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SOC 29-1181
Audiologists assess and treat patients with hearing and related disorders, may fit hearing aids and provide auditory training, and may also conduct hearing-related research. On the U.S. side this corresponds to O*NET 29-1181.00 (Audiologists), in Job Zone Five (SVP 8.0 and above), with education mainly a doctorate or professional degree, and states usually require licensure to practice; Mainland China statistics are aggregated by industry category, do not list this occupation separately, and do not cover performance bonuses, fitting commissions, or project funding.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((25+25+50)/3+0.5)=33; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
One line: this is a clinical occupation centered on assessing and intervening in hearing and related disorders, and competence depends on carrying out testing protocols, interpreting results, differential and referral judgments, intervention plans and outcome verification, and holding the practice licensure and record boundaries, rather than an interest in equipment or proficiency with a single software program.
Education and authority must be verified separately: O*NET lists 29-1181.00 as Job Zone Five (SVP 8.0 and above), and among respondents 95% believe a doctorate is required and 5% believe postdoctoral training is required; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook lists a doctorate or professional degree (Au.D.) as the typical entry-level education and notes that all U.S. states require audiologists to be licensed to practice. Coursework, clinical internships, internal institutional qualification, practice licensure in the relevant jurisdiction, hearing aid fitting qualifications and medical device business requirements, and prescription and referral authority are different statuses, and must be verified item by item according to employer, position, and location; this page does not provide diagnostic, prescription, or programming instructions.
Audiologists (U.S. side O*NET 29-1181.00, Audiologists) assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders, may fit hearing aids and provide auditory training, and may also perform research related to hearing problems. The original official duties text is "Assess and treat persons with hearing and related disorders. May fit hearing aids and provide auditory training. May perform research related to hearing problems."; there are 22 official tasks, concentrated in assessing hearing and balance disorders to determine diagnosis and treatment plans, administering hearing tests and examinations, fitting and repairing hearing aids and other assistive devices, monitoring progress, providing communication strategy guidance to patients, families, teachers, and employers, referring when necessary, and programming and monitoring cochlear implants; they also include measuring noise in the workplace and carrying out hearing conservation programs and conducting and supervising hearing screening programs. This occupation is in Job Zone Five (SVP 8.0 and above) in the United States, and BLS notes that all states require licensure to practice; Mainland China statistics are aggregated by industry category and do not list this occupation separately, so industry figures can only serve as a broad reference. This page does not provide diagnostic, prescription, programming, or clinical response instructions.
Career direction comparison
The table below compares audiologists with five adjacent directions on the same set of dimensions: occupation direction, core work and outputs, key differences, and which choice better suits each preference.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audiologists and hearing aid specialists | Carrying out hearing aid selection, fitting and programming, outcome verification, and after-sales maintenance, with outputs mainly fitting and after-sales records. | Focuses on hearing aid selection, fitting, and after-sales service and usually does not carry diagnostic and prescription responsibility; audiologists carry audiological assessment, differential interpretation, and intervention plan development. | If you would rather do hearing aid selection and customer service, compare hearing aid specialists first; if you would rather do audiological assessment and plan development, then audiologists suit you. |
AI impact on this career
Insufficient evidence: this round did not obtain measurements of generative AI adoption rates, product effects, or employment causation for this occupation. Scheduling, medical record organization, data statistics, parameter records, and follow-up reminders are editorial trial candidates. The ILO index introduction and extended abstract and the NIST brief are only cross-occupational background, and neither their full text nor this occupation's mapping was read, so they cannot prove that all clinical responsibility will never be replaced. AI Impact Score 33% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((25+25+50)/3+0.5)=33; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Chinese mainland salary reference
In the 2022 occupational classification dictionary, 2-02-35-03 hearing specialist belongs to rehabilitation assistive device engineering technicians and covers auditory testing and assessment, rehabilitation plans, assistive device compensation, and hearing protection; 4-14-03-01 hearing aid fitter belongs to rehabilitation and correction services and covers assessment of hearing-impaired persons confirmed by a physician as unresponsive to clinical treatment, amplification plans, programming and evaluation, and follow-up. Both overlap in duties with U.S. Audiologists, and licensure mutual recognition or wages cannot be inferred from the name. The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China.
In the 2022 occupational classification dictionary, 2-02-35-03 hearing specialist belongs to rehabilitation assistive device engineering technicians and covers auditory testing and assessment, rehabilitation plans, assistive device compensation, and hearing protection; 4-14-03-01 hearing aid fitter belongs to rehabilitation and correction services and covers assessment of hearing-impaired persons confirmed by a physician as unresponsive to clinical treatment, amplification plans, programming and evaluation, and follow-up. Both overlap in duties with U.S. Audiologists, and licensure mutual recognition or wages cannot be inferred from the name.
U.S. salary reference
Direct answer: the public U.S. data give hourly and annual wage percentiles and employment projections for occupation 29-1181.00; what can be verified are the percentiles, the median, and the projection figures, along with their respective definitions and data periods.
| Wage statistical position | Annual wage reference | Conversion boundaries | How to understand this position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | 64,610 USD/year (10th percentile) | Official annual wage, not personal monthly income | The 10th percentile is an annual wage of 64,610 USD; this is the low end of the distribution, does not represent all newcomers, and does not constitute an income promise. |
| Median (50%) | 95,780 USD/year (median) | Official annual wage, not an individual's actual take-home pay |
Career fit guide
Direct answer: editorial observation questions include being able to verify equipment and test conditions according to protocol, record test results truthfully, write clearly the differential points and referral indications, turn conclusions into wording the patient can understand, and stop and escalate when authorization or the diagnosis is unclear; "liking to help people with hearing loss" alone cannot be used to judge. This page did not verify the occupational predictive validity or weights of these clues and does not treat them as a validated screening standard.
You may be better suited to： You can verify test conditions according to protocol, record results truthfully, write clearly the differential points and uncertain parts, and accept correction from supervision and case review.
These situations require caution： You just want to produce conclusions quickly or push a device sale and are unwilling to verify test conditions and records; you treat software prompts as diagnostic conclusions; or you continue intervention when authorization and the diagnosis are unclear; situations requiring caution also include difficulty adapting to outpatient rhythm and facing anxious patients long term.
Do an entry-level exercise： Write a one-page fictional case record and intervention plan: including the history points, test items and conditions, results with the basis for interpretation, differential points and referral indications, and the reasons for device selection and the outcome verification method, and ask an experienced person to review it and record the reasons for revisions. This does not constitute diagnostic, prescription, or programming instructions, nor can it replace practice licensure and institutional protocols.
Work pressures, risks, and occupational boundaries
Editorial verification covers testing and interpretation, exceeding qualifications, medical record information, infection and ear canal safety, device outcome follow-up, and record risks; the actual protocols are verified separately. The ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care.
The basis is the O*NET task context, BLS licensure, and the ASHA ear canal and referral recommendations actually read, China's Physicians Law, and the relevant articles of the 2024 device regulation. The consequences are possible scenarios, and not all clinical processes, accident rates, or risk rankings were obtained.
Typical scenario：Improper test conditions or masking settings, or giving conclusions directly without reviewing the results.
Roles most affected：The individual and the patient
Getting started, qualifications, and career development
O*NET Zone5/SVP8 and above, with 95% doctorate / 5% postdoctoral training, are respondent education requirements; the typical BLS Au.D. takes about 4 years, requires a bachelor's for admission, and the curriculum includes anatomy and physiology, diagnosis and treatment, and statistics with supervised clinical practice. Respondent proportions are not uniform licensure conditions, and the actual state rules are verified separately. In the 2022 occupational classification dictionary, 2-02-35-03 hearing specialist belongs to rehabilitation assistive device engineering technicians and covers auditory testing and assessment, rehabilitation plans, assistive device compensation, and hearing protection; 4-14-03-01 hearing aid fitter belongs to rehabilitation and correction services and covers assessment of hearing-impaired persons confirmed by a physician as unresponsive to clinical treatment, amplification plans, programming and evaluation, and follow-up. Both overlap in duties with U.S. Audiologists, and licensure mutual recognition or wages cannot be inferred from the name. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification.
Career prospects and related occupation transitions
U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints; openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate. The National Bureau of Statistics total wage bill may include bonuses, piece-rate or lump-sum wages, allowances and subsidies, and overtime pay paid by the unit, so performance pay or fitting commissions cannot all be excluded. Total research project funding does not equal individual wages, and actual payments are verified by their nature; industry and broad position category averages are not this occupation's income. This round did not obtain precise occupational wages and employment for China. The eight directions are editorial comparisons, not a guarantee of transfer.
United States · exact
14,200 people
Employment size
They take the history related to hearing and balance and examine the ear canal and eardrum, perform pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, acoustic immittance, and auditory evoked potentials according to protocol, interpret the results, and form differential points; they then select and fit hearing aids, participate in cochlear implant programming, provide auditory training and communication strategy guidance, confirm outcomes through verification methods, and arrange follow-up; they also maintain medical records at each stage of the visit, provide advice to physicians, teachers, and employers, and participate in hearing screening and hearing conservation programs. It is not simply "testing hearing", but closing the history, test conditions, basis for interpretation, and outcome verification into a chain of responsibility.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook lists a doctorate or professional degree (Au.D.) as the typical entry-level education and notes that all U.S. states require audiologists to be licensed to practice; O*NET lists 29-1181.00 as Job Zone Five (SVP 8.0 and above), and among respondents 95% believe a doctorate is required and 5% believe postdoctoral training is required. Practicing in the United States also requires meeting the degree, internship, and examination requirements of the relevant jurisdiction and maintaining continuing education.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
Signals to keep exploring: you can verify equipment status and transducer matching according to protocol and check test conditions and masking, distinguish conductive from sensorineural hearing loss and write clearly the differential points and referral indications, are willing to keep recording test results and outcome verification, and stop and escalate when the diagnosis is unclear, medical devices are involved, or the practice authorization is exceeded.
