Rating guide · Hearing
Hearing Loss: From Audiogram to Percentage
Hearing loss ratings come straight out of two tables. There’s no room for interpretation, which makes the quality of your audiology exam the whole ballgame.
- What the exam must include
- How the tables work
- Patterns that rate higher
- Why 0% matters
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What a VA Hearing Exam Must Include
Under 38 CFR 4.85, the exam has to be done by a state-licensed audiologist, without hearing aids, and include:
- A Maryland CNC speech discrimination test (how well you understand spoken words)
- Puretone audiometry (the softest tones you can hear at each frequency)
A screening from a retail hearing aid shop usually doesn’t meet these requirements.
How the VA Tables Turn Scores Into a Rating
- Average your thresholds at 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 Hz for each ear.
- Combine that average with your speech score on the first table to get a Roman numeral, I through XI, for each ear.
- Put both ears’ numerals into the second table to get the percentage.
Two patterns that rate higher (38 CFR 4.86)
- Thresholds of 55 dB or more at all four frequencies: the VA uses whichever table gives the higher numeral.
- Thresholds of 30 dB or less at 1000 Hz and 70 dB or more at 2000 Hz: the VA uses the higher result, then bumps it up one more numeral.
Why a 0% Rating Is Still Worth Having
- It locks in service connection. Hearing tends to get worse. When it does, you only have to prove the increase, not the cause.
- It shares evidence with tinnitus. The same noise exposure supports both. See our tinnitus guide.
- It can matter for VA health care, including hearing aids, for enrolled veterans.
Flight-line, missile-field maintenance, artillery and range noise are common sources of hearing damage for North Dakota veterans.
Hearing Loss VA Rating: Common Questions
Why is my hearing loss rated 0%?
The percentage comes directly from VA tables. Many veterans have real, service-connected hearing loss that doesn’t reach a compensable level on those tables.
Can a private audiologist do my exam?
Yes, if it’s a state-licensed audiologist and the exam includes the Maryland CNC speech test and puretone audiometry without hearing aids.
Should I wear my hearing aids to the exam?
No. VA hearing exams are conducted without hearing aids.
Can I ask for an increase later?
Yes. If your hearing loss is already service-connected, you can file for an increase and a new exam will measure your current hearing.
North Dakota Veterans: Get the Rating You Earned
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