Speech Pathology Programs and Careers

As a speech-language pathologist, often referred to as a speech therapist, you'll evaluate and treat children and adults with speech, language and swallowing problems. You'll help children and adolescents with language disorders and improve language skills that lead to better academic performance. You'll also evaluate and treat persons with swallowing disorders that may result from illness, surgery, stroke or injury.

Your typical duties as a speech-language pathologist may include:

• Working with children to improve their language skills and academic performance

• Treating people who have experienced a stroke or brain trauma to help them regain language, speech and swallowing ability

• Assisting individuals in developing proper control of the vocal and respiratory systems for correct voice production

• Counseling individuals and families to better cope with speech and language disorders

• Helping those who stutter to increase fluency

• Assisting with accent modification for non-native speakers of English

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for speech-language pathologists is $66,920, with the top 10 percent earning over $103,630. The BLS records that the top five paying states for speech-language pathologists are Alaska, Maryland, New Jersey, California and Colorado.

As an experienced speech-language pathologist, you'll be able to work in a variety of settings, including the following:

• Hospitals and rehabilitation centers
• Private practice
• Elementary and secondary schools
• Colleges and universities
• State and local health departments
• Home health agencies
• Long-term facilities
• Private industry nonprofit clinics

To become a speech-language pathologist, you can earn a bachelor's in communication sciences and disorders or a related discipline and then enter a graduate program in speech pathology. If you didn't take general communication sciences and disorders coursework during your undergraduate years, you can enter a 1- to 2-year post-baccalaureate program to complete the required prerequisites for graduate speech therapy school.

To practice as a speech-language pathologist, you must complete a 2-year master's or a 4-year doctoral (SLP.D.) program in speech-language pathology. The PhD in speech-language pathology is typically acquired for in-depth research into a particular area of interest.

Speech-language pathologists can acquire the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). To earn a CCC-SLP, a person must have a graduate degree and 375 hours of supervised clinical experience, complete a 36-week postgraduate clinical fellowship, and pass a written examination. You should be sure to also check if your state has continuing education requirements for licensure renewal.
_{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010}