Conditions to pause investment first: you have not yet completed a full intake, testing, and result recording process under any supervised conditions, or you can only explain your interest by "liking to help people with hearing loss"; also, do not treat course grades, one volunteer service placement, or knowing one fitting software program as proof that you can independently issue audiological conclusions, write hearing aid prescriptions, or take on diagnostic and treatment responsibility. Diagnosis, prescriptions, cochlear implant programming, and hearing aid fitting must be carried out by personnel with the corresponding qualifications and authorization according to regulations, and this page does not provide diagnostic, prescription, or programming instructions.
One-line judgment: audiologists are not about "testing hearing and fitting a hearing aid", but about closing history and chief complaint, ear canal and eardrum examination, audiological testing (pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, acoustic immittance, auditory evoked potentials, and so on), differential diagnosis, intervention plans (hearing aids, cochlear implants, auditory training, and communication guidance), outcome verification, and follow-up records into a traceable clinical chain; people who just want a quick sale and are unwilling to verify test conditions and records item by item are not suited to it.
The clinical work of audiologists can be divided into three categories: assessment and testing tasks (taking history and chief complaint, examining the ear canal and eardrum, performing pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, acoustic immittance, and auditory evoked potentials according to protocol, verifying test conditions and masking, interpreting results, and forming differential points); intervention and rehabilitation tasks (selecting and fitting hearing aids, programming cochlear implants, providing auditory training and communication strategy guidance, verifying outcomes, and arranging follow-up); and recording and collaboration tasks (maintaining medical records at each stage of the visit, providing advice to physicians, educational institutions, and employers, and participating in multidisciplinary teams and hearing screening programs). All three categories are premised on working within the scope of practice licensure and stopping and escalating when the diagnosis or authorization is unclear.
Assessment and testing tasks
Intervention and rehabilitation tasks
Audiologists assess and intervene in hearing and balance disorders and are responsible for test interpretation, intervention plans, and follow-up records; hearing aid specialists focus on hearing aid selection, fitting, and after-sales service; speech-language pathologists focus on assessment and treatment of speech and language disorders; optometrists focus on visual function examination and refractive correction; occupational therapists and physical therapists focus on functional training and rehabilitation; neurologists focus on the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system diseases. Adjacent occupations share assessment and rehabilitation skills, but their objects, authorization, and responsibilities differ.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Core purpose | Within the scope of practice, turn the chief complaint and test results into reviewable audiological conclusions, intervention plans, and follow-up plans, and leave medical record notes explaining the test conditions, the basis for interpretation, the parameter settings, and outcome verification. | A traceable testing and intervention record |
| Main objects and basis | The objects are the patient's hearing and balance function, ear canal and eardrum status, devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, and communication needs in educational and occupational settings; the basis is audiological testing protocols, device fitting and verification methods, practice licensure and institutional systems, and the applicable medical device and patient information regulations. |
Take the history related to hearing and balance, previous interventions, and medication use, record the chief complaint and functional needs, and explain the testing process and precautions.
Record the conditions and results against the actual equipment manual and testing protocol; complete testing and retesting protocols were not obtained for this page and no operating approval is provided. China's medical device regulation is now the 2024 amendment: Article 41 provides for Class II business filing with statutory exemptions from filing, and Article 42 for Class III business licensing; the specific product classification is verified separately. Articles 48—52 require use according to the instructions, disinfection for reuse, no reuse of single-use items, and calibration and maintenance of equipment requiring it according to the instructions with records, immediate discontinuation of use and notification for repair when a safety hazard is found, and no continued use below safety standards.
Combine the history and test records with uncertainty, and verify the actual referral division of labor; the ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care.
Fitting and programming, outcome evaluation, and cochlear implant collaboration are duties; the actual personnel qualifications, specific parameters, and procedures are verified separately, and independent operation is not based on this page. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification.
Teach communication strategies and auditory training to patients, families, teachers, and employers, arrange follow-up, assess adherence, and record changes in outcomes.
Maintain medical records at each stage, and verify personal information permissions under the actual jurisdiction; Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. Device purchase inspection and specific sales records are verified against the scope of application of Article 45 of the regulation, without saying that all positions follow the same system.
Before starting, verify at least six items: the occupation definition and employer entity (O*NET 29-1181.00 is the U.S. definition, and in Mainland China the position and employer must be identified); degree and major requirements; internal institutional qualification and training; the scope of practice licensure and fitting qualifications; patient information and medical device compliance requirements; and the practice setting, scheduling, and referral arrangements.
Occupation definition
Education and major pathway
| Audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
|---|
| Assessing speech and language ability and developing and implementing treatment plans, with outputs mainly treatment records and progress evaluations. |
| Centered on assessment and treatment of speech and language disorders, with attention to articulation, language comprehension, and expression; audiologists center on assessment and intervention for hearing and balance function. |
| If you would rather deal with speech and language disorders, compare speech-language pathologists first; if you would rather deal with hearing and balance disorders, then audiologists suit you. |
| Audiologists and optometrists | Examining vision and refractive status and fitting glasses or contact lenses, with outputs mainly optometric prescriptions and examination records. | Focuses on visual function examination and refractive correction, with the visual system as its object; audiologists focus on the auditory and vestibular systems. | If you would rather do visual function examination and refractive correction, compare optometrists first; if you would rather do hearing and balance assessment, then audiologists suit you. |
|---|
| Audiologists and occupational therapists | Assessing occupational performance and designing and implementing functional training, with outputs mainly training plans and functional assessments. | Focuses on functional training for daily living activities and environmental modification, serving a broader population; audiologists' intervention is more concentrated on hearing and communication. | If you would rather do functional training and improving independent living ability, compare occupational therapists first; if you would rather focus on hearing and communication, then audiologists suit you. |
|---|
| Audiologists and physical therapists | Assessing motor function and implementing therapeutic exercise and manual therapy, with outputs mainly treatment records and functional assessments. | Focuses on assessment and training of motor function and pain; audiologists focus on auditory and vestibular function. | If you would rather do motor function rehabilitation, compare physical therapists first; if you would rather do hearing and balance rehabilitation, then audiologists suit you. |
|---|
| Audiologists and neurologists | Diagnosing and treating nervous system diseases and interpreting imaging and neuroelectrophysiology, with outputs mainly diagnoses and treatment plans. | Focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system diseases, which may involve surgery and medication; audiologists focus on audiological assessment and rehabilitation intervention. | If you would rather diagnose and treat nervous system diseases, compare neurologists first; if you would rather do audiological assessment and rehabilitation, then audiologists suit you. |
|---|
All six directions are premised on "assessment and communication", but the objects, authorization, and responsibility boundaries differ; the same assessment or rehabilitation experience cannot be directly converted into another direction's practice licensure or prescription authority, and this page only compares responsibility differences under public definitions.
Conclusion: the basis for choosing a direction is the object, authorization, and responsibility boundaries, not whether assessment and communication are both done; after settling on a direction, verify item by item the degree, clinical training, practice licensure, and institutional authorization requirements of the target direction.
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Editorial verification: tool performance, data permissions, clinical scope, review time, and recovery capability must be verified separately; the actual adoption conditions were not measured, and system features do not grant clinical authority.
It depends on the institution's information system conditions, device interfaces, personal information and medical device compliance requirements, and review arrangements; this page does not speculate about the pace of adoption, and there are no adoption rate statistics for this occupation.
Task exposure, adoption, productivity, and employment are different objects. U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints; openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate. The BLS explanations of demand from an aging population, early infant identification, and hearing aid technology are projection background, not a generative AI employment causation measurement.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment verification and test conditions | Check the status of audiometers and transducers and verify calibration records, test conditions, and masking settings. | Editorial candidate: try calibration status records and check for missing items; whether equipment is usable is assessed against the actual manual and by qualified personnel. | Judge whether the equipment status and test conditions are acceptable. |
| Testing execution and quality control | Complete testing according to protocol, review the consistency of the results, and retest when necessary. | Editorial candidate: try collection statistics and check errors; clinical quality control retesting follows the actual division of labor, with effects unmeasured. | Judge whether the testing process is complete and whether the results are internally consistent. |
| Interpretation and differential diagnosis | Use history, otoscopy, and test results to form differential points and write clearly the uncertainty and referral indications. | Editorial candidate: try pattern prompts and check false positives and misses; interpretation and referral follow the actual scope and protocol and are not determined by the output. | Judge the type and degree of hearing loss and whether referral is needed. |
| Intervention and outcome verification | Select and program devices, record the parameters, and confirm effectiveness and comfort through verification methods. | Editorial candidate: try parameter records and check errors and omissions; the effect of the intervention plan is assessed by the real clinical division of labor and is not exclusively the individual's. | Judge whether the intervention plan and verification method are appropriate. |
| Patient communication and education | Teach communication strategies and auditory training to patients and families, arrange follow-up, and assess adherence. | Editorial candidate: try patient education materials and check the facts and the scope of commitments; the actual communication division of labor is verified separately, with effects unmeasured. | Judge whether the communication guidance and follow-up arrangements meet the patient's needs. |
| Records and medical records | Maintain medical records and testing and intervention records, and keep referral and patient education records. | Editorial candidate: try data entry and archiving and check missing items and permissions; record responsibility follows the actual division of labor and is not exclusively the individual's. | Judge whether the medical records and device records are complete and available for review. |
| Referral and compliance | Licensure, skill level, internal duties, and business requirements are verified separately; the U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care. | Editorial candidate: try compliance checklist records and check for missing items; clinical scope and referral judgments follow the actual division of labor, and digitalization does not satisfy statutory qualifications. | Judge whether the practice and device steps meet licensure and regulatory requirements. |
The five evidence cards state the source, the object of study, the conclusions, and the usage limits respectively; they support the official duties, task definitions, industry distribution, and technology signals, and are not automation replacement rates or position count forecasts.
