How to Become an Audiologist in California: Simple Steps to Get Licensed
A surprising fact: about 15% of Americans over 18 say they have trouble hearing. Your interest in becoming an audiologist in California points to a career that’s both meaningful and promising.
The job outlook for audiologists looks bright with an expected growth of 11% from 2023 to 2033 – way above average compared to other jobs. Audiologists also earn a solid median salary of $87,740 as of May 2023. But this rewarding career path needs serious educational commitment. Every audiologist must earn a doctoral degree before they can practice. You can start the four-year Doctor of Audiology (AuD) graduate program with a bachelor’s degree from any field.
In this piece, you’ll learn the exact steps to get your California audiology license. We’ll cover everything from undergraduate education to certification and beyond. This roadmap will guide you whether you’re mapping out your future as a student or thinking over a career switch. You’ll find everything you need to start your audiology career in the Golden State.
Understanding the Role of an Audiologist
Audiologists are healthcare professionals who evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage hearing, balance, and other auditory disorders. You’ll need a detailed understanding of their role if you want to pursue this career path in California.
What does an audiologist do?
Audiologists are at the heart of hearing healthcare and work with patients from newborns to seniors. These hearing system experts handle several significant functions:
- Identify, test, diagnose, and manage disorders related to hearing, balance, and tinnitus
- Check if patients qualify for hearing aids and cochlear implants, then fit, program, and help with rehabilitation
- Run newborn hearing screening programs and evaluate central auditory processing disorders
- Create complete rehabilitation plans if you have hearing loss
- Give preventive care through educational resources and hearing protection advice
Audiologists examine ears, manage earwax removal, make ear impressions, and suggest hearing assistive technology systems. They also help patients and families adjust to the emotional and social challenges that come with hearing loss.
Where do audiologists work?
Audiologists work in medical-professional settings with plenty of geographic and practice options. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 24% of audiologists work in physicians’ offices. Another 24% work in offices with occupational therapists, speech therapists, and other audiologists. About 15% run their own business, 12% work in hospitals, and 10% are in educational services.
Hospital-based audiologists earned the highest median annual salary at $81,120 in 2018. The profession pays well overall, with a median annual salary of $75,920 as reported in May 2018.
These professionals also work in:
- Independent private practices
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Hearing manufacturing industry
- University and research institutions
- Long-term care facilities
- Public health services
- Armed forces and HMOs
Most audiologists enjoy a regular 9-5 workday and standard work week. Some might work weekends and evenings to help patients who need it.
How audiologists differ from ENTs and SLPs
Audiologists, ENTs (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialists), and SLPs (Speech-Language Pathologists) might seem alike, but their roles are different:
Audiologists vs. ENTs: Audiologists handle non-medical management of hearing and balance issues. They can’t perform surgeries or prescribe medications like ENTs do. They often send patients to ENTs when medical treatment is needed. All the same, audiologists are vital in maintaining and repairing hearing aids.
Audiologists vs. SLPs: Both professions deal with communication disorders, but they don’t overlap much. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) represents 198,000 professionals, yet only 849 are certified to work as both audiologists and SLPs.
The biggest difference is their specialty areas. Audiologists focus on hearing and balance disorders, while SLPs work with speech and language issues. Audiologists typically see their patients less often but for many years—usually throughout their lifetime—because hearing loss is permanent and needs ongoing care.
Understanding these differences will help you decide if becoming an audiologist in California matches your career goals and interests.
Step 1: Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Your path to becoming an audiologist in California starts with a bachelor’s degree. This basic education gives you the knowledge and skills you need for graduate-level audiology studies.
Recommended majors and coursework
A Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program doesn’t usually require a specific undergraduate major. However, some fields of study will prepare you better for advanced audiology education. The most helpful undergraduate majors include:
- Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Speech and Hearing Sciences
- Linguistics
- Psychology
- Biology
- Physics
- Health Sciences
- Pre-audiology
Whatever major you choose, AuD programs expect coursework in specific areas. Most graduate programs want to see undergraduate studies that include:
- Sciences: Courses in biology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy (especially relating to the auditory system)
- Mathematics: Statistics and research methodology
- Psychology: Understanding human behavior and cognitive processes
- Communication disorders: Introductory courses in speech pathology and audiology
- Linguistics: Language development and phonetics
Pre-audiology courses can make your application stronger if your school offers them. You should maintain a strong GPA—usually 3.0 or higher—since graduate programs have competitive admission standards.
