38 CFR 4.85 / 4.86 · DC 6100

Hearing Disability Rating Calculator

The VA rates hearing loss via a two-axis lookup: puretone threshold average (PTA) at 1k/2k/3k/4k Hz, and Maryland CNC speech discrimination percentage per ear. Each ear's combination maps to a Roman numeral; both Roman numerals together produce the bilateral rating. Enter your audiogram values to estimate your rating under 38 CFR 4.85 / 4.86.

Your audiogram values

Enter puretone thresholds (in decibels) at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz per ear, plus the Maryland CNC speech discrimination percentage. These come from a standard VA-administered audiology exam.

Left ear
Right ear
Hearing loss rating
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38 CFR 4.85 Table VII
2026 monthly compensation
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Hearing-loss rating only (other ratings combine separately)

Estimate only. The official rating is set by the VA Rating Specialist after a C&P audiology exam using validated equipment. Tinnitus (DC 6260) is rated separately at a flat 10% — see our tinnitus guide. The exceptional-pattern rule (38 CFR 4.86) is applied automatically when triggered. Source: 38 CFR 4.85 Tables VI + VII, 38 CFR 4.86, and 38 CFR 4.87 DC 6100.

How the VA rates hearing loss

The VA rates hearing loss under Diagnostic Code 6100 in 38 CFR 4.87 using a two-step lookup:

  1. Step 1: Per-ear Roman numeral (Table VI). Each ear's puretone threshold average (PTA at 1k/2k/3k/4k Hz) plus its Maryland CNC speech discrimination percentage maps to a Roman numeral from I (best hearing) to XI (worst).
  2. Step 2: Bilateral rating (Table VII). The two ears' Roman numerals together produce a single bilateral hearing rating from 0% to 100%. The "better ear" Roman numeral is one axis; the "poorer ear" is the other.

Exceptional patterns (38 CFR 4.86). When the puretone thresholds show an exceptional pattern — all four frequencies at 55 dB or higher, OR 1 kHz at 30 dB or less with 2 kHz at 70 dB or more — the VA also computes a "Table VIA" Roman numeral based on PTA alone, and uses whichever produces the higher rating. This calculator applies the rule automatically when triggered.

Most rated veterans land at 0% or 10% hearing loss. Higher percentages require significant clinical hearing impairment. The 10% bracket triggers compensation; 0% is service-connected but not compensable on its own (though it preserves the right to a higher rating if hearing degrades).