The three groups of tasks are editorial trial comparison directions, and differences in automation impact or deployed effects were not verified.
AI primarily changesEditorial candidate: try scheduling and medical record organization, data statistics, and parameter and follow-up reminders, checking errors and omissions, review time, and permissions, with effects unmeasured.
Human responsibility remainsJudge whether the test conditions are acceptable and how to interpret and differentiate the results, and take responsibility for the conclusions and referral.
AI primarily changesEditorial candidate: try screening prompts and charts, check false positives and misses against clinical review, and do not treat them as automatic diagnosis.
Human responsibility remainsUse history, test conditions, and otoscopy to judge the meaning of the results, and do not treat automatic prompts as a diagnostic conclusion.
AI primarily changesEditorial candidate: try generating records and follow-up lists and archiving, checking missing items, versions, and recovery; complete automatic delivery was not proven.
Human responsibility remainsThe actual division of labor for intervention, evaluation, signing, and business operations is verified under the law; the U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians.
The five steps are editorial introduction verification suggestions; not all formal deployment and clinical procedures were obtained, so they cannot be treated as uniform operating authorization.
Editorial verification: patient needs, the actual jurisdiction, and the responsibilities and data permissions of the individual and other professionals. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians.
Editorial suggestion: limit permitted materials to trial candidate tasks and check errors and omissions, review, and recovery; rollback capability was not verified.
Check inputs and outputs against the actual review and signing division of labor; clinical decisions verify qualifications under the law and are not entirely borne by the individual.
Editorial record suggestion: input sources, parameters and the basis for changes, outstanding items, and the reviewer; a paper trail does not automatically guarantee completeness or authorization.
The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. Cochlear implant programming collaboration and surgical authority are separate, and the specific scope and procedures are verified separately.
Treating automatic interpretation or screening prompts as confirmed conclusions lets unverified judgments enter medical records and intervention plans.
Control: Mark tool outputs as reference and adopt them only after combining test conditions and manual interpretation.
Access to, processing of, and provision of patient medical records and test data are verified against the actual jurisdiction and purpose, and unauthorized access is restricted; the legal classification of all device materials was not verified, and disclosure is not necessarily a violation in every case.
Control: Handle it according to institutional and regulatory requirements, and do not provide patient information or unpublished materials to unauthorized channels.
Testing and intervention records need to be traceable; outputs without time and personnel statements will be hard to review.
Control: Keep test records and device parameters, noting the time, operator, and traces of manual modification.
Inconsistency in test conditions or calibration status may affect judgment; the specific impact must be checked by testing, and it does not follow that all of them directly change the result.
Control: Editorial verification of the actual protocol and recording of inconsistencies; retesting and suspension are decided by the actual clinical assessment; the ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care. China's medical device regulation is now the 2024 amendment: Article 41 provides for Class II business filing with statutory exemptions from filing, and Article 42 for Class III business licensing; the specific product classification is verified separately. Articles 48—52 require use according to the instructions, disinfection for reuse, no reuse of single-use items, and calibration and maintenance of equipment requiring it according to the instructions with records, immediate discontinuation of use and notification for repair when a safety hazard is found, and no continued use below safety standards.
Clinical scope, actual review, and records are kept separate, and records do not automatically satisfy licensure or business conditions.
Control: Record interpretation and the division of labor according to the real system; Article 33 of China's Physicians Law provides for reporting relevant accidents or adverse device events, and the specific subjects and procedures are verified separately, without inventing from this page a single procedure for all personnel.
First practice the history-taking structure, test condition verification, result interpretation points, and intervention records on fixed fictional materials before talking about positions; at the same time verify the degree, clinical internship, practice licensure, and fitting qualification requirements of the target position, and do not treat course grades, one volunteer service placement, or knowing one fitting software program as proof that you can independently issue audiological conclusions or take on diagnostic and treatment responsibility.
Editorial trial candidate: on lawfully permitted materials, compare the errors and omissions and review time of scheduling, medical record organization, data statistics, parameter records, and follow-up reminders, with effects unmeasured. Clinical interpretation and signing follow the real professional division of labor and are not exclusively the individual's.
Editorial introduction verification: the actual data permissions, the tool's applicable scope, and review responsibility; the U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians.
Focus teaching on the anatomical and physiological foundations of the auditory and vestibular systems, testing protocols and quality control, result interpretation and differential diagnosis, intervention and outcome verification, and patient communication and records, while training critical use of automatic interpretation and screening tools and avoiding substituting software prompts for verification of test conditions and manual interpretation.
This round did not obtain occupation-level evidence of wholesale replacement or of never being replaced; the duty descriptions do not prove future technology boundaries, and clinical legal qualifications and technical performance are kept separate.
Source: O*NET occupation summary / detailed informationOriginal source ↗
This round did not read the code requirements of specific job postings; the BLS typical coursework includes anatomy and physiology, diagnosis and treatment, statistics, and supervised clinical practice, so one cannot say broadly from this page that no code is needed.
Source: O*NET technology list / training and education informationOriginal source ↗
Editorial trial candidates: scheduling, medical records, data statistics, and parameter and follow-up records; occupation-level exposure ranking, time savings, or recovery capability were not measured.
Source: O*NET detailed informationOriginal source ↗
U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints; openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate.
Source: O*NET occupation summary (employment and projection fields)Original source ↗
The effect of tools replacing all clinical judgment was not verified; the actual responsibility, signing, and supervision division of labor is verified by jurisdiction and is not exclusively the individual's. The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians.
Source: O*NET occupation summary / detailed informationOriginal source ↗
This round did not obtain the year this occupation will disappear; the overall projection does not provide a uniform date or an individual unemployment rate.
Source: Method statement for this pageOriginal source ↗
Prioritize the anatomical, physiological, and pathological foundations of the auditory system, testing protocols and quality control, result interpretation and differential diagnosis, intervention and outcome verification, and doctor-patient communication and medical records; tool skills rank after interpretation and practice boundaries. Specific requirements are set by the employer.
Source: O*NET training and education informationOriginal source ↗
The above distinguishes automation capability, actual deployment, and employment outcomes; the next section lets you view the statistical scope and gap statement of the Mainland China salary reference.
Insufficient evidence: a national occupational monthly salary distribution precisely corresponding to audiologists was not obtained.
Insufficient evidence: verifiable city-level occupational income data were not obtained, and this page does not present city rankings.
Insufficient evidence: this round did not obtain a verifiable occupational monthly salary range for other cities, and the absence of data is not stated as meaning that all official sources will never have it.
Scenario comparison requires consistent employer nature, position sequence, business direction, and pay definition; industry proxies cannot replace written compensation terms.
| Preparation categories and conditions to be verified | Editorial exploration direction | Explanation and verification suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| Majors such as audiology and hearing and speech rehabilitation | Hearing testing and rehabilitation positions in hospital ear, nose, and throat departments and hearing centers, and in rehabilitation institutions. | Education and the position sequence are two different paths; a degree does not equal practice qualification or fitting qualifications. |
| Rehabilitation assistive device technology and biomedical engineering and the like (some positions) | Hearing aid fitting, device technical service, and equipment maintenance positions. | The professional directions differ, and the position title and duties must be confirmed in the employment terms. |
| Practice and fitting qualifications | Positions involving audiological conclusions, hearing aid fitting, and cochlear implant programming. | Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. China's medical device regulation is now the 2024 amendment: Article 41 provides for Class II business filing with statutory exemptions from filing, and Article 42 for Class III business licensing; the specific product classification is verified separately. Articles 48—52 require use according to the instructions, disinfection for reuse, no reuse of single-use items, and calibration and maintenance of equipment requiring it according to the instructions with records, immediate discontinuation of use and notification for repair when a safety hazard is found, and no continued use below safety standards. |
| Patient information and device compliance | Positions involving medical records, test data, and device business records. | Articles 23—24 of China's Physicians Law require protecting patient privacy information under the law and completing medical documents promptly and truthfully; physicians and other personnel have separate applicable subjects. Article 45 of the device regulation on purchase inspection and designated business sales records and Article 50 on maintenance records are verified against the actual scope, and not all materials have the same retention conditions. |
When checking an offer, first confirm the employer nature, position duties, and practice or fitting qualification requirements, and whether pay is by fixed salary, performance, or commission; do not treat industry averages as personal income, and do not convert overseas figures into expected renminbi income.
