r/audiology

I'm a rising college senior at UC Berkeley studying cognitive science and music. I'm considering applying to auD programs this year, and was looking for some more information. The top issue I've noticed people mention is the tuition-salary discrepancy, but I will fortunately not have to take loans out for a program, so I'm not taking this into too much consideration. I'm definitely interested in hearing and the ear for several reasons, and I also kind of just want a normal 9-5 job with a good work-life balance and solid pay, so I thought this could be a good fit.

My questions:

I'll likely graduate from Cal with a middle-of-the-road ~3.7 gpa. I've taken basic (to advanced in certain cases) coursework in bio, chem, math, stats/data, neuroscience/cognition, psych, computational modeling, and music. Does that make me a prepared/competitive candidate for good programs? What programs should I apply to?

What should I do between now and app season to make me a more competitive candidate? I don't have any relevant work experience, and I only have research experience in linguistics.

However, I really don't want to work on commission as a hearing aid salesperson, which I've also seen some mention of: with an auD, do I have solid prospects for getting salaried clinical or education positions? These would be ideal for me.

Is there a pretty much universal demand for audiologists in major cities (and are the positions generally decently compensated)? I'd like to live and work in/around SF, but also have the possibility of finding jobs elsewhere in case I want to relocate elsewhere.

Thanks in advance!

I’m a 22-year-old new grad nurse working in med-surg, and I’m trying to figure out what I want to do long-term. I already have my BSN, and my GI Bill was transferred to me by my dad. I have to use the benefits before I turn 26, so I feel like I have a limited window. I know I don’t want to work bedside for the rest of my life. I want a better quality of life while still staying in healthcare.

I’m considering Audiology vs. Medical School.
Audiology is appealing because the 4-year program in Puerto Rico would cost around $40k, and my GI Bill would cover most of it. I might only need a loan for the last year. Medical school, on the other hand, would cost significantly more, so I would likely need much more in student loans.

My concern with Audiology is that it feels like I’m starting over. Nursing gives me a lot of knowledge that could transfer into medicine, while Audiology is a completely different field and I wouldn’t use as much of my nursing background.

At the same time, I’m wondering if I’m putting too much pressure on myself to choose something that directly builds on nursing. I want a career that gives me a good quality of life, not just the career that makes the most sense on paper.

For anyone who has made a similar transition: Would you choose Audiology with the GI Bill and much less debt, or pursue medicine despite the longer path and significantly more loans?

Hi everyone! I’m trying to find public school districts that offer audiologist 10 months with summers off! My husband is a teacher and I love the idea of having this time off together as a family. I’ve now interviewed for countless jobs in various states and districts, but all work year around. Everyone constantly mentions getting summers off. Where are these jobs? I would love if people could comment districts with the state they know offer this. Help a gal out! I appreciate you all. :)