VA Hearing Loss Rating Calculator — How It Actually Works

Why most online 'VA hearing loss calculators' are wrong

A true VA hearing loss rating requires two measured inputs per ear: (1) the puretone threshold average (PTA) at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz; and (2) the Maryland CNC (Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant) speech discrimination percentage. Most public 'calculators' that just ask you to estimate severity are not following the regulation. Without your actual audiogram and CNC scores, no rating can be computed.

Step 1 — Table VI: each ear becomes a Roman numeral

Table VI in § 4.85 is a grid. The columns are PTA bands (0-41, 42-49, 50-57, ..., 98+). The rows are speech-discrimination bands (92-100%, 84-90%, 76-82%, ..., 0-34%). The intersection gives a Roman numeral from I (best) to XI (worst). Repeat for the other ear.

Step 2 — Table VII: the two Roman numerals produce the percentage

Table VII cross-references the better ear (columns I-XI) with the poorer ear (rows I-XI) to produce the rating. Examples: II × II = 0%, IV × IV = 10%, VI × VI = 30%, VIII × VIII = 50%, XI × XI = 100%. The vast majority of veterans land at II–IV in each ear, which is why so many service-connected hearing loss claims rate at 0%.

Exceptional patterns under § 4.86

• Pattern 1 — Puretone threshold at 1000, 2000, 3000, AND 4000 Hz is each 55 dB or more. Use the higher of Table VI or Table VIA, ear by ear.
• Pattern 2 — Puretone threshold at 1000 Hz is 30 dB or less AND 70 dB or more at 2000 Hz (the 'steep slope' pattern common in noise-induced hearing loss). Use the higher of Table VI or Table VIA, and Table VIA's Roman numeral is then elevated one step.
• Table VIA bases the Roman numeral on PTA alone (no speech discrimination), which often produces a higher Roman numeral when discrimination scores are artificially preserved.

Tinnitus rating — separate from hearing loss

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is rated under DC 6260 at a flat 10% — unilateral or bilateral, mild or severe, all rate the same. The 10% is the regulatory maximum. The vast majority of veterans with documented in-service noise exposure qualify for the 10% tinnitus rating on lay statement alone.

Where these claims break down

• ×Using a generic online 'calculator' instead of your actual audiogram with PTA and Maryland CNC scores.
• ×Accepting a 0% rating when the exam used the wrong speech discrimination test (must be Maryland CNC, not HINT or other).
• ×Missing the § 4.86 exceptional patterns — the 55+ dB across all four frequencies and the steep-slope pattern both can shift a 0% to a compensable rating.
• ×Filing for tinnitus and hearing loss separately is correct — they are different diagnostic codes and combine; do not let an examiner record one as 'part of' the other.

Frequently Asked Questions