Health and social work for 2025 non-private 146266/private 75631 yuan/year is only an industry average; hospitals and other units are actually classified by their main activity, and the classification cannot be decided by the position title.
Resident services and repair and the like non-private 70226/private 52059 yuan/year is only background; fitting or device business units may also involve other industries and are classified by main activity, and a fitting position title does not automatically assign them here.
Education non-private 133539/private 63908 yuan/year is only industry background; the actual unit's classification is verified by main activity and does not infer this occupation's wage.
There is no causal evidence this round on whether AI changes wages or the statistical system; the figures must be read together with the population covered, the period, and the unit.
| The median is an annual wage of 95,780 USD and an hourly wage of 46.05 USD; it describes the midpoint of the whole distribution and does not represent an individual's take-home income. |
| Highest 10% | 133,120 USD/year (90th percentile) | Official annual wage, not an individual's actual take-home pay | The P90 is 133120 USD/year, not the highest wage; it was not verified that clinical specialty or managerial responsibility ensures reaching that bracket. |
|---|
Salary · 10th percentile：64,610 USD/year (10th percentile)；The P10 is the percentile boundary of 64,610 USD/year and 31.06 USD/hour, not the minimum wage, starting pay, or the lower limit of the distribution.
Salary · 25th percentile：79,340 USD/year (25th percentile)；On the same definition this is the 25th percentile annual wage, corresponding to a 25th percentile hourly wage of 38.14 USD；BLS 2025 wage percentiles shown by O*NET
Salary · median：95,780 USD/year (median)；This is the median annual wage on the 29-1181.00 occupation definition (2025 OEWS), corresponding to a median hourly wage of 46.05 USD； the same chapter of the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook gives a May 2025 median annual wage also of 95,780 USD, with a consistent data period, so the two corroborate each other； the median does not equal the entry-level wage；BLS 2025 wage percentiles shown by O*NET
Salary · 75th percentile：111,300 USD/year (75th percentile)；On the same definition this is the 75th percentile annual wage, corresponding to a 75th percentile hourly wage of 53.51 USD；BLS 2025 wage percentiles shown by O*NET
Salary · 90th percentile：133,120 USD/year (90th percentile)；The P90 is 133120 USD/year and 64.00 USD/hour； no causal evidence was obtained that clinical specialty or managerial responsibility brings an individual to this bracket.
The median is the midpoint of the distribution, and the P10/P25 are not all newcomers; industry differences are descriptive, and the causal effect of clinical specialty or management on pay was not measured.
Annual and hourly wages come from the same statistical source, and the annualization of 2080 is a statistical convention, not an individual's actual hours; personal income cannot be promised on this basis.
Wages are 2025 OEWS, and the current employment of 2025 and the 2025—2035 projection for both O*NET and BLS all refer to this occupation under the U.S. definition.
The actual wage contract, unit nature, and pay components must be verified separately, and specialty, management, or scheduling do not guarantee a wage bracket.
| Industry | Median wage for this occupation within the industry | How to understand this value |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals (state, local, and private) | 103,700 USD/year | The BLS annual median wage for this occupation in May 2025 hospitals; not the entire health care sector. An industry median is not causation or a personal guarantee. |
| Physicians' offices | 92,620 USD/year | This BLS detailed industry is physicians' offices for this occupation, and separately physical, occupational, and speech therapy and hearing clinics at 81730. An industry median is not causation or a personal guarantee. |
| Educational services (state, local, and private) | 98,110 USD/year | This BLS detailed industry is educational services for this occupation and does not equal the individual wages of all schools. An industry median is not causation or a personal guarantee. |
| Physical, occupational, and speech therapists and audiologists' offices | 81,730 USD/year | This BLS detailed industry is this combined clinic category for this occupation; it is not the pay of all private enterprises or device sales. An industry median is not causation or a personal guarantee. |
BLS publishes wage differences by detailed industry, which is a descriptive comparison and does not prove that institution type raises the same individual's wage; specific contractual incentives are verified separately.
This round did not obtain measurements showing that cochlear implant work, balance specialty, or managerial responsibility corresponds to higher wages; the actual position and pay conditions are verified separately.
BLS notes contract workers travel between institutions and have evening and weekend arrangements; travel allowances and pay are checked against the actual contract, and a uniform income effect is not inferred from scheduling.
U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints； openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate.
U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints； openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate.
U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints； openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate.
Which Holland interest type is closer to audiologist?
The Holland interest code is IS (Investigative + Social): Investigative corresponds to researching, analyzing, and interpreting phenomena, with subcategories including health care services and medical science; Social corresponds to helping, teaching, and caring for others, with subcategories including health care services, social services, and teaching and education. O*NET lists this occupation as equally Investigative and Social, consistent with work that requires foundations in anatomy, physiology, and testing principles while facing patients and families in communication long term; it describes the interest characteristics of the occupational group, not an individual's competence.
Do not use it this way: Note: a match between interest test results and the occupational interest code only indicates a similar direction; it does not mean you already have the anatomical and physiological foundations of the auditory and vestibular systems, testing protocol and quality control ability, or interpretation and differential diagnosis ability, nor does it mean you can obtain practice licensure or device fitting qualifications.
Test my Holland career interestsWhich Big Five traits are more relevant to this job?
Editorial self-check: whether records can fully verify conditions, be truthfully filed, communicate honestly in the face of uncertainty, and support continuous learning; measurement of the Big Five dimensions predicting performance in this occupation was not read, so no correlation strength conclusion is drawn.
Do not use it this way: Note: treating personality scores as ability or hiring conclusions is a common misuse; this page does not provide score thresholds or type lists.
View my Big Five personality traitsCan MBTI be used to judge whether I am suited to audiology?
This page does not use MBTI for fit or hiring conclusions; this round did not obtain type prediction evidence for this occupation, and it can only serve as a prompt for self-organizing preferences.
Do not use it this way: Note: this page does not list any "best suited" type and does not endorse their use for selection or screening.
Can the Enneagram show whether I am suited to this occupation?
The Enneagram label can serve as a self-questioning prompt, and this page does not draw fit or hiring conclusions from it; this round did not obtain prediction evidence for this occupation.
Do not use it this way: Note: this page does not provide a correspondence between types and positions.
Explore my Enneagram patternIf I am not good at math, can I be an audiologist?
This occupation requires relatively strong reasoning and communication ability: understanding anatomy, physiology, and testing principles, interpreting test results, and building trust with patients and explaining conclusions within limited time; O*NET's abilities list includes inductive and deductive reasoning, oral comprehension and expression, problem sensitivity, and information ordering, and work activities include helping and caring for others, updating and applying relevant knowledge, using computers, and recording information.
Do not use it this way: Note: this page does not treat any test score as a basis for admission or elimination.
Explore my intelligence and reasoning performanceDoes being an audiologist require high emotional intelligence?
BLS supports the requirements for empathetic communication, patience, and collaboration, and actual behavior can be verified; the effect of emotional ability scores on performance in this occupation was not measured, and a single score cannot replace professional ability.
Do not use it this way: Note: this page does not provide emotional ability thresholds, nor does it equate high scores with competence.
Fits better when: Willing to do functional training for daily living activities and environmental modification, serving a broader population.
Watch for: Need to add professional occupational therapy training; hearing testing and rehabilitation experience does not equal functional training and independent living ability assessment.
Explore related career: Occupational therapistsFits better when: Willing to do hearing aid selection, fitting and programming, outcome verification, and after-sales maintenance, and to communicate with clients long term.
Watch for: Editorial gap verification: this occupation can also fit hearing aids, so verify your own actual device service ability, and do not presume that all audiologists lack fitting ability; the target 29-2092 includes selection, ear impressions, and outcome evaluation, and the qualifications are verified separately.
Explore related career: Hearing aid specialistsFits better when: Willing to conduct research related to hearing and balance, design experiments, and analyze data, with outputs mainly research papers and methods.
Watch for: Editorial gap verification: medical scientists study human disease and health, not only the auditory field; verify the target question, research method, and statistics, and clinical experience does not automatically grant a research appointment.
Explore related career: Medical scientists (excluding epidemiologists)Fits better when: Willing to assess and treat speech and language disorders, with attention to articulation, language comprehension, and expression.
Watch for: Need to add professional speech-language pathology training; hearing assessment experience does not equal speech and language treatment ability.
Explore related career: Speech-language pathologistsFits better when: Willing to do visual function examination and refractive correction, serving visual system related problems.
Watch for: Need to add professional optometry and vision science training; auditory testing experience does not equal visual function examination and refractive correction ability.
Explore related career: OptometristsFits better when: Willing to assess and train motor function and pain and to follow functional recovery long term.
Watch for: Need to add professional physical therapy training; vestibular rehabilitation experience does not equal motor function rehabilitation ability.
Explore related career: Physical therapistsRather than a certain personality, it is a certain way of working: able to verify and execute according to protocol, record and interpret truthfully, explain conclusions clearly, and stop and escalate when authorization or the diagnosis is unclear.
