Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

NOC
31112

Audiologists diagnose and treat individuals with hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. Speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat communication disorders including speech, language and swallowing disorders.

Quick facts

3-Year Outlook

Undetermined
Undetermined

3-Year Job Openings

33
 

Median Hourly Wage

$47.14
$34.71
Low
$55.02
High

Average Salary

$81,000
 

Typically Required

University

Employed

350
 
Job details

Full NOC Description

Audiologists diagnose, evaluate and treat individuals with peripheral and central hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. Speech-language pathologists diagnose, assess and treat human communication disorders including speech, fluency, language, voice and swallowing disorders. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are employed in hospitals, community and public health centres, extended care facilities, day clinics, rehabilitation centres and educational institutions, or may work in private practice.

Main Duties

    This group performs some or all of the following duties:
  • Audiologists
  • Develop and administer audiometric tests and examinations using specialized instruments and electronic equipment to diagnose and evaluate the degree and type of patients' hearing impairment
  • Plan and implement habilitation/rehabilitation programs for patients, including selection, fitting and adjustment of amplification devices, such as hearing aids, balance retraining exercises, and teaching speech (lip) reading
  • Educate and counsel patients and families regarding the nature, extent, impact and implications of hearing loss and treatment
  • Establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team
  • Conduct research related to hearing and hearing disorders
  • May instruct and supervise audiometric technicians, students and other health care personnel.
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Administer tests and examinations and observe patients to diagnose and evaluate speech, voice, resonance, language, fluency, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders
  • Develop, plan and implement remedial programs to correct speech, voice, language, fluency, resonance, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders
  • Establish group and personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team
  • Educate and counsel patients and families regarding communication and swallowing disorders
  • Conduct research on speech and other communication disorders and on the development and design of diagnostic procedures and devices
  • May instruct and supervise communicative disorders assistants, students and other health care personnel.

Also Known As

  • audiologist
  • certified audiologist
  • clinical audiologist
  • educational speech-language pathologist
  • research audiologist
  • speech therapist
  • speech-language clinician
Requirements

Employment Requirements

  • Audiologists require a master's degree in audiology.
  • Speech-language pathologists require a master's degree in speech-language pathology.
  • Registration with a regulatory body is required for audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
  • Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, is usually required.
  • In some jurisdictions, audiologists may be required to obtain a separate licence to dispense hearing aids.
  • This is a registered occupation in New Brunswick. Learn the steps to register and other information by downloading the Pathway to Registration factsheet.

Provincial Regulation

  • Provincially Regulated: Yes
Employment by Gender

The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

Data legend

89.7%
Women
10.3%
Men
Employment by age

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

Data legend

Suppressed
15-24
32.8%
25-34
27.6%
35-44
27.6%
45-54
12.1%
55-64
Suppressed
65+
Employment by highest level of education

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

Data legend

Suppressed
No Certificate, Diploma or Degree
Suppressed
High School, Diploma or Equivalent
Suppressed
Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma
Suppressed
College or University Below Bachelor Level
100.0%
University - Bachelor Level or Above
Employment by Industry

The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

Data legend

75.9%
Health care and social assistance
22.4%
Educational services
Suppressed
Suppressed
1.7%
All Other Industries
Employment by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

Data legend

19.30%
Northeast
31.60%
Southeast
24.60%
Southwest
15.80%
Central
8.80%
Northwest
Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Data legend

$80,000
Northeast
$76,000
Southeast
$85,000
Southwest
$85,000
Central
$90,000
Northwest
Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Northeast

$46.63
$34.25
Low
$51.87
High

Southeast

$47.03
$33.80
Low
$53.16
High

Southwest

$47.24
$33.78
Low
$52.79
High

Central

$47.55
$32.60
Low
$51.73
High
No Data Available
Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

New Brunswick

$81,000

Newfoundland

$86,000

Prince Edward Island

$85,000

Nova Scotia

$84,000

Canada

$81,900
Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

Three Year Outlook

Total Openings: 3-Year

33
 

New Jobs: 3-Year

8
 

Retirements/Deaths: 3-Year

24
 

Ten Year Outlook

Total Openings: 10-Year

126
 

New Jobs: 10-Year

42
 

Retirements/Deaths: 10-Year

85