxious or upset about their hearing loss, so the ability to listen and reassure matters. Audiologists must also work well in a team, sharing information with doctors, speech therapists, and other health workers. A commitment to ongoing learning is also vital, as hearing tech and treatment methods keep improving.

Skills/attributes

  • Strong communication and listening skills
  • Empathy and patience with patients
  • Analytical thinking and attention to detail
  • Problem-solving ability
  • Skill with audiometric test equipment
  • Knowledge of hearing disorders and treatment options
  • Ability to work well in a healthcare team
  • Patient counselling and education skills
  • Time management and organisational skills
  • Adaptability to new hearing technologies
  • Commitment to ongoing professional development
  • Written and verbal reporting skills

CourseFinder makes every effort to ensure the information we provide is correct at the time of publication. We welcome your input to help keep our career profiles as accurate and up to date as possible. All queries and feedback will be taken into consideration as we conduct periodic reviews of our content. Add your voice to the conversation!

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About the author

Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson

Laura Atkinson is an Account Management and SEM specialist at Course Finder Group with six years' experience in the Australian education sector. She works day to day with universities, TAFEs and independent training providers, which gives her a close view of how courses map to real career outcomes. She writes practical guidance on career pathways, choosing the right qualification and what to expect when moving into a new field.