The actual O*NET95% have daily face-to-face discussions and 77% are in continuous contact, and BLS requires communication, patience, and the like; this round did not measure the effect of introversion or extroversion on fit, so behavior is used for verification and no personality guarantee is made.
Introversion or extroversion cannot directly guarantee fit; verify real communication, accurate recording, and clinical training; this round did not obtain type prediction research.
This round did not obtain occupational evidence for the best-suited MBTI type, and one cannot claim on this basis that all research has proven that it does not exist; this page does not use type to predict clinical performance.
O*NET lists the interest code for this occupation as IS (Investigative + Social): a preference for research and analyzing phenomena, and for helping, teaching, and caring for others. A matching interest only indicates a similar direction and does not mean having foundations in anatomy and physiology, interpretation ability, or practice qualifications.
This page does not use personality interest scores to replace professional evaluation; this round did not verify complete validity research or a strength ranking, and one cannot uniformly conclude that all tools have limited validity.
The typical Au.D. curriculum in BLS includes statistics, anatomy and physiology, and diagnosis and treatment; check the specific mathematics courses with the target program, and this round did not obtain a uniform advanced mathematics threshold or measurement showing that weakness in mathematics limits performance, so no IQ elimination line is set.
Communication empathy and patience have a BLS duty preparation basis; the effect of emotional ability scores was not measured, so verify with actual communication behavior and do not assert that it is necessarily helpful.
This page does not draw fit conclusions from the Enneagram, and this round did not obtain prediction evidence for this occupation; self-reflection does not equal qualification for the post.
Judge by reviewable outputs: a fictional case record containing the history points, test items and conditions, and results with the basis for interpretation, plus an intervention record containing the reasons for device selection, parameters, and outcome verification statements.
Possible consequence：Can cause misjudgment, delayed treatment, or an unsuitable intervention plan.
How to reduce risk：Verify conditions, interpretation, and uncertainty against the real equipment and clinical protocol, and whether to retest or refer is decided by the actual assessment; the ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care.
Evidence：O*NET 29-1181.00 occupation summary · ASHA guidance on ear canal examination and limited cerumen management
Typical scenario：Issuing diagnostic conclusions or writing prescriptions beyond the licensed scope, or engaging in unauthorized device business and programming.
Roles most affected：The individual, the practice institution, and the patient
Possible consequence：Can cause non-compliant practice and unclear responsibility.
How to reduce risk：The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. Business licensing and filing are verified against the specific device and entity and cannot be replaced by ordinary internal authorization.
Evidence：O*NET 29-1181.00 occupation summary · O*NET 29-1181.00 detailed information (work context)
Typical scenario：Disclosing patient information without authorization, or incomplete medical records and test records.
Roles most affected：The individual, the institution, and the patient
Possible consequence：Can cause patient personal information leakage and compliance risk.
How to reduce risk：Manage medical records and test data according to the real data permissions; Articles 23—24 of China's Physicians Law set additional requirements for physician privacy protection and documentation, and a record is not treated as satisfying all personal information law or the same system for all personnel.
Evidence：O*NET 29-1181.00 occupation summary · O*NET 29-1181.00 detailed information (work context)
Typical scenario：Failing to handle devices according to the actual requirements or performing ear canal operations beyond training and the statutory scope may injure the patient; whether an anomaly should be deferred and referred follows professional assessment, and not all anomalies prohibit operation.
Roles most affected：The individual and the patient
Possible consequence：Can cause cross-infection or ear canal injury.
How to reduce risk：The ASHA ear canal and cerumen guidance is a professional association recommendation: limited cerumen management requires the corresponding training and supervised experience, and state licensure limits, institutional authority, and insurance must be checked. Whether an anomaly is deferred or referred follows the actual assessment and protocol, and it is not the case that any anomaly stops all activity. China's medical device regulation is now the 2024 amendment: Article 41 provides for Class II business filing with statutory exemptions from filing, and Article 42 for Class III business licensing; the specific product classification is verified separately. Articles 48—52 require use according to the instructions, disinfection for reuse, no reuse of single-use items, and calibration and maintenance of equipment requiring it according to the instructions with records, immediate discontinuation of use and notification for repair when a safety hazard is found, and no continued use below safety standards. The ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care.
Evidence：O*NET 29-1181.00 occupation summary · ASHA guidance on ear canal examination and limited cerumen management
Typical scenario：Delivering a device without outcome verification or without explaining the maintenance requirements, and without arranging follow-up.
Roles most affected：The individual, the institution, and the patient
Possible consequence：Can cause the device to be unsuitable, ineffective, or abandoned by the patient.
How to reduce risk：O*NET includes duties for device outcome evaluation, maintenance guidance, and follow-up; record the results and uncertainty according to the real protocol, and do not guarantee that any method will necessarily confirm comfort or adherence.
Evidence：O*NET 29-1181.00 occupation summary · O*NET 29-1181.00 detailed information (work context)
Typical scenario：Backfilling records afterward, or records inconsistent with the test conditions and device parameters.
Roles most affected：The individual and the practice institution
Possible consequence：Can cause the process to be unreviewable, leave responsibility unclear, and affect subsequent improvement.
How to reduce risk：Editorial verification of test conditions, the basis for interpretation, device parameters, and verification and follow-up records; relevant Chinese documentation or maintenance records follow the applicable provisions, and a paper trail does not automatically grant clinical authority.
Evidence：O*NET 29-1181.00 occupation summary · O*NET 29-1181.00 detailed information (work context)
Editorial development example: supervised intake records, permitted assessment and intervention, mentoring, and research and device directions; the specific statutory qualifications and institutional duties are verified first, and no uniform promotion is set. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians.
The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification.
| Position direction | Starting tasks | Preparation verification basis (not a read recruitment sample) | Evidence that can be submitted with zero experience | Boundaries that need to be distinguished |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospital hearing clinic position | Take history under supervision, verify equipment and test conditions, complete routine tests such as pure-tone and speech audiometry, and record the results and interpretation points. | BLS typical Au.D. and state licensure; the specific position is verified separately; no recruitment sample was read. | Submit a fictional case record containing the history points, test items and conditions, and results with the basis for interpretation, without using real patient information. | The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. |
| Hearing aid fitting and service position | Participate in hearing aid selection, fitting and programming, outcome verification, and after-sales maintenance, and learn client communication and service processes. | The 2022 dictionary hearing specialist and the skill standard fitting duties overlap, and the actual position level and business conditions are verified separately. | Submit a fictional fitting record containing the reasons for selection, parameter records, and an outcome verification statement. | The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. |
| School and special education hearing services position | Participate in hearing screening, classroom communication support, and teacher and parent consultation, and record the service and referral recommendations. | BLS includes educational services employers; the specific school qualifications and duties are checked against the announcement; no sample was read. | Submit a fictional service plan containing the screening process, result records, and referral recommendations. | The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. |
| Cochlear implant and device technical support position | Participate in device parameter recording, programming support, and follow-up cooperation, and learn equipment and software operating standards. | Device support and clinical procedure authority are separate, and the actual training and compliance conditions are checked with the position. | Submit a fictional technical plan containing a parameter record template, verification method statement, and follow-up arrangements. | The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. |
| Auditory research and teaching assistance position | Participate in literature organization, experimental data collection, and statistical analysis, and assist in preparing course and training materials. | Research methods and teaching qualifications are checked with the specific project; a degree does not guarantee an independent appointment; no recruitment sample was read. | Submit a fictional research plan containing the research question, method, and data statement. | Research ability does not equal clinical practice qualifications; research involving patients must be carried out according to ethics and compliance requirements. |
O*NET Zone5/SVP8 and above, with 95% doctorate / 5% postdoctoral training, are respondent education requirements; the typical BLS Au.D. takes about 4 years, requires a bachelor's for admission, and the curriculum includes anatomy and physiology, diagnosis and treatment, and statistics with supervised clinical practice. Respondent proportions are not uniform licensure conditions, and the actual state rules are verified separately.
In the 2022 occupational classification dictionary, 2-02-35-03 hearing specialist belongs to rehabilitation assistive device engineering technicians and covers auditory testing and assessment, rehabilitation plans, assistive device compensation, and hearing protection; 4-14-03-01 hearing aid fitter belongs to rehabilitation and correction services and covers assessment of hearing-impaired persons confirmed by a physician as unresponsive to clinical treatment, amplification plans, programming and evaluation, and follow-up. Both overlap in duties with U.S. Audiologists, and licensure mutual recognition or wages cannot be inferred from the name. Specific professional training and hiring requirements are checked with the target program, without asserting the main national training format.
The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification.
All materials are fictional and contain no real patient information, medical records, or device ledgers.
All materials and scenarios are fictional; real patient information, medical records, or internal institutional materials must not be used.
Complete within 90—120 minutes; public audiological testing process materials may be consulted, but real patient information must not be used.
In the record, write observations, interpretation, and conclusions separately and mark the parts that need review.
Write observations, interpretation, and conclusions separately, and mark anything uncertain as needing review.
After finishing, ask an experienced person to review the history and interpretation records, and keep the reasons for revisions.
Do not handle real patient information or operate real devices in the exercise; matters involving diagnosis, prescriptions, and device fitting must be handled by qualified personnel according to protocol.
Note the source and data period for each item; leave items that cannot be verified blank and mark them as insufficient evidence rather than filling them in with speculation.
