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The differences between audiologists and optometrists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an optometrist has an average salary of $187,654, which is higher than the $55,657 average annual salary of an audiologist.
The top three skills for an audiologist include patients, rehabilitation and patient care. The most important skills for an optometrist are patients, patient care, and diagnosis.
| Audiologist | Optometrist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,657 | $187,654 |
| Hourly rate | $26.76 | $90.22 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 1,121 | 20,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
An audiologist is responsible for conducting hearing examinations with patients, diagnosing their hearing problems, and identifying treatment plans for immediate recovery. Audiologists operate advanced technologies and devices to determine the patients' hearing abilities and limitations. They also evaluate results accurately, respond to the patients' inquiries and concerns, and advise patients on proper ways to take care of their hearing balances. An audiologist must have excellent communication skills, especially extensive knowledge of the medical industry, to discuss the patients' condition properly.
A licensed optometrist is primarily responsible for the vision and eye care of clients, treating different conditions such as astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. Their duties mostly revolve around performing eye and vision tests, diagnosing issues, providing consultations, prescribing corrective glasses and lenses, and educating clients on proper eye care methods. Furthermore, an optometrist must maintain records of all cases and treatment plans, and supervise support staff should they choose to work at a private clinic or a similar setting.
Audiologists and optometrists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Audiologist | Optometrist | |
| Average salary | $55,657 | $187,654 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $121,000 | Between $94,000 And $373,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Greensboro, NC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Carolina |
| Best paying company | Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc. | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an audiologist and an optometrist in terms of educational background:
| Audiologist | Optometrist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Speech-Language Pathology | Optometry |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of California, Berkeley |
Here are the differences between audiologists' and optometrists' demographics:
| Audiologist | Optometrist | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.2% Female, 76.8% | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 82.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 1.4% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 5.2% Asian, 17.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 23% | 18% |