The human species has accomplished so much thanks to our ability to understand language and communicate through speech. When that ability is delayed in children or breaks down in adults, many facets of life become more challenging.
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help people with speech and language disorders learn to communicate better and improve their lives.
If this possibility intrigues you, consider the speech pathologist career path. Earning a master’s degree in speech-language pathology (SLP) may sound narrowly focused, but it can lead to a wide range of speech pathology careers, from research-focused roles to hands-on clinical treatment positions.1
Once you gain clinical expertise, you can expand your reach to teach students, create policy, develop innovative products, raise money for nonprofit organizations or even curate social media tools that help individuals with speech and language disorders.
We cover what SLPs do and present several speech pathology careers you could follow for speech pathologist education.
What Does a Speech Pathologist Do?
Before you begin working toward a speech pathologist career, it’s essential to understand what the field entails.
Perhaps you had a friend growing up who had trouble saying their “Rs” or stuttered when speaking. One of the best-known aspects of all careers in speech pathology involves helping people address these phonological and fluency disorders. However, the discipline encompasses so much more.
In clinical practice, speech-language pathologists, or speech therapists, work to prevent, diagnose and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders.2 Below is a detailed breakdown of the various issues SLPs treat:3
- Cognitive communication skills – The mental aspects of communication are as critical as the physical. Speech therapy often involves speech-language exercises and addressing attention deficits or memory problems.
- Pragmatics – Also known as social communication, pragmatics is the link between communication and behavior. SLPs can help patients who struggle to pick up on social cues or follow unspoken rules, such as those with an autism spectrum disorder.
- Literacy – People with speech and language issues may have trouble with reading, writing and spelling; SLPs can help with these challenges.
- Voice disorders – Beyond certain speech sounds, speech therapists also explore general issues with voice, such as hoarseness, vocal strain and nasal speaking.
- Swallowing disorders – SLPs are experts in diagnosing and treating swallowing disorders, such as those that may develop after a stroke or brain injury.
Careers for speech pathologists focus on simplifying and improving communication. An SLP will assess patient needs and goals, consult with other care team members, create and monitor a treatment plan and evaluate the patient’s progress and rehabilitation.
Since communication is so fundamental, there are countless career paths in speech pathology.
Where Do Speech-Language Pathologists Work?
Speech pathology careers are available across the nation. In terms of practice settings, speech-language pathologists are often employed in:4
- Education– Preschool, K–12 and colleges
- Healthcare– Hospitals, nursing homes and outpatient facilities
- Corporate– Private businesses and other professional organizations
- Municipal– Governmental organizations, such as public health departments
- Research– University research centers and privately owned labs where they conduct studies and develop new treatments
Once you’ve earned your master’s in speech-language pathology, you can begin applying for speech pathology careers.
The direction of your speech pathology career path will usually depend on where you work. We break down the various speech pathologist career paths.
1. Educational Settings
Proper communication is essential to learning, so you’ll find SLPs in classrooms worldwide. As a school-based SLP, you’ll work alongside teachers, parents and staff to help students reach their full potential.
Preschool and K–12
From pre-kindergarten to senior year of high school, early education is a formative experience—and strong communication skills make it far more enriching as a speech pathology career path. SLPs create and carry out plans for children with speech disorders to work through their challenges.5
In schools, SLPs work mainly with younger children. Professionals on this speech pathologist career path may focus on congenital speech and language disorders—that is, an affliction with which the student was born.6 These communication disorders may be related to:6
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Delayed development
- Hearing loss
- Speech impediments (lisps and stuttering)
- Cleft palate
School speech-language pathologists may work with students who have suffered from injuries or degenerative diseases that cause speech and language difficulties.
Work with Bilingual Students
Identifying a language difference versus a language disorder can be more challenging with bilingual students. There is a growing need for bilingual SLP professionals who can navigate these issues.
Colleges and Universities
School-based SLPs aren’t limited to early education. Many universities and colleges employ speech-language pathologists to work on-site with students.
Additionally, speech pathology careers at this level include work as professors or administrators in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) bachelor’s degree programs or in SLP graduate programs, leveraging their experience to enlighten a new generation of speech-language pathologists.
2. Healthcare Settings
More than a third of all SLPs (39%) work in healthcare.4 Many operate interprofessionally and partner with other rehabilitation professionals to create a thorough treatment plan for their patients. As a medical professional on this speech-language pathologist career path, you’ll partner with:5
- Audiologists
- Rehabilitation counselors
- Surgeons
- Physicians
- Psychologists
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Social workers
- Nurses
The majority of professionals on this speech pathologist career path are between two settings: hospitals and care facilities.4
Hospitals
In hospitals, SLPs may perform assessments in the emergency room. However, they are more likely to be part of a more extensive patient diagnosis and treatment process.
Hospital patients need SLP support with communication or swallowing disorders.7 Beyond diagnosing, the speech pathology career path in a hospital also can include working interprofessionally with other teams, provide patient counseling, and educate members of the hospital staff about speech and language disorders.7
While some hospitals treat patients of all ages, others focus on smaller sections of the population. For example, SLPs at children’s hospitals may fulfill many of the same roles as those in early education. Practitioners at a military hospital could have an entirely new set of responsibilities and work with an older population.
