Salary For Speech And Language Pathologist. This section covers basic facts about careerkeg.com and the job market, including an overview of salary, employment by industry and education, training requirements, job outlook for the coming year, and a number of other pertinent details about working in this field.
The average salary of a speech and language pathologist is $58,000 annually. The salary is slightly higher, at $64,000, for those who work in schools or colleges. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates for 2012, these professionals earn approximately $56,890 per year on the average. Speech and language pathologists employed by non-profit community health care organizations make an average income of $$61,010 yearly while those working exclusively in private practice earn around $67,310 annually.
Salary For Speech And Language Pathologist Overview
Speech therapists can work in hospitals, schools, clinics and other medical facilities as well as in private practice. There are many different types of jobs available for speech therapists—as educators or researchers; in hospitals and clinics; or as therapists for children or adults who have language difficulties due to birth defects such as cleft lip or palate2
Speech pathologists often work closely with other professionals such as audiologists (who specialize in hearing loss) and occupational therapists (who specialize in helping people regain skills lost after an accident or illness). Speech pathologists usually complete an undergraduate degree program followed by graduate school training before being licensed by their state board of
Speech Pathologist Salary with a Masters Degree
To become a speech pathologist, you’ll need to earn a bachelor’s degree and then go on to obtain a master’s degree. The median annual wage for speech pathologists was $72,420 in May 2017, according to the BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $49,680 per year, while the top 10 percent earned more than $113,860 annually.
How Much Does a Speech Pathologist Make?
The exact salary for a speech pathologist will depend on many factors including experience level, location and industry. For example, entry-level speech pathologists may make between $50,000 and $60,000 per year while those with five years of experience or more can earn between $80,000 and $100,000 per year. Speech pathologists who work in hospitals or schools can also make significantly more than those who work in private practices because they have access to higher reimbursements from health insurance companies or school districts.
What Speech-Language Pathologists Do
Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists) assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Speech, language, and swallowing disorders result from a variety of causes, such as a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, Parkinson’s disease, a cleft palate, or autism.
Duties of Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists typically do the following:
- Evaluate levels of speech, language, or swallowing difficulty
- Identify treatment options
- Create and carry out an individualized treatment plan that addresses specific functional needs
- Teach children and adults how to make sounds and improve their voices and maintain fluency
- Help individuals improve vocabulary and sentence structure used in oral and written language
- Work with children and adults to develop and strengthen the muscles used to swallow
- Counsel individuals and families on how to cope with communication and swallowing disorders
Speech-language pathologists work with children and adults who have problems with speech and language, including related cognitive or social communication problems. They may be unable to speak at all, or they may speak with difficulty or have rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering. Speech-language pathologists may work with people who are unable to understand language or with those who have voice disorders, such as inappropriate pitch or a harsh voice.
Speech-language pathologists also must complete administrative tasks, including keeping accurate records and documenting billing information. They record their initial evaluations and diagnoses, track treatment progress, and note any changes in a individual’s condition or treatment plan.
Some speech-language pathologists specialize in working with specific age groups, such as children or the elderly. Others focus on treatment programs for specific communication or swallowing problems, such as those resulting from strokes, trauma, or a cleft palate.
In medical facilities, speech-language pathologists work with physicians and surgeons, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other healthcare workers. In schools, they evaluate students for speech and language disorders and work with teachers, other school personnel, and parents to develop and carry out individual or group programs, provide counseling, and support classroom activities. For more information on teachers, see the profiles on preschool teachers, kindergarten and elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, high school teachers, and special education teachers.
How to Become a Speech-Language Pathologist
Get the education you need: Find schools for Speech-Language Pathologists near you!
Speech-language pathologists typically need at least a master’s degree. Most states require that speech-language pathologists be licensed. Requirements vary by state.
Education for Speech-Language Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists typically need at least a master’s degree. Although master’s programs do not require a particular undergraduate degree for admission, certain courses must be taken before entering a program. Required courses vary by institution.
Graduate programs often include courses in speech and language development, age-specific speech disorders, alternative communication methods, and swallowing disorders. These programs also include supervised clinical experience.
The Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA), part of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, accredits education programs in speech-language pathology. Graduation from an accredited program is required for certification and, often, for state licensure.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Speech-Language Pathologists
All states regulate speech-language pathologists. Most states require speech-language pathologists to be licensed; other states require registration. Licensure typically requires at least a master’s degree from an accredited program, supervised clinical experience, and passing an exam. For specific requirements, contact your state’s medical or health licensure board.
Speech-language pathologists can earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Certification typically satisfies some or all of the requirements for state licensure and may be required by some employers. To earn CCC-SLP certification, candidates must graduate from an accredited program, pass an exam, and complete a fellowship under the supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist. To maintain the CCC-SLP credential, speech-language pathologists must complete 30 hours of continuing education every 3 years.
Speech-language pathologists who work in schools may need a specific teaching certification. For specific requirements, contact your state’s department of education or the private institution in which you are interested.
Speech language pathologists may choose to earn specialty certifications in child language, fluency, or swallowing. Candidates who hold the CCC-SLP, meet work experience requirements, and pass a specialty certification exam may use the title Board Certified Specialist. Three organizations offer specialty certifications: American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders, American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders, and American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders.
Speech-Language Pathologist Training
Candidates can gain hands-on experience through supervised clinical work, which is typically referred to as a fellowship. This training is a type of internship in that prospective speech-language pathologists apply and refine the skills learned during their academic program under the supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist. The CCC-SLP certification requires candidates to complete a fellowship lasting at least 36 weeks.
Important Qualities for Speech-Language Pathologists
Analytical skills. Speech-language pathologists must select the most appropriate diagnostic tools and analyze results to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Communication skills. Speech-language pathologists need to communicate test results, diagnoses, and proposed treatments in a way that individuals and their families can understand.
Compassion. Speech-language pathologists work with people who are often frustrated by their difficulties. Speech-language pathologists must support emotionally demanding individuals and their families.
Critical-thinking skills. Speech-language pathologists must adjust their treatment plans as needed, finding alternative ways to help.
Detail oriented. Speech-language pathologists must take detailed notes on progress and treatment.
Listening skills. Speech-language pathologists must listen to symptoms and concerns to decide on the appropriate course of treatment.
Speech Pathologist Salary by State
Naturally, the location that you practice speech pathology in can have a huge effect on your earning potential in the field. For example, working as an SLP in New York City typically allows for a higher average salary than, say, North Dakota due to the massive disparity in cost of living in these states.
The reason some state’s speech pathologists might enjoy higher salaries could be anything from a high cost of living to a large gap in the amount of speech pathology positions available and professionals able to fill those positions. Below, we’ve collected state average salary for speech-language pathologists from the BLS:
| State | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $65,370 |
| Alaska | $89,060 |
| Arizona | $71,930 |
| Arkansas | $67,150 |
| California | $92,810 |
| Colorado | $85,600 |
| Connecticut | $92,800 |
| Delaware | $75,490 |
| District of Columbia | $85,710 |
| Florida | $81,780 |
| Georgia | $74,510 |
| Hawaii | $72,010 |
| Idaho | $71,880 |
| Illinois | $75,490 |
| Indiana | $73,950 |
| Iowa | $71,330 |
| Kansas | $67,990 |
| Kentucky | $68,690 |
| Louisiana | $61,400 |
| Maine | $62,930 |
| Maryland | $83,420 |
| Massachusetts | $83,610 |
| Michigan | $75,260 |
| Minnesota | $71,620 |
| Mississippi | $59,000 |
| Missouri | $74,640 |
| Montana | $68,500 |
| State | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Nebraska | $66,040 |
| Nevada | $64,140 |
| New Hampshire | $73,610 |
| New Jersey | $82,020 |
| New Mexico | $74,860 |
| New York | $79,530 |
| North Carolina | $70,320 |
| North Dakota | $62,050 |
| Ohio | $74,140 |
| Oklahoma | $62,460 |
| Oregon | $85,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,200 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,910 |
| Rhode Island | $77,070 |
| South Carolina | $73,880 |
| South Dakota | $72,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,690 |
| Tennessee | $74,780 |
| Texas | $75,270 |
| Utah | $71,840 |
| Vermont | $71,840 |
| Virginia | $84,360 |
| Washington | $74,790 |
| West Virginia | $58,180 |
| Wisconsin | $69,140 |
| Wyoming | $70,140 |