How your undergraduate degree affects your AuD application
Your college choices are the foundation of your future audiology career. Your bachelor’s degree shapes your AuD application in several important ways:
Your undergraduate major determines how prepared you’ll be for graduate studies. Students who choose relevant majors often need fewer prerequisite courses before starting their doctoral program. Many AuD programs prefer applicants with backgrounds in communication sciences and disorders or related fields.
Your GPA plays a crucial role in getting accepted. Most competitive AuD programs want a minimum 3.0 GPA, while stronger programs look for 3.5 or higher.
Research opportunities and volunteering in audiology settings can boost your application by a lot. These experiences show your dedication to the field and help you understand the profession better.
You still have options if your bachelor’s degree isn’t related to audiology. Many students switch fields successfully by:
- Taking post-baccalaureate courses to fulfill prerequisites
- Gaining relevant volunteer or work experience
- Explaining their motivation for changing fields in their application essays
Start researching AuD programs early in your college years. This helps you align your coursework and activities with program requirements. Academic advisors who specialize in pre-health professions can guide you throughout your college experience.
Note that your bachelor’s degree is just the start of your educational path to becoming an audiologist in California. The knowledge and experiences from these early years will help build your graduate studies and future clinical practice.
Step 2: Complete a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) Program
A Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree is your next big step after finishing your bachelor’s degree to become an audiologist in California. This professional doctorate became the entry-level requirement for clinical practice in 2007. It replaced the previous master’s degree standard.
What to expect in an AuD program
You’ll need four years of full-time study beyond your bachelor’s degree to complete the AuD program. This detailed educational trip will help you build knowledge and skills in every aspect of audiology practice.
Your curriculum will include courses in:
- Acoustics, calibration, and instrumentation
- Anatomy and physiology of hearing mechanisms
- Clinical electrophysiology
- Amplification systems and hearing aids
- Vestibular sciences and balance disorders
- Pediatric and educational audiology
- Aural rehabilitation
- Cochlear implants
Students start their clinical training right from the first week of the program. This hands-on experience lets you use classroom knowledge with real patients. Your clinical responsibilities grow as supervision decreases, which prepares you for independent practice.
The final year consists of a full-time clinical externship where you work as an audiologist under supervision. This externship gives you approximately 1850 hours of clinical experience. You’ll blend all aspects of your training before graduation.
Specializations you can choose
Your AuD education lets you build expertise in specific areas that line up with your career goals. Your ideal future workplace or patient groups can help you pick the right program.
Common specialization areas include:
- Patient populations: Pediatrics, geriatrics, vestibular patients, or cochlear implant recipients
- Practice settings: Hospitals, private practices, educational institutions, or research facilities
- Clinical focus: Tinnitus management, auditory processing disorders, or hearing conservation
Some programs offer dual AuD/PhD options for research-minded students. This path prepares you for clinical practice and leading independent research as a principal investigator.
Accreditation and program selection tips
Graduating from an accredited program is vital for state licensure. The Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) and the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) are the main accrediting bodies.
Here’s what to think about when choosing a program:
Program structure: Traditional programs take 4 years, but some offer 3-year accelerated options. The 3-year format packs didactic courses into the first year, and clinical experiences start in the second year.
Clinical opportunities: Programs linked to medical centers often give you diverse patient experiences.
Location and cost: Program tuition in California can reach $87,000. Remember to add living costs, books, and lab fees to your budget.
Visit before deciding: Talk to faculty and current students during campus visits instead of just reading websites. These visits are a great way to get insights into program culture and support systems.
Research opportunities: Most programs need a capstone or doctoral research project. Look for faculty members whose research matches your interests.
Once you finish your AuD program, you’ll be ready for the national examination and California’s licensing requirements. This training will give you the knowledge and skills you need for independent clinical practice in auditory and vestibular assessment and treatment.
Step 3: Pass the Praxis Exam and Gain Clinical Experience
Your path to becoming a licensed audiologist in California has two major steps after completing your AuD program: you must pass the Praxis exam and complete your clinical experience.
What is the Praxis exam?
The Praxis Examination in Audiology is the life-blood of ASHA certification standards. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) manages this exam. This complete assessment shows your audiological knowledge and tests your understanding of core content and current practices.
The current version (test code 5343) uses a 100-200 scoring scale. You need a score of 162 to pass ASHA certification. California and most other states use this same passing score for professional licensure. Some states might ask for higher or lower scores.
Your Praxis results must meet these requirements:
- ETS must send them directly to ASHA
- You must get them within 5 years before your certification application
- You must pass within the 2-year application period
ASHA suggests taking the exam in your final year because it tests your knowledge of outcomes and clinical decisions.
How to prepare for clinical internships
Clinical practicum is the life-blood of your audiology education. Your AuD program requires you to complete at least 1,820 supervised clinical practicum hours to meet ASHA’s certification requirements.
