Occupation · SOC 29-1127
Speech-Language Pathologists
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.
Median wage
$95,410
$60,480–$132,850
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
178,790
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
251 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningCritical ThinkingWritingLearning StrategiesSpeakingComplex Problem Solving
Knowledge areas
English LanguageEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServicePsychologyTherapy and Counseling
Technology & tools
Music or sound editing softwareMedical softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareCloud-based data access and sharing softwareElectronic mail software
Representative tasks
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.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.Monitor patients' progress and adjust treatments accordingly.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.Instruct clients in techniques for more effective communication, such as sign language, lip reading, or voice improvement.Teach clients to control or strengthen tongue, jaw, face muscles, or breathing mechanisms.Consult with and advise educators or medical staff on speech or hearing topics, such as communication strategies or speech and language stimulation.Develop speech exercise programs to reduce disabilities.Complete administrative responsibilities, such as coordinating paperwork, scheduling case management activities, or writing lesson plans.Consult with and refer clients to additional medical or educational services.Design, develop, or employ alternative diagnostic or communication devices or strategies.Participate in conferences, training, continuing education courses, or publish research results to share knowledge of new hearing or speech disorder treatment methods or technologies.Use computer applications to identify or assist with communication disabilities.Develop individual or group activities or programs in schools to deal with behavior, speech, language, or swallowing problems.Conduct lessons or direct educational or therapeutic games to assist teachers dealing with speech problems.Provide communication instruction to dialect speakers or students with limited English proficiency.Supervise students or assistants.Communicate with students who use an alternative method of communications, using sign language or computer technology.Conduct or direct research on speech or hearing topics and report findings for use in developing procedures, technologies, or treatments.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Standardized speech and language assessment tools — administer under clinical supervision to collect baseline data on type and degree of patient impairments in a supervised clinical or school setting.Barium swallow results and audiological screening outcomes — interpret with supervisor guidance to support initial differential diagnosis of swallowing or communication disorders.Initial client evaluation reports — draft using approved documentation templates under direct oversight to meet Medicaid, IEP, or billing compliance requirements.Evidence-based treatment protocols for common disorders such as stuttering or delayed language — implement under senior clinician direction in structured therapy sessions.Patient progress data — record and flag observable changes to supervising pathologists during routine monitoring intervals in an outpatient or school-based setting.Communication strategies and home-practice techniques — explain to patients and family members using plain language under supervisory review in a clinical intake or counseling session.Medical and psychosocial background information — gather through structured intake interviews and case-file review to inform the diagnostic process under direction.Therapy team communications — participate in collaborative case discussions and transcribe meeting notes for IEP or intervention assistance team records.Medical software and electronic health record systems — enter and retrieve patient session data accurately following established data-entry protocols in a healthcare or school environment.Professional literature and clinical guidelines — read and summarize to support evidence-based practice decisions under faculty or senior pathologist mentorship.
developing
Comprehensive speech, language, and fluency evaluations — conduct and score independently, synthesizing written and oral test results and clinical observations to formulate working diagnoses in outpatient or school contexts.Individualized treatment plans for disorders including voice disorders, fluency impairments, and dysphagia — develop and implement based on own assessment findings and multidisciplinary team input with minimal oversight.Patient progress trajectories — monitor across a full caseload, adjusting therapy targets and session intensity in response to measurable outcomes in a community clinic or hospital-based setting.Clinical documentation including progress notes, discharge summaries, and billing records — produce accurately and on schedule to satisfy regulatory and institutional requirements.IEP meetings, in-service sessions, and intervention assistance team conferences — contribute professional findings and written reports as a full participating member of the educational or clinical team.Patient and family education programs — design and deliver covering communication strategies, compensatory swallowing techniques, and disorder management within a multidisciplinary care framework.Analytical or scientific software and medical platforms — use routinely to analyze acoustic or physiological data and generate diagnostic reports in clinical or research-adjacent environments.Critical thinking and inductive reasoning — apply to interpret ambiguous or complex case presentations, selecting among competing diagnostic hypotheses with growing confidence.Caseload scheduling and time management — coordinate independently across multiple patient populations, balancing direct therapy, documentation, and team meeting obligations in high-demand settings.Emerging clinical staff and practicum students — orient to assessment tools, therapy protocols, and documentation standards under the general guidance of a supervising pathologist.
proficient
Complex, multi-factorial speech and language disorders including neurogenic communication impairments and severe dysphagia — diagnose and treat autonomously by integrating barium swallow results, instrumental assessments, and comprehensive case histories in acute hospital or specialty clinic settings.Non-routine treatment challenges such as co-occurring disorders or treatment-resistant fluency conditions — resolve by designing individualized, evidence-grounded intervention plans that draw on psychological, medical, and sociological perspectives.Full caseload outcomes — monitor systematically using analytical software and data review cycles, modifying treatment plans proactively to optimize functional gains across diverse patient populations.Multidisciplinary team leadership in IEP meetings, care conferences, and intervention assistance teams — assume, producing authoritative written and verbal reports that drive team decision-making.Voice, resonance, and swallowing disorder programs — develop and continuously refine for a clinical department or school district, incorporating current research into protocol design.Patients and families facing rare or highly complex communication conditions — counsel with empathy and precision, calibrating explanations to health literacy levels and cultural contexts in long-term care or specialized outpatient environments.Medical software, acoustic analysis tools, and cloud-based data-sharing platforms — integrate fluidly into daily clinical workflow to ensure diagnostic precision and inter-professional data continuity.Systems-level analysis of service delivery gaps — conduct within an assigned program, identifying barriers to patient access and recommending structured process improvements.Graduate-level practicum students and clinical fellows — supervise and evaluate against professional competency standards throughout full-year placements in accredited healthcare or educational settings.Professional development curricula on specialized topics such as augmentative communication or pediatric feeding disorders — design and deliver to interprofessional audiences in continuing education or in-service formats.
advanced
Organizational vision and strategic direction for speech-language pathology services — set across a hospital system, school district, or multi-site practice, aligning program goals with institutional, regulatory, and population-health priorities.Department-wide clinical quality standards and outcome benchmarking systems — establish and govern, using data from electronic health records and analytical platforms to drive evidence-based policy across the full practitioner team.Advanced research initiatives and grant-funded studies on communication disorders, swallowing function, or treatment efficacy — lead or serve as principal investigator, translating findings into publishable literature and updated clinical guidelines.Mentorship pipelines for early-career pathologists and clinical fellows — architect at the organizational level, embedding competency-based evaluation frameworks and formal professional development pathways.Cross-functional partnerships with physicians, psychologists, educators, and administrators — lead at the executive or program-director level to integrate speech-language pathology into comprehensive, patient-centered care models.Legislative, accreditation, and ethical standards governing clinical practice and documentation — interpret and implement organization-wide, ensuring full compliance and serving as the institutional subject-matter authority.Complex public health or system-level communication disorder challenges — address through policy advocacy, community outreach programs, and inter-agency collaboration that extend the profession's societal impact.Organizational adoption of emerging technologies including AI-assisted diagnostic tools