Top audiology schools in the United States

If you love science and have a desire to help people hear better, you may want to investigate a career in audiology. Audiologists diagnose and treat hearing impairment and balance disorders in people of all ages and usually work in a hospital, physician's office or audiology clinic. Audiologists need a master's or doctoral degree and must be licensed in the state that they work in.

Here's a summary of the top 10 audiology programs as ranked by U.S. News and World Report in 2020.

Vanderbilt University

Established in 1951, the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences graduate program is one of the largest graduate programs in the Vanderbilt School of Medicine as well as one of the largest programs at Vanderbilt University. Students choose to study for a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.), Master of Education of the Deaf (MDE), Master of Science of Speech-Language-Pathology (MS-SLP), or a Doctoral Degree program (Ph.D.). The Ph.D. degree is administered through the graduate school while the M.S.-SLP, M.D.E. and Au.D. degrees are administered through the School of Medicine.

University of Iowa

Students accepted into the audiology program at the University of Iowa will receive their degree from The Department of Communication and Disorders, which has been training students and serving clients with speech, language and hearing disorders for more than 60 years. The graduate programs in Speech Pathology and Audiology offer degrees in Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, Clinical Doctorate in Audiology, Doctor of Philosophy, and a combined Au.D./Ph.D.

University of Texas -- Dallas

The Doctor of Audiology program at the University of Texas is one of the first in the nation. The four-year program requires 100 semester hours in four core areas. Students are given clinical experience at the two UT Dallas Collier campus sites as well as with various clinical, hospital, private practice and school systems in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This gives students a broad range of experience with hearing loss, from children to adults. 

Northwestern University

Only about 18 students are admitted each year in the Doctor of Audiology program in Northwestern University's School of Communication. Students work closely with faculty in academic courses, a supervised practicum, and a mentored clinical research project. 

University of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill

This university's audiology program is administered through their School of Medicine which has close ties to University of North Carolina hospitals. Because of this, students receive hands on experience in diagnostic and pediatric audiology, hearing aids, cochlear implants and aural habilitation. The Clinical Doctorate in Audiology program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) as well as the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA). The university also offers a Masters of Science in Speech-Language-Pathology (MS-SLP) and PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences.

Washington University in St. Louis

The Program in Audiology and Communication Services (PACS) offers a Doctor in Audiology degree accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education and the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The program, established in 1947, is administered through the Washington University School of Medicine. The university also offers a Master of Science in Deaf Education and a Doctor of Philosophy.

University of Pittsburgh

Pitt Audiology is a 4-year graduate program within the Department of Communication Science and Disorders with an emphasis on best practices and applying research. Students also pursue career options in academic institutions, industry and other employment settings. The program offers master's degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and doctorates in Medical Speech-Language Pathology and Communication Science and Disorders.

Rush University Medical Center

The audiology program at Rush University Medical Center is set in an urban setting and is completed in 15 quarters, which is approximately four years. On the average, 35-40 full-time students are enrolled in the program, with 8-12 in each class. Students progress through three levels of clinical education, including practicals, internships and a full-time externship and participate in all audiology services for infants to adults. 

Purdue University-West Lafayette

The Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) was founded in 1935. They offer master's and doctorates in several communication science programs, including speech-language pathology and audiology. They also offer dual-track programs. The doctoral education program in audiology at Purdue University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Ohio State University

Audiology students at Ohio State University are admitted into the School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences in the College of Health Sciences and Professions. The four-year, full-time doctoral program in audiology is accredited by the Counsel on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and has three components: coursework, clinical practicum and research training. The college also offers a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology, a combined MA-PhD program, and a PhD in Hearing Science or Speech-Language Science.