List "degree", "clinical internship", "practice licensure", "fitting qualifications", "device business requirements", and "prescription and referral authority" separately to avoid conflating them.
Keep the review comments together with the reasons for the revisions, as evidence of whether you can accept case review.
Submit the debrief to a supervisor or peer for review, and keep the review comments and the reasons for revisions.
Archiving medical records and test data requires prior authorization, and the access scope, retention period, and destruction arrangements must be recorded.
| Stage | Possible assessment methods | Observable evidence | Boundaries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the interview | Verify the position's practice licensure and qualification requirements, device fitting authority, patient information and device compliance requirements, and continuing education mechanisms, and prepare sample case records. | A requirements checklist with sources and data periods; able to explain clearly how this occupation differs from adjacent directions in object and authorization. | Do not treat course grades or one volunteer service placement as proof that you can independently issue audiological conclusions. |
| During the interview | Scenario question: a patient reports tinnitus and the pure-tone audiometry results are inconsistent with acoustic immittance; how do you handle it. | Able to first explain reviewing the test conditions and equipment status, retesting when necessary, and recording the uncertainty and referral indications, before discussing the intervention plan. |
Output: a one-page terminology and process reference table noting the source of each item.
Output: a history-taking record.
Output: a test condition verification checklist.
Output: an interpretation record and referral recommendations.
Output: an intervention and verification statement.
| Qualification / certificate | Who it applies to | Role in the position | Whether it is a universal threshold | Conditions | Investment | Boundaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A doctorate or professional degree in audiology (Au.D.) and the like | People who wish to practice this occupation in the United States | BLS typical entry-level education and supervised clinical training; not a guarantee that all existing licensees obtain the same degree | A typical entry requirement in the United States. | The Au.D. typically takes about 4 years, requires a bachelor's for admission, and includes supervised clinical practice; the specific licensure coursework and assessment are verified separately | Complete according to the program length. | A degree does not equal practice licensure or prescription authority. |
| Practice licensure (U.S. states) |
Typical scope：Take responsibility for testing execution and record accuracy, and report anomalies and uncertain items.
Readiness evidence：Supervised case records and test records.
Credential boundary：An audiology or related degree and a clinical internship starting point.
Next moves：Complete history taking, testing execution, and result recording under supervision.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for interpretation quality and record completeness.
Readiness evidence：Records for one complete assessment and follow-up cycle.
Credential boundary：U.S. audiologists must be licensed under the law, and institutional qualification for the post cannot be chosen as a substitute; actual physician activities in China follow the registration rules, and other duties are verified by the real jurisdiction.
Next moves：Editorial development example: after meeting the actual licensure scope, training, and institutional procedures, take on permitted assessment, interpretation, and intervention; authorization is not obtained through this stage.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for review and control.
Readiness evidence：Protocol and case review records.
Credential boundary：Has experience with complex cases and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Next moves：Participate in protocol development, case review, and control of complex cases.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for mentoring, quality, and management.
Readiness evidence：Mentoring and quality improvement records.
Credential boundary：Has mentoring and management experience.
Next moves：Take on mentoring, quality improvement, and departmental management.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for operation and record accuracy.
Readiness evidence：Supervised fitting and after-sales records.
Credential boundary：Related professional coursework and a foundation in device operation.
Next moves：Participate in selection, programming, and after-sales maintenance under supervision.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for fitting quality and outcome verification.
Readiness evidence：Complete fitting and verification records.
Credential boundary：The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification.
Next moves：Editorial development example: take on permitted selection, programming, and evaluation according to the real skills, statutory scope, and institutional protocols; the level name is not a guarantee that all operations can be performed independently.
Typical scope：Complete data processing according to standards and record truthfully.
Readiness evidence：Data processing and research records.
Credential boundary：Related professional foundations and research training methods.
Next moves：Participate in data collection, literature organization, and statistical analysis.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for research design and teaching.
Readiness evidence：Research plan or course design.
Credential boundary：Editorial preparation example: check the requirements of the target master's or doctoral program and of research or teaching positions; a degree does not automatically grant independent research, teaching, or clinical qualifications.
Next moves：Editorial development example: take on permitted research or teaching according to the actual appointment, ethics, and project conditions, and not merely by obtaining a degree.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for project and teaching quality.
Project and curriculum development records.
Editorial development example: record the history, conditions, and test results within lawful supervision and the applicable scope, with anomaly handling following the real protocol. The ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care.
Editorial development example: after meeting the real statutory scope and institutional conditions, take on permitted routine assessment and interpretation, and record review and uncertainty; this page does not grant independent authority.
Able to supervise students and newcomers, participate in developing testing and follow-up protocols, and take on control responsibility in multidisciplinary collaboration and complex cases.
Move into auditory research, device technical support, speech-language pathology, or hearing aid fitting management directions (requires the corresponding professional training and qualifications).
O*NET and BLS currently both give 14,200 people (2025) for this occupation, no longer mixing in the old 2024.
Does not establish：Headcounts and changes are rounded independently, the overall projection is not a personal guarantee, and it does not represent a broader occupational group.
United States · exact
11% (about 600 openings per year)
Growth rate and average annual openings
U.S. 29-1181 this occupation: 14,200 employed in 2025, growth of 11% over 2025—2035, 15,700 employed in 2035, an official net increase of 1,600, and about 600 openings per year. The figures are each rounded, and the net increase is not modified by subtracting the endpoints; openings include growth and replacements, not an individual's hiring rate.
Does not establish：The 11% is currently explicitly available; the 600 openings include growth and replacements rather than a net increase, and generative AI causation or personal hiring is not inferred from the projection.
Mainland China · industry_proxy
Insufficient evidence: national income and employment distribution for this occupation were not obtained
Average wage by industry category (reference definition)
The National Bureau of Statistics aggregates by industry category and broad occupation group: health and social work 146,266 yuan/year (non-private), 75,631 yuan/year (private); education 133,539 yuan/year (non-private), 63,908 yuan/year (private); resident services, repair, and other services 70,226 yuan/year (non-private); professional and technical personnel in above-scale enterprises 155,491 yuan/year.
Does not establish：The National Bureau of Statistics total wage bill may include bonuses, piece-rate or lump-sum wages, allowances and subsidies, and overtime pay paid by the unit, so performance pay or fitting commissions cannot all be excluded. Total research project funding does not equal individual wages, and actual payments are verified by their nature; industry and broad position category averages are not this occupation's income. This round did not obtain precise occupational wages and employment for China.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Transferable is experience understanding hearing test results, device parameters, and outcome verification.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: selecting hearing aids, ear impressions, and device outcome evaluation - this occupation also does fitting, so verify your own actual gaps; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is communication guidance and rehabilitation training experience.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: assessment and treatment of speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders - auditory experience is not complete speech-language pathology training; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is experience executing testing protocols and interpreting results.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: diagnosis and treatment of the visual system and corrective lenses, which are separate from auditory system training; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is functional assessment and rehabilitation goal setting experience.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: restoring occupation, housework, daily living, and independent ability - the intervention objects and goals differ; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is crossover experience in vestibular function assessment and rehabilitation training.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: mobility, pain, strength, and illness and injury rehabilitation - balance experience is not complete physical therapy training; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is audiological and balance function assessment experience related to neurology.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: diagnosis and treatment of brain, spinal, and peripheral nerve diseases, mainly non-surgical, requires verifying physician training and licensure, and this occupation is not summarized as having no diagnostic role; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is pediatric hearing screening and development-related communication experience.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of childhood diseases and injuries - hearing screening experience is not complete pediatrician training and licensure; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileTransfers：Transferable is audiological expertise and research data collection experience.
Build next：Editorial gap verification: research on human disease and health, clinical investigation, and research and development, not only auditory research - verify the actual problem and method; the target's specific training and qualifications are verified separately.
View career profileMainland China has no practice license corresponding one-to-one to the U.S. "audiologist plus state license"; related positions are distributed across hospital ear, nose, and throat departments and hearing centers, rehabilitation institutions, hearing aid fitting organizations, and the special education system. The national occupation related to hearing services is hearing aid fitter (occupation code 4-14-03-01, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and National Health Commission General Office Document No. 51 of 2020), and that standard divides fitting into four levels - Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician - and raises the level threshold for pediatric fitting; hearing aids are medical devices whose sale and use must comply with medical device regulation requirements.
Look at observable behavior: whether you can verify equipment and test conditions according to protocol, record test results truthfully, write clearly the differential points and referral indications, turn professional conclusions into wording the patient can understand, and stop and escalate when authorization or the diagnosis is unclear. O*NET lists the interest code for this occupation as IS (Investigative + Social), but a matching interest only indicates a similar direction and cannot replace anatomical and physiological foundations, interpretation ability, and practice qualifications.
Steps that may be assisted: scheduling and medical record organization, test data import and statistics, device parameter recording, follow-up reminders, and preparation of patient education materials. The International Labour Organization's Generative AI and Jobs (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025) classifies such effects as task exposure and job transformation; the U.S. NIST AI Risk Management Framework: Generative AI (NIST AI 600-1) emphasizes that health-related applications must establish risk identification, assessment, and human oversight mechanisms. Verification of test conditions, interpretation and differential diagnosis, and intervention plans and outcome verification are still carried out by people.
