Healthcare Practitioners
Speech-Language Pathologists
Also called: Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP), Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP), Speech and Language Clinician, Speech and Language Specialist
US median pay
$97,870
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+16.6%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
12,500
193,400 employed
Typical entry education
Master's degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Teach clients to control or strengthen tongue, jaw, face muscles, or breathing mechanisms.
- Instruct clients in techniques for more effective communication, such as sign language, lip reading, or voice improvement.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.1/5
- Instructing3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Coordination3.2/5
- Systems Evaluation3.1/5
Knowledge
- English Language4.9/5
- Education and Training4.2/5
- Psychology4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.0/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.0/5
- Administrative3.6/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Master's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Master's degree89%
- Post-master's certificate11%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.