Prevailing Wage for Hearing Aid Specialists

Prevailing wage for Hearing Aid Specialists, the SOC 29-2092 occupation, is set by DOL using regional wage surveys across more than 50 metro areas. Whether your job title reads Hearing Aid Consultant, Hearing Instrument Specialist, or Audioprosthologist, the same four experience levels apply, and the floor shifts significantly depending on where your worksite is located.

See all jobs for Hearing Aid Specialists

Look up your work address

Level 1Entry
National median
$44K
$21.34/hr

Entry-level Hearing Aid Specialists with limited professional experience, typically working under direct supervision, performing routine hearing assessments and fittings. Candidates new to the field or transitioning from a related support role without independent patient caseloads generally file at this level.

Level 2Qualified
National median
$54K
$26.13/hr

Qualified specialists with moderate experience who handle standard hearing evaluations, fittings, and follow-up care with minimal supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Hearing Aid Specialists, reflecting the typical profile of candidates sponsored on H-1B or green card petitions.

Level 3Experienced
National median
$64K
$30.68/hr

Experienced specialists who manage complex fittings, interpret advanced audiometric results, and may mentor junior staff. These professionals operate with significant autonomy, handle difficult patient cases, and often carry responsibility for instrument selection and modification without supervisory sign-off.

Level 4Fully Competent
National median
$75K
$35.93/hr

Fully competent senior specialists with broad clinical authority, including program oversight, custom ear mold design for complex cases, and potential supervisory or training responsibilities across a clinic or multi-site practice. Employers file at this level for lead roles with the widest independent scope.

Prevailing Wage for Hearing Aid Specialists by OES area

Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.

Loading map…
$29K/yr$66K/yr

What’s an OES area?

The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.

Top 10 cities · Level 1

1
Honolulu, HI
Urban Honolulu, HI metro
$65K$31.20/hr
2
Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro
$60K$28.90/hr
3
San Diego, CA
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro
$59K$28.23/hr
4
San Jose, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro
$59K$28.17/hr
5
Portland, OR
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro
$58K$27.80/hr
6
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh-Cary, NC metro
$57K$27.55/hr
7
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro
$57K$27.36/hr
8
Boise City, ID
Boise City, ID metro
$57K$27.18/hr
9
Richmond, VA
Richmond, VA metro
$56K$27.13/hr
10
North Port, FL
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL metro
$56K$27.00/hr

See all jobs for Hearing Aid Specialists

See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Hearing Aid Specialists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.

Search visa-sponsored jobs

Prevailing Wage Guide for Hearing Aid Specialists

Verify your license tier maps to your wage level

State hearing aid dispensing licenses vary widely in scope. A licensed Hearing Instrument Dispenser with full independent dispensing authority typically supports a Level 2 or Level 3 filing, while a trainee or provisional licensee under supervising audiologist oversight aligns with Level 1.

Watch for multi-state worksite misclassification

Hearing Aid Specialists working across clinic locations in different metro areas must have an LCA filed for each worksite. The prevailing wage on the LCA must reflect the highest applicable floor among all listed work locations, not just the primary clinic.

Factor out signing bonuses before comparing offers

Signing bonuses paid upfront do not count toward the DOL prevailing wage floor for Hearing Aid Specialists. Base salary alone must meet or exceed the certified wage on the LCA. An offer that clears the floor only when the bonus is amortized into annual pay does not comply.

Find employers who have sponsored Hearing Aid Specialists before

Migrate Mate shows which employers have a historical record of sponsoring this occupation, so you can target clinics and audiology groups with proven sponsorship experience rather than approaching employers who have never filed for a Hearing Care Practitioner or similar role.

Jobs for Hearing Aid Specialists are hiring across the US. Find yours.

Find Jobs for Hearing Aid Specialists

Prevailing Wage by Reported Job Title

DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2092.00 alongside Hearing Aid Specialists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.

Audioprosthologist Prevailing Wage

Audioprosthologist positions fall under SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Hearing Aid Consultant Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Hearing Aid Consultant for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Hearing Care Practitioner Prevailing Wage

Hearing Care Practitioner is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Hearing Care Specialist Prevailing Wage

Hearing Care Specialist positions fall under SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Hearing Instrument Dispenser Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Hearing Instrument Dispenser for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Hearing Instrument Specialist (HIS) Prevailing Wage

Hearing Instrument Specialist (HIS) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Hearing Specialist Prevailing Wage

Hearing Specialist positions fall under SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist (Licensed HIS) Prevailing Wage

When a U.S. employer sponsors a Licensed Hearing Instrument Specialist (Licensed HIS) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (National Board Certified HIS) Prevailing Wage

National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist (National Board Certified HIS) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2092.00 (Hearing Aid Specialists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.

Level 1
Entry
$44K
$21.34/hr
Level 2
Qualified
$54K
$26.13/hr
Level 3
Experienced
$64K
$30.68/hr
Level 4
Fully Competent
$75K
$35.93/hr

Frequently Asked Questions

How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Hearing Aid Specialists?

DOL derives prevailing wages for Hearing Aid Specialists from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Survey data is collected by metro area and mapped to SOC 29-2092. DOL then sets four wage levels using a statistical methodology applied to the regional wage distribution, and OFLC publishes these figures for use on Labor Condition Applications.

What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?

The four levels reflect increasing degrees of experience and independent clinical responsibility. Level 1 covers entry-level work under supervision; Level 2 covers qualified independent practice; Level 3 reflects experienced specialists with complex caseloads; Level 4 applies to senior or lead roles with the broadest scope. Your employer selects the level on the LCA based on the actual duties and supervision structure of the position, not your years of experience alone. If the level on your LCA feels inconsistent with your role, that is worth raising before filing.

Why does the prevailing wage for the same Hearing Aid Specialist role vary so much by city?

DOL sets wages using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so the floor in each metro reflects actual local pay for the occupation. Markets with higher costs of living, concentrated audiology employers, or stronger demand for licensed dispensers push the floor up. The worksite-on-LCA rule means the wage must match the city where you actually work, not where the employer is headquartered. A position in a high-demand coastal metro carries a materially higher floor than the same title in a lower-wage region.

What happens if a sponsored job offer is below the prevailing wage floor?

An LCA cannot be certified by DOL if the offered wage is below the applicable prevailing wage for the worksite location and wage level. If OFLC denies certification, the H-1B or PERM petition cannot proceed. If an employer files an LCA with an inaccurate wage level to reduce the floor, that creates compliance exposure for the employer and can affect the petition's validity. USCIS may also issue a Request for Evidence if wage documentation does not support the certified level.

How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Hearing Aid Specialist position in a specific U.S. city?

The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up the current DOL prevailing wage by SOC code and metro area. Enter SOC 29-2092 and select your worksite metro to see all four wage levels. For positions where the employer uses a different job title such as Hearing Care Specialist or Hearing Instrument Dispenser, confirm with the employer that the LCA maps to SOC 29-2092 so you are comparing wages on the same basis. Migrate Mate also lets you filter by role and location to see which employers have sponsored this occupation in your target city.

See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Hearing Aid Specialists right now.

Search Jobs for Hearing Aid Specialists