Judging whether equipment and test conditions are acceptable, result interpretation and differential diagnosis, intervention plan selection and outcome verification, referral decisions, and authorization judgments within practice licensure and device fitting scope. These steps are undertaken by qualified personnel according to institutional protocols; tool outputs must pass human review before entering medical record conclusions.
90% work indoors in a controlled environment every day, 95% need face-to-face discussions every day, 95% use email every day, 68% consider precision or accuracy extremely important, 55% sit more than half the time, 43% are exposed to disease or infection sources every day (requiring infection control), and 50% deal with unpleasant or angry people at least once a month. Most practitioners work in physicians' offices, hearing clinics, and hospitals, and some work in schools or school districts and travel between locations.
Mainly misjudgment from incorrect test conditions and interpretation, exceeding practice and authorization boundaries, improper patient information and medical record management, infection control and patient safety, insufficient device fitting outcomes and follow-up, and missing records and traceability. The controls are to verify and retest according to protocol, record the basis for interpretation, and stop and refer or escalate when authorization or the diagnosis is unclear.
The BLS data shown by O*NET give, on this occupation's own definition, about 15,800 people employed in 2024, growth over 2024—2034 much faster than average (7% or higher), and about 700 openings per year on average; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook gives, for 2025—2035, about 14,200 employed, growth of 11% (much faster than average), a net increase of about 1,600 positions, and about 600 openings per year on average. Directions one can move into include hearing aid specialists, speech-language pathologists, optometrists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, neurologists, pediatricians, and medical scientists (excluding epidemiologists).
The 2025 wage percentiles shown by O*NET are on the 29-1181.00 occupation definition and publish both hourly and annual wages: the median hourly wage is 46.05 USD and the median annual wage is 95,780 USD, with the 10th and 90th annual percentiles at 64,610 and 133,120 USD; the same chapter of the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook gives a May 2025 median annual wage also of 95,780 USD. Mainland China publishes average wages by industry category, does not list this occupation separately, and does not include performance bonuses, fitting commissions, or research project funding, so the statistical definitions, populations covered, and data periods of the two markets all differ.
FermatMind career content editorial team: compiled from public materials from O*NET, the U.S. BLS, and the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of Mainland China; each item is labeled with its definition, data period, and usage limits.
Verified 2026-10-09: 2025 wages, recruitment, and employment, and the 2025—2035 projection; China's classification is 2022, the skill standard is 2020, the wage provisions were published in 1990, the Physicians Law took effect in 2022, and the device regulation is the 2024 amendment. Old entry points were not re-read and old dates are not refreshed.
This round actually read the O*NET summary/details/wages/hottech/industry/trends for this occupation and 8 adjacent definitions, the BLS duties, environment, typical education and licensure, wage by industry table, and projections; the 2022 dictionary entries for hearing specialist and fitter, the relevant grading parts of the 2020 fitting skill standard, China's Physicians Law, and the relevant articles of the 2024 device regulation; the FDA rules on buying hearing aids and the ASHA ear canal and referral recommendations. The NBS wage provisions, OEWS methods, the ILO introduction and extended abstract, and the NIST brief reuse the parts read in the same window on the same day. custom, training, and certification and the full text of AI600-1 were not output, and links are not treated as full text.
Limitations：U.S. occupational classification; does not directly prove China's position sequences or practice licensure.
Limitations：The task list describes group work and does not mean every position carries out all tasks.
Limitations：Employment and projection on this occupation's definition, not an individual's probability of being hired.
Limitations：This occupation publishes both hourly and annual wage percentiles; the median is not a starting wage, nor an income promise.
Limitations：The National Bureau of Statistics total wage bill may include bonuses, piece-rate or lump-sum wages, allowances and subsidies, and overtime pay paid by the unit, so performance pay or fitting commissions cannot all be excluded. Total research project funding does not equal individual wages, and actual payments are verified by their nature; industry and broad position category averages are not this occupation's income. This round did not obtain precise occupational wages and employment for China.
Limitations：The National Bureau of Statistics total wage bill may include bonuses, piece-rate or lump-sum wages, allowances and subsidies, and overtime pay paid by the unit, so performance pay or fitting commissions cannot all be excluded. Total research project funding does not equal individual wages, and actual payments are verified by their nature; industry and broad position category averages are not this occupation's income. This round did not obtain precise occupational wages and employment for China.
Limitations：The work context field is a respondent percentage and cannot be used to infer individual job conditions.
Limitations：The education composition is a respondent percentage, not a uniform statutory threshold.
Limitations：Employment and projection on this occupation's definition, not an individual's probability of being hired.
Limitations：In 2025, unique U.S. job postings associated with this occupation mentioned 7 technologies: Excel5% and InDemand, Outlook4%, PowerPoint4%, Office3%, Word1%, and Epic1%; the proportion for eClinicalWorks is Not available. This is a denominator of job posting mentions, not an on-the-job adoption rate or a threshold for all positions; HCPCS is not on this hot list.
Limitations：The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. This round actually read the relevant parts of the 2020 standard PDF, and the old notice page was not re-read and its access date is not refreshed.
Limitations：This is the 2021 version of the device regulation, not ILO generative AI material; for the current provisions this round uses the 2024 amendment official record cn-devices-current, and the old version was not re-read or refreshed.
Limitations：The link is not a separate editorial team original record and is used as the actual occupation summary.
Limitations：Does not constitute practice licensure or device fitting qualifications. This round did not output a complete training or custom report, and old access dates are retained.
Limitations：The official profile provides only occupational identity and duty descriptions. This round did not output a complete training or custom report, and old access dates are retained.
Limitations：This round did not read the complete AI600-1PDF, and old access dates are not refreshed nor are all health application rules concluded from it; the actual NIST brief is used as background separately.
Limitations：Used for the work activity and skill definitions.
Limitations：The task list describes group work.
Limitations：Hourly and annual wages come from the same source and cannot be mixed with Chinese monthly salaries or commissions.
Limitations：Education composition does not constitute a uniform licensure standard.
Limitations：Used for the work context and work activity definitions.
Limitations：The statistical scope does not include self-employed individuals and freelance workers.
Limitations：Used to confirm field completeness.
Limitations：Hourly and annual wage percentiles on the OEWS definition for this occupation.
Limitations：The current 2025 wages and employment for this occupation, the 2025—2035 projection, and the requirement that audiologists be licensed in every state; industry wages are descriptive, and the specific state rules are verified separately.
Limitations：Wage and salary workers, excluding the self-employed; incentive pay differs from non-production bonuses, and this is not the total income of all audiologists
Limitations：In the 2022 occupational classification dictionary, 2-02-35-03 hearing specialist belongs to rehabilitation assistive device engineering technicians and covers auditory testing and assessment, rehabilitation plans, assistive device compensation, and hearing protection; 4-14-03-01 hearing aid fitter belongs to rehabilitation and correction services and covers assessment of hearing-impaired persons confirmed by a physician as unresponsive to clinical treatment, amplification plans, programming and evaluation, and follow-up. Both overlap in duties with U.S. Audiologists, and licensure mutual recognition or wages cannot be inferred from the name.
Limitations：A cross-industry organizational risk reference; does not provide this occupation's authorization, technical capability, actual adoption, or causal effects.
Limitations：This round only reused the introduction and extended abstract actually read in the same window on the same day; the complete index or this occupation's mapping was not read, so no measured impact for this occupation can be inferred.
Limitations：The current O*NET broad industries are health care and social assistance 75%, education 10%, and other 15%; the BLS detailed employers are physicians' offices 26%, physical, occupational, and speech therapists and audiologists' offices 26%, hospitals 16%, and education 10%. The two industry levels are kept separate and are not a Chinese distribution.
Limitations：The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification.
Limitations：Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. Articles 13—14, 23—24, 33—35, and related articles were actually read, not the complete operating rules for all hearing personnel.
Limitations：China's medical device regulation is now the 2024 amendment: Article 41 provides for Class II business filing with statutory exemptions from filing, and Article 42 for Class III business licensing; the specific product classification is verified separately. Articles 48—52 require use according to the instructions, disinfection for reuse, no reuse of single-use items, and calibration and maintenance of equipment requiring it according to the instructions with records, immediate discontinuation of use and notification for repair when a safety hazard is found, and no continued use below safety standards. Articles 40—55 and related articles were actually read, and the specific catalogue classification of hearing aids or all implementation rules were not verified.
Limitations：The U.S. BLS notes that all states require audiologists to be licensed, that conditions are verified by state, and that the typical entry-level Au.D. takes about 4 years with supervised clinical practice. The FDA allows people aged 18 and over with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to buy OTC hearing aids without a professional examination; do not write all hearing aids as requiring a prescription or the individual's signature, and do not extrapolate to China. The purchase examination boundary was actually read, and it is not a Chinese rule.
Limitations：The ASHA ear canal and cerumen guidance is a professional association recommendation: limited cerumen management requires the corresponding training and supervised experience, and state licensure limits, institutional authority, and insurance must be checked. Whether an anomaly is deferred or referred follows the actual assessment and protocol, and it is not the case that any anomaly stops all activity. The scope, training, prevention, and referral sections were actually read, and this is not state law or complete contemporary infection control.
