Speech-Language Pathologists: Job Description
Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.
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The Daily Work of Speech-Language Pathologists Do?
Typical responsibilities of speech-language pathologists include:
- Evaluate hearing or speech and language test results, barium swallow results, or medical or background information to diagnose and plan treatment for speech, language, fluency, voice, or swallowing disorders.
- Write reports and maintain proper documentation of information, such as client Medicaid or billing records or caseload activities, including the initial evaluation, treatment, progress, and discharge of clients.
- Monitor patients' progress and adjust treatments accordingly.
- Develop or implement treatment plans for problems such as stuttering, delayed language, swallowing disorders, or inappropriate pitch or harsh voice problems, based on own assessments and recommendations of physicians, psychologists, or social workers.
- Administer hearing or speech and language evaluations, tests, or examinations to patients to collect information on type and degree of impairments, using written or oral tests or special instruments.
- Educate patients and family members about various topics, such as communication techniques or strategies to cope with or to avoid personal misunderstandings.
- Supervise or collaborate with therapy team.
- Participate in and write reports for meetings regarding patients' progress, such as individualized educational planning (IEP) meetings, in-service meetings, or intervention assistance team meetings.
What Speech-Language Pathologists Need to Know
Successful speech-language pathologists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Speech-Language Pathologists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP)
- Home Health SLP (Home Health Speech Language Pathologist)
- Language Pathologist
- Oral Therapist
- Pediatric SLP (Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist)
- Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP)
- Public School Speech Clinician
- Public School Speech Therapist
Job Outlook
There are roughly 412,698 speech-language pathologists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Speech-Language Pathologists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,305 |
| Hourly median | $22.74 |
| 10th percentile | $29,136 |
| 25th percentile | $38,220 |
| 75th percentile | $56,389 |
| 90th percentile | $65,474 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Speech-Language Pathologists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $116,000 |
| New York | $108,870 |
| Hawaii | $108,230 |
| Colorado | $108,070 |
| District of Columbia | $106,950 |
| New Mexico | $104,910 |
| Oregon | $104,230 |
| Washington | $102,450 |
| Massachusetts | $101,790 |
| New Jersey | $101,600 |
| Delaware | $101,030 |
| Nevada | $100,840 |
| Rhode Island | $100,680 |
| Maryland | $100,560 |
| Connecticut | $100,550 |
| Alaska | $100,180 |
| Georgia | $99,100 |
| Florida | $97,150 |
| Arizona | $95,990 |
| Virginia | $94,370 |
| Pennsylvania | $93,800 |
| South Carolina | $91,880 |
| Texas | $89,450 |
| Ohio | $88,340 |
| North Carolina | $87,420 |
| Wyoming | $85,820 |
| Utah | $85,320 |
| Indiana | $84,330 |
| Oklahoma | $84,310 |
| Missouri | $83,950 |
| New Hampshire | $83,800 |
| Tennessee | $82,990 |
| Kentucky | $82,910 |
| Illinois | $82,480 |
| Minnesota | $82,450 |
| Michigan | $81,860 |
| Nebraska | $81,710 |
| Maine | $81,700 |
| Kansas | $81,360 |
| Iowa | $81,120 |
| Wisconsin | $80,580 |
| Montana | $80,330 |
| West Virginia | $80,170 |
| Arkansas | $79,800 |
| Vermont | $78,580 |
| Idaho | $78,450 |
| Mississippi | $75,790 |
| Alabama | $72,560 |
| North Dakota | $67,330 |
| Louisiana | $65,770 |
| South Dakota | $63,180 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,850 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for speech-language pathologists vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $111,877 | 11.9% | 0.71 |
| Middle Atlantic | $103,403 | 19.6% | 1.35 |
| New England | $97,628 | 5.5% | 1.15 |
| Rocky Mountains | $96,447 | 4.3% | 1.13 |
| Southwest | $90,433 | 13.7% | 1.10 |
| Southeast | $87,569 | 22.7% | 0.97 |
| Great Lakes | $84,000 | 15.4% | 1.11 |
| Plains States | $80,734 | 6.7% | 0.99 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Speech-Language Pathologists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $135,860 | 630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $130,270 | 1,930 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $128,700 | 160 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $126,890 | 330 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $126,330 | 16,820 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $124,190 | 410 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $124,050 | 150 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $123,560 | 130 |
Top Industries Employing Speech-Language Pathologists
The largest employers of speech-language pathologists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 95,310 | $101,230 |
| Educational Services | 75,020 | $80,280 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,990 | $101,190 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 930 | $75,990 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 100 | $86,700 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of speech-language pathologists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Physical Proximity
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Education and Training
Typical speech-language pathologists positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (Supplemental)
- Marriage and Family Therapists (Supplemental)
- Mental Health Counselors (Supplemental)
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Occupational Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Physical Therapists (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Students preparing for speech-language pathologists commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
4 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists).
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