Hearing Loss VA Rating 2026 — How Audiograms Determine Your Rating

Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent service-connected disabilities among veterans, yet it's also one of the most frustrating to claim. Many veterans with clearly diminished hearing walk out of their C&P exam with a 0% rating and wonder what went wrong. The answer lies in the VA's mechanical, table-driven rating system—which is unlike how most other conditions are rated.

Understanding how the VA turns your audiogram into a disability percentage is the first step toward knowing what to expect and how to strengthen your claim.

How the VA Rates Hearing Loss: The Two-Table System

Hearing loss is rated under Diagnostic Code 6100. Unlike most VA disability ratings where an examiner describes severity and a rater makes a judgment call, hearing loss ratings are purely mechanical. Your rating is determined by two tables, and there's almost no subjective interpretation involved.

Step 1: The Audiogram

During your C&P audiology exam, the examiner measures two things for each ear:

• Pure tone threshold average — The average of your hearing thresholds (in decibels) at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. These are the frequencies most important for understanding speech.
• Speech recognition score — Measured using the Maryland CNC word list. You'll listen to a series of words and repeat them back. Your percentage correct is your speech recognition score.

Both measurements must be conducted according to specific VA protocols. The Maryland CNC test is required—other speech recognition tests (like the older W-22 list) are not acceptable for rating purposes.

Step 2: Table VI — Assigning Roman Numerals

Your pure tone average and speech recognition score for each ear are plugged into Table VI (or Table VIa in certain exceptional cases). The intersection of these two values gives each ear a Roman numeral designation from I (least impaired) to XI (most impaired).

For example, if your right ear has a pure tone average of 58 dB and a speech recognition score of 74%, Table VI assigns that ear a Roman numeral V. Your left ear might have different values and get a different numeral.

Step 3: Table VII — Determining Your Rating

Once both ears have Roman numeral designations, you cross-reference them in Table VII. The better ear goes across the top, and the worse ear goes down the side. The intersection is your disability rating percentage.

Table VIa: The Exceptional Pattern Exception

There's an alternative table, Table VIa, that uses only pure tone thresholds (no speech recognition). The VA will use Table VIa instead of Table VI when:

• The examiner certifies that speech recognition testing is not appropriate due to language difficulties, inconsistent scores, or other factors
• Your pure tone threshold is 55 dB or more at each of the four frequencies (1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 Hz)
• Your pure tone threshold is 30 dB or less at 1000 Hz and 70 dB or more at 2000 Hz

Table VIa generally produces higher Roman numerals than Table VI, so the exceptional pattern exception can result in a higher rating. If your audiogram shows one of these patterns, make sure the examiner documents it.

Why Most Hearing Loss Ratings Are 0%

Here's the frustrating reality: the VA's rating tables are calibrated so that mild to moderate hearing loss—the kind most veterans have—typically results in a 0% (non-compensable) rating. You can have noticeable trouble hearing conversations, need the TV turned up, and struggle in noisy environments, and still get a 0%.

A 0% rating is still worth having. It establishes service connection, which means:

• You qualify for free hearing aids and audiology care through the VA
• If your hearing worsens (which it likely will), you can file for an increase
• It supports secondary claims, such as tinnitus or mental health conditions related to hearing loss

Hearing Loss Rating Table with 2026 Pay

Rating	2026 Monthly Pay	Typical Profile
0%	$0.00	Mild to moderate loss; most common rating
10%	$180.42	Moderate bilateral loss with reduced speech recognition
20%	$356.66	Moderate-severe loss in both ears
30%	$552.47	Severe loss in one ear, moderate in other
40%	$795.84	Severe bilateral loss
50%	$1,132.90	Severe-profound loss bilaterally
60%	$1,435.02	Profound loss in one ear, severe in other
70%	$1,808.45	Profound bilateral loss
80%	$2,102.15	Near-total loss bilaterally
90%	$2,362.30	Near-total or total loss bilaterally
100%	$3,938.58	Total deafness in both ears (Roman XI + XI)

Always File Bilateral — Both Ears Matter

This is critical: always file for both ears. Hearing loss is rated bilaterally by definition. Your rating is determined by the combination of both ears' Roman numerals. Even if one ear is significantly worse than the other, the better ear's numeral affects your final rating.