Limitations：The ASHA referral guidance notes that sudden or fluctuating hearing loss requires prompt ear, nose, and throat evaluation; this page does not provide complete urgent referral procedures, and uniform retesting cannot be required in a way that delays care. The referral symptoms section was actually read, and a professional association recommendation is not Chinese law.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
Limitations：A duty comparison does not equal a uniform transfer distance, licensure mutual recognition, or an appointment guarantee.
The National Bureau of Statistics total wage bill may include bonuses, piece-rate or lump-sum wages, allowances and subsidies, and overtime pay paid by the unit, so performance pay or fitting commissions cannot all be excluded. Total research project funding does not equal individual wages, and actual payments are verified by their nature; industry and broad position category averages are not this occupation's income. This round did not obtain precise occupational wages and employment for China. In the 2022 occupational classification dictionary, 2-02-35-03 hearing specialist belongs to rehabilitation assistive device engineering technicians and covers auditory testing and assessment, rehabilitation plans, assistive device compensation, and hearing protection; 4-14-03-01 hearing aid fitter belongs to rehabilitation and correction services and covers assessment of hearing-impaired persons confirmed by a physician as unresponsive to clinical treatment, amplification plans, programming and evaluation, and follow-up. Both overlap in duties with U.S. Audiologists, and licensure mutual recognition or wages cannot be inferred from the name. Jurisdiction, skill level, and institutional duties are kept separate; the specific state licensure, urgent referral testing protocol, all personal information implementation rules, recruitment pay, AI causal effects, and scale prediction remain unverified. Shared facts/definitions/FAQ and exercises are frozen, and no whole-page consistency or formal acceptance can be signed.
Big Five (English) · MBTI (English) · Enneagram (Chinese) · IQ (Chinese)
| History, test results, and intervention records |
| Core process | Intake and history → test according to protocol → interpret and record → develop an intervention plan → verify outcomes → follow-up and referral. | Intake—testing—interpretation—intervention—verification—follow-up |
|---|
| Main outputs | History and chief complaint records, otoscopy findings, test items and conditions, results and the basis for interpretation, device selection and programming parameters, outcome verification and follow-up plans, and referral and patient education records. | Reviewable testing and follow-up records |
|---|
| Accountable party | Testing execution, interpretation, and record quality are the individual's responsibility; diagnostic conclusions, prescriptions, cochlear implant programming, and medical device business are undertaken by personnel and institutions with the corresponding authorization according to regulations and systems, and when authorization is unclear you must stop and escalate. | The individual and the practice institution |
|---|
| Authority and approval | O*NET lists 29-1181.00 as Job Zone Five (SVP 8.0 and above), and among respondents 95% believe a doctorate is required and 5% believe postdoctoral training is required; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook lists a doctorate or professional degree (Au.D.) as the typical entry-level education and notes that all U.S. states require audiologists to be licensed to practice. Mainland China mainly trains people in audiology, hearing and speech rehabilitation, and related majors, and specific standards are set by employers and regulatory authorities. | Education and preparation |
|---|
| Conclusion boundaries | Degree, clinical internship, internal institutional qualification, practice licensure, hearing aid fitting qualifications and medical device business requirements, and prescription and referral authority are different statuses: a degree does not automatically bring practice licensure, and fitting experience does not equal diagnostic and prescription authority. In Mainland China, hearing aid fitting follows the National Occupational Skill Standard for Hearing Aid Fitters (2020 edition) (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security General Office Document No. 51 of 2020, occupation code 4-14-03-01, in four levels), and hearing aids are medical devices whose sale and use must also comply with medical device regulation requirements. | Not interchangeable |
|---|
Practice licensure and fitting qualifications
Patient safety and infection control
Practice settings and scheduling
Continuing education and review
Articles 13—14 of China's Physicians Law provide that a person who has not registered and obtained a physician practice certificate may not engage in physician practice activities, and after registration must practice according to place, category, and scope; internal institutional authorization cannot replace this. This is a rule for physician activities and does not treat all hearing testing or fitting personnel as physicians. China's medical device regulation is now the 2024 amendment: Article 41 provides for Class II business filing with statutory exemptions from filing, and Article 42 for Class III business licensing; the specific product classification is verified separately. Articles 48—52 require use according to the instructions, disinfection for reuse, no reuse of single-use items, and calibration and maintenance of equipment requiring it according to the instructions with records, immediate discontinuation of use and notification for repair when a safety hazard is found, and no continued use below safety standards.
The interest code is IS (Investigative + Social); the work environment includes 95% having daily face-to-face discussions, 95% using email daily, 68% considering accuracy extremely important, and 43% being exposed to disease or infection sources every day.
These fields describe occupational group characteristics and do not constitute an individual competence threshold; practice licensure and institutional qualifications are set by the applicable jurisdiction separately.
In 2025, unique U.S. job postings associated with this occupation mentioned 7 technologies: Excel5% and InDemand, Outlook4%, PowerPoint4%, Office3%, Word1%, and Epic1%; the proportion for eClinicalWorks is Not available. This is a denominator of job posting mentions, not an on-the-job adoption rate or a threshold for all positions; HCPCS is not on this hot list.
Before using automatic interpretation, screening, and recording tools in clinical processes, confirm traceability, access permissions, patient information compliance, and review arrangements.
The exercise does not replace practice licensure and institutional protocols, nor does it constitute any diagnostic, prescription, or programming instruction.
| Probationary period | Complete intake, testing, and recording according to protocol, and accept supervisory review of interpretation and records. | Records are complete and traceable; test conditions and the basis for interpretation are written; uncertain parts are explicitly flagged. | Do not skip equipment and condition verification, and do not perform device fitting or programming when authorization is unclear. |
|---|
| First 90 days on the job | Verify practice licensure, institutional qualification for the post, fitting qualifications, and whether continuing education is in place. | Able to independently complete routine assessment and recording and accept review; licensure and qualification status has been confirmed in writing. | Practice licensure and fitting qualifications must be confirmed in writing, and verbal promises are not a substitute. |
|---|
Output: a set of review comments and a revision explanation.
Output: a one-page decision statement with an evidence list.
| Audiologists practicing in the United States |
| Determines whether you can practice legally and issue audiological conclusions. |
| A statutory requirement for practicing in the United States. |
| States require licensure with different conditions; this round did not read all state updates and examination conditions |
| Complete and maintain according to the requirements of the state where you are located. |
| Specific state and interstate licensure mechanisms are verified separately, without stating broadly that it is never transferable across jurisdictions |
| Hearing aid fitter occupational skill level (Mainland China) | People engaged in hearing aid fitting | Serves as proof of the skill level for a fitting position. | The skill-graded assessment standard does not equal a uniform statutory entry requirement for all positions, and recruitment requirements were not read this round | The 2020 hearing aid fitter skill standard sets Level Four/intermediate worker, Level Three/advanced worker, Level Two/technician, and Level One/senior technician; Level Three includes children's play and speech audiometry, Level Two includes visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One includes individualized fitting for children with special needs. This is graded assessment content and cannot be summarized as a uniform statutory threshold of a certain level for all pediatric fittings, nor does it equal physician registration or a device business qualification. | Specific assessment and on-the-job maintenance are verified against the actual program, and a uniform continuing education cycle is not inferred from this standard | A level certificate does not equal qualifications for diagnosis, prescriptions, or medical device business. |
|---|
| Clinical internship and supervision records | People preparing to enter clinical positions | Serves as proof of clinical ability and execution of protocols. | The BLS typical training includes supervised clinical practice, which is not generalized to the same hours for all Chinese positions | Supervisors, programs, and actual procedures are verified against the training plan and jurisdiction | Complete according to the training and institutional arrangements. | Internship experience does not equal independent practice qualification. |
|---|
| Patient information and device compliance training | Positions involving medical records and device business | Serves as the basis for compliant operation. | Training is verified against the real subject and system, without claiming that all position requirements have been verified | Complete according to institutional and regulatory authority requirements. | Continuously or periodically updated. | Training does not mean exemption from responsibility; violations are still handled according to regulations and systems. |
|---|
| Continuing education and case review | Practicing audiologists | Serves as proof of maintaining licensure and updating ability. | Specific state renewal and continuing education conditions are verified separately, and not all jurisdictional proportions were verified | Complete according to the hours and content required by the jurisdiction and institution. | Complete according to the licensure cycle. | Continuing education does not automatically expand the scope of practice. |
|---|
Before starting work and taking up the post, verify item by item the degree, clinical internship, qualification for the post, practice licensure, and fitting qualification requirements, and keep written confirmation.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for difficult cases and process control.
Readiness evidence：Difficult case records and a process improvement statement.
Credential boundary：Pediatric task grading should be checked against the specific items of the 2020 standard: Level Three play and speech audiometry, Level Two visual reinforcement and preschool rehabilitation, and Level One individualized fitting for children with special needs; do not write a uniform statutory threshold for children.
Next moves：Participate in difficult fitting plans and improvement of the customer service process.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for management and compliance.
Readiness evidence：Mentoring and compliance management records.
Credential boundary：Has mentoring and store or team management experience.
Next moves：Take on mentoring, service quality, and compliance management.
Credential boundary：Has experience leading projects or building curriculum systems.
Next moves：Lead research projects or build curriculum systems.
Typical scope：Take responsibility for the team and management.
Readiness evidence：Team and talent development records.
Credential boundary：Has academic or teaching management experience.
Next moves：Take on team development, academic management, and talent development.
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