Long-Term Care Facilities
Do you prefer to help patients progress their communication capabilities over months or even years? You may choose to find work in a care facility. Clinicians on this speech pathology career path typically work in two types of long-term healthcare facilities:
- Residential – Nursing homes and assisted living facilities are two types of residential healthcare facilities. Larger organizations may have an SLP as a permanent staff member, while smaller homes will contract with an SLP for occasional work. Responsibilities in residential care facilities are similar to those in a hospital.
- Non-residential – Professionals on this speech pathology career path who choose to work in non-residential care make house calls and visit doctors’ offices and clinics. While residential care facilities cater to seniors and those with mobility issues, non-residential facilities include populations of all ages.
Whether you work in residential or non-residential care facilities, you’ll have the opportunity to make a difference in your community and beyond.
3. Corporate Settings
In some cases, SLPs work with people who don’t have any challenges with speaking or processing language. These clients might hope to modify their accents or communicate more effectively. You’ll find many such individuals on a corporate speech-language pathology career path.
While large corporations may employ a dedicated speech-language pathologist, most SLPs work with companies as contractors.
SLPs assist businesses by:
- Assessing employees’ language and social communication skills
- Working with staff to improve their business writing
- Helping staff with presentation skills
- Educating employees on business etiquette
- Training customer service representatives to communicate with hard-of-hearing customers
4. Municipal Settings
There are SLP roles in local, state and federal government agencies. Aside from practicing in community clinics, SLPs may work as consultants, advocating for their profession with policymakers. Professionals on this speech-language pathologist career path have the opportunity to make changes to school and workplace accessibility for people with speech and language differences.
Additionally, some government SLPs work in more unique situations.
The Judicial System
The Sixth Amendment guarantees Americans the right to a free and fair trial. It gives them the right to understand the nature of all charges and evidence.
When someone with a speech or language disability is involved in a trial, they may need SLP support. As communication intermediaries, SLPs on this speech pathologist career path act as interpreters or translators.
5. Research Labs
Given that speech-language pathology is a science, research is essential. SLP is ever-changing, and cutting-edge advances happen in a laboratory.
Whether they work in a university research center or a privately owned lab, professionals on this speech pathology career path push boundaries. A typical day could involve developing a new treatment plan or conducting a study on select patients to understand speech and swallowing disorders and test possible treatments or forms of prevention.8
What Can You Do with a Speech Pathology Degree?
Due to the field’s occupational diversity, there are various speech pathology careers that can meet personal goals and interests. Below, we’ve detailed eleven speech-language pathologist career paths in communication sciences based on jobs held by MS-SLP graduates and corresponding average annual base salaries and salary ranges.
#1 General Speech-Language Pathology
Someone on this speech pathology career path works in clinical and social services settings to diagnose and treat various speech and language disorders in adults and children. These positions include:9
- Speech therapists – $64,208 ($46k – $91k)*
- Speech-language pathologists – $65,548 ($51k – $86k)*
- Senior speech pathologists – $71,567 ($51k – $100k)*
#2 Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology
From stuttering, cleft palate reconstruction recovery, autism-related human communication difficulties and more—there are interventions for children with specific conditions or facing general challenges during speech development.
A pediatric speech-language pathologist generally makes $64,880 (between $52k – $82k)* annually.9
#3 Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology
Bilingual professionals on this speech pathology career path work with patients who aren’t fluent in English, often in connection with an underlying communication disorder or challenge.
Bilingual speech pathologists make $68,661 (between $55k – $87k)* annually.9
#4 Research Coordinator or Analyst
If you have an interest in conducting clinical trials and testing intervention models related to speech-language treatments, explore the following two speech pathologist career paths:9
- Clinical research coordinator – $60,617 (between $46k–$77k)* annually
- Product analyst – $63,230 (between $48k–$85k)* annually
#5 Speech-Language Pathology Management
If you bring a blend of coaching, advocacy and administrative oversight to the SLP field, you might consider a speech pathologist career path in one of the following management roles:9
- Speech-language pathology supervisor – $76,449 (between $59k – $97k)* annually
- Speech-language pathology manager – $76,950 (between $59k–$98k)* annually
- Speech-language pathology director – $84,042 (between $61k – $112k)* annually
#6 Department and Facility Leadership
You may want to advance your speech pathology career by managing multiple teams or a facility.
This level of leadership may appeal to SLPs with fiscal and diplomatic skills who enjoy coordinating across specializations from a patient-first perspective:9
- Director, clinical services – $79,550 (between $59k–$108k)* annually
- Long–term care administrator – $96,620 (between $71k–$129k)* annually
- Regional rehabilitation director – $116,683 (between $98k–$138k)* annually
#7 Executive Leadership
Are you looking for a reserved parking spot and stock options? There are speech pathology career paths for executive leadership positions in healthcare and private industries:9
- Vice president (VP), operations and administration – $90,445 (between $63k–$126k)*
- Vice President (VP), services – $111,576 (between $82k–$152k)* annually
- Executive director – $117,941 (between $76k–$184k)* annually
- Chief operating officer (COO) – $138,343 (between $92k–$203k)* annually
#8 Nonprofit Leadership
In this speech pathologist career path, nonprofits need healthcare professionals with clinical backgrounds to communicate with their stakeholders and facilitate the treatment of underserved patient populations.
An executive director for a nonprofit organization can make $117,941 (between $76k – $184k)* a year on average.
A director of development, non-profit organization can make $93,091 (between $65k – $133k) a year on average.4
#9 SLP Trainer
If you are a natural teacher, consider a speech pathology career path training others in SLP principles, services or product use:9
- Training coordinator – $84,714 (between $60k – $119k)* annually
- Training & development manager – $88,461 (between $66k–$119k)* annually
#10 Sales and Business Development
If you’re gregarious and driven, you can make a comfortable living in a sales-oriented speech-language pathologist career path:9
- Sales consultant – $61,140 (between $38k–$93k)* annually
- Business development director – $81,784 (between $54k–$118k)* annually
- Sales trainer – $62,059 (between $47k–$90k)* annually
#11 Marketing
Every clinic, professional medical organization, hospital and business has a marketing department and many hire professionals with a clinical background.
Consider this speech pathology career path if you are a wordsmith or have an interest in messaging and advertising:9
- Customer success manager – $54,952 (between $41k–$75k)* annually
- Content writer – $71,654 (between $52k–$98k)* annually
Is Speech Pathology a Good Career?
Between 2023 and 2033, the demand for speech-language pathologists is expected to grow by 18%, which is much faster than the average growth rate for all occupations.5
Launch Your SLP Career with an MS-SLP Degree
Ultimately, the speech pathology career outlook is vast and continues to evolve. If speech pathology careers appeal to you, you might wonder what your next steps should be.
First, choose an immersive, collaborative program to earn your Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP). At the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS), you’ll join a collaborative cohort of peers and learn alongside expert faculty-practitioners.
Prepare for leadership and clinical practice with simulations and patients in state-of-the-art labs. You’ll use high-tech tools, including endoscopy equipment—a rare opportunity. At USAHS, we don’t require GRE scores for admission, and we offer three intake options in spring, summer and fall.
If you’re entering the program without the necessary undergraduate coursework, we offer SLP leveling courses to complete the prerequisites. Keep in mind that the application process for graduate programs usually requires an interview, so it’s essential for you to understand the field and prepare for common SLP interview questions before you apply.
Learn more and start your application today. Once you graduate, you’ll have the opportunity to work in rewarding speech pathology careers that will open doors for you and your patients.
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program. Designed for working students, the MS-SLP is an online program with four required on-campus residencies on the USAHS San Marcos, CA, St. Augustine, FL, Austin, TX or Dallas, TX campus. The program offers three intakes per year, in January, May and September for Austin, TX and Dallas, TX and two intakes per year for San Marcos (January and September) and St. Augustine (May and September). Join a collaborative cohort of peers who learn under the mentorship of expert faculty-practitioners. Prepare to make a difference in the lives of clients across the lifespan with a meaningful career in speech therapy!
For students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than communications sciences and disorders (CSD) or SLP and for students with a CSD or SLP degree whose undergraduate program did not include the required leveling coursework, we offer SLP leveling courses for completing the necessary prerequisites to enter the graduate program.
The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in Speech-Language Pathology {residential Austin, TX; satellite Dallas, TX; satellite San Marcos, CA; satellite St. Augustine, FL; all distance education} at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
*Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is based on self-reported data and is intended for general informational purposes only. PayScale is a limited data source that relies on voluntary submissions from individuals and employers. Please be aware that the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of the data may vary due to its voluntary nature and limited scope. While efforts are made to maintain the data’s accuracy, we cannot guarantee its absolute correctness or currency.
Sources
- American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association, “ About Speech-Language Pathology Careers,” ASHA, 2024, https://www.asha.org/students/about-speech-language-pathology-careers/.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association, “Speech-Language Pathologists,” ASHA, 2024, https://www.asha.org/students/speech-language-pathologists/.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association, “Who Are Speech-Language Pathologists, and What Do They Do?,” ASHA, 2024, https://www.asha.org/public/who-are-speech-language-pathologists/.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association, “Employment Settings for SLPs,” ASHA, 2024, https://www.asha.org/students/employment-settings-for-slps/.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “ Speech-Language Pathologists: Summary,” BLS, August 29, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association,, “Speech-Language Pathology Medical Review Guidelines,” ASHA, 2015, https://www.asha.org/siteassets/uploadedfiles/slp-medical-review-guidelines.pdf.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing-Association, “Employment Settings for SLPs,” ASHA, 2024, https://www.asha.org/students/employment-settings-for-slps/.
- Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, “Medical Speech-Language Pathologist,” Mayo Clinic, 2023, https://college.mayo.edu/academics/explore-health-care-careers/careers-a-z/medical-speech-language-pathologist/.
- Payscale, “Master of Science (MS), Speech-Language Pathology Degree,” Payscale, 2024, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master_of_Science_(MS)%2C_Speech-Language_Pathology/Salary.