Your clinical supervisors must be ASHA-certified audiologists who have:
- Managed to keep their current CCC-A certification
- Finished at least 2 hours of professional development in clinical instruction/supervision
- Built up 9 months or more of full-time clinical experience after getting their CCC-A
The fourth year of your AuD program usually has a 12-month externship experience. This experience caps off your clinical training. The AuD model lets you get your license right after finishing all degree requirements, including this externship. This is different from the old master’s model that needed a post-degree fellowship year.
Importance of hands-on training
Hands-on clinical experience sets the AuD apart from other academic doctorates. Your supervised clinical practice will help you become skilled at:
- Making clinical decisions
- Working with patients
- Running diagnostic tests
- Implementing treatments
You must complete at least 50% of your supervised clinical practicum on-site and in person. Your clinical instructors, supervisors, and clients/patients need to be physically present. This requirement will give a solid foundation as you build your clinical skills.
The externship year gives you extensive practice. You’ll merge your classroom knowledge with ground application before starting independent practice. After graduating from an accredited AuD program and passing the Praxis exam, you can apply for your California audiology license.
Step 4: Get Your California Audiology License
Your path to becoming a practicing audiologist in California starts after completing your AuD program and passing the Praxis exam. The final step involves getting state licensure. This vital process will give you proof that you meet professional standards required by the California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board.
California-specific licensing requirements
California audiology license requirements include several specific criteria:
- Hold a doctoral degree in audiology from an accredited educational institution (required for all applicants after January 1, 2008)
- Complete 300 hours of supervised clinical practicum in three different clinical settings
- Finish the final year externship under an audiology doctoral program’s direction
- Pass the national Praxis examination with a minimum score of 162 on test code 5343 (or 170 on the older 5342 test)
- Submit to fingerprinting as part of the background check process
- Keep your exam results within five years
You must also pass California’s hearing aid dispensers written and practical licensing examinations to dispense hearing aids.
How to apply for licensure in California
The Board now uses a paperless application system called “Apply Simply!” that makes the licensing process smoother. This system lets you:
- Complete your application entirely online
- Submit required documentation electronically
- Pay application fees without writing checks
- Receive faster feedback on any application deficiencies
- Get frequent updates on your application’s progress
Use Report Code R8544 to ensure ETS reports your Praxis scores directly to the California Board. The online system processes applications within 24-48 hours, which is much faster than paper applications that take 6-8 weeks.
Maintaining and renewing your license
Your California audiology license needs regular renewals and continuing education:
- Renewal frequency: Non-dispensing audiologists renew every 2 years (on the last day of your birth month), while dispensing audiologists renew annually (on the last day of your license issue month)
- Continuing education: Non-dispensing audiologists need 24 hours of continuing professional development every 2 years; dispensing audiologists need 12 hours annually
- Format requirements: At least half of your continuing education hours must come from LIVE interactive webinars, with a maximum of 25% from indirect client care courses
CE requirements will change in January 2025. The Board sends renewal notices about 90 days before your license expires. Notwithstanding that, you cannot practice without a current license, so submit your renewal application right after you receive your notice.
Start On The Path to Audiology in California Today
Starting a career as an audiologist in California offers both professional satisfaction and excellent career opportunities. This piece outlines four vital steps that will help you become a licensed practitioner. These steps create a well-laid-out path to success in audiology.
Your education starts with a bachelor’s degree. You should focus on Communication Sciences, Speech and Hearing Sciences, or similar fields. This foundation prepares you for doctoral studies. The Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program takes about four years to complete. You’ll gain specialized knowledge through intensive coursework and clinical training.
Clinical competence lies at the core of audiological practice. You must pass the Praxis exam with a score of at least 162. Additionally, you need 1,820+ hours of supervised clinical practicum to prove your readiness. California’s optimized “Apply Simply!” system helps you get your license to practice.
This career path comes with substantial rewards. The job market for audiologists shows strong growth—11% through 2032. The median salary stands at $87,740. You’ll also improve patients’ lives by helping them with hearing and balance disorders that affect their communication and well-being.
The path needs dedication and years of advanced education. Each step builds your expertise directly. The complete roadmap will guide you to success whether you choose to work in hospitals, private practice, educational settings, or research institutions.
Audiologists do much more than hearing tests. You’ll diagnose conditions, fit hearing aids, manage balance disorders, and provide vital counseling to patients and families. Your education and training prepare you for these diverse responsibilities.
Now is the perfect time to start this rewarding career. Take that first step and stay persistent. Soon you’ll join California’s licensed audiologists who make valuable contributions to hearing healthcare.