Many veterans make the mistake of only mentioning their "bad ear." But the VA rates hearing loss based on both ears together, and you need both ears tested during the C&P exam for an accurate rating. If you only have hearing loss in one ear, the other ear defaults to Roman numeral I, which limits how high your rating can go.

Pair Your Hearing Loss Claim with Tinnitus

If you have hearing loss, you almost certainly have tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears). Tinnitus is rated separately under DC 6260 at a flat 10%, and it's one of the most commonly service-connected conditions in the VA system.

Filing tinnitus alongside hearing loss makes sense for several reasons:

• Same noise exposure nexus supports both claims
• Tinnitus is largely subjective—your statement that you experience ringing is powerful evidence
• Even if your hearing loss comes back at 0%, the tinnitus 10% provides compensation
• Both conditions together strengthen the case for service connection on each individual claim

For more details on tinnitus claims, see our guide on tinnitus VA ratings.

In-Service Noise Exposure: Building Your Nexus

Service connection for hearing loss requires evidence that your hearing was damaged during military service. The strongest evidence includes:

Service Records

• Your MOS/rating/AFSC—certain military jobs carry a presumption of noise exposure
• Audiograms from enlistment and separation. A shift in thresholds between these two tests is powerful evidence, even if both were within "normal" range
• Line of duty reports or incident records documenting specific noise exposure events (explosions, weapons fire, flight line work)

Military Jobs with Highest Hearing Loss Rates

While any veteran can file for hearing loss, certain MOSs have particularly high grant rates:

• Infantry (11B/0311) — Constant weapons fire, explosions, vehicle noise
• Artillery (13B/0811) — Among the highest noise exposure levels in the military
• Armor crews (19K) — Enclosed vehicle noise, weapons systems
• Aviation mechanics — Jet engine and rotor wash exposure
• Navy flight deck crews — Catapult launches, jet blast, arresting gear
• Combat engineers (12B/1371) — Explosives, heavy equipment, demolition
• Communications/radio operators — Prolonged headset use at high volumes

Even if your MOS isn't on this list, don't let that stop you. Weapons qualification alone exposes every service member to significant noise. Generator noise on FOBs, convoy operations, and training exercises all contribute.

The C&P Audiology Exam: What to Expect

The VA audiology C&P exam is straightforward but specific. Here's what happens:

Before the Exam

• Avoid loud noise exposure for 24 hours before the exam
• Don't use earbuds or headphones at high volume the day before
• Bring a written statement about your noise exposure history and current hearing difficulties

During the Exam

• You'll sit in a soundproof booth wearing headphones
• Pure tone testing: you press a button or raise your hand each time you hear a tone, even if it's very faint. Respond to the faintest sound you can detect.
• Speech recognition: you'll hear individual words and repeat them back. The examiner records what you say verbatim.
• The examiner will ask about your noise exposure history, when symptoms began, and how hearing loss affects your daily life

After the Exam

The examiner submits the audiogram results and a medical opinion on whether your hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to military service. The rater then mechanically applies Tables VI and VII. There's very little discretion in the rating itself—it's the nexus opinion that matters most for service connection.

Hearing Loss and Secondary Conditions

Hearing loss can support secondary claims for:

• Tinnitus — The most common companion claim (10% flat rate)
• Mental health conditions — Social isolation, depression, and anxiety related to communication difficulties
• Vertigo/balance disorders — Inner ear damage can affect the vestibular system

Conversely, if you already have service-connected tinnitus, you can use it to support a hearing loss claim since both conditions share the same underlying noise exposure mechanism.

2026 Compensation Rates for Common Hearing Loss Combinations

Since hearing loss is often combined with tinnitus (10%) and possibly other conditions, here are the combined ratings you might see:

Combined Rating	2026 Monthly Pay	2026 Annual Pay
10% (tinnitus alone)	$180.42	$2,165.04
20%	$356.66	$4,279.92
30%	$552.47	$6,629.64
40%	$795.84	$9,550.08
50%	$1,132.90	$13,594.80
60%	$1,435.02	$17,220.24
70%	$1,808.45	$21,701.40
80%	$2,102.15	$25,225.80
90%	$2,362.30	$28,347.60
100%	$3,938.58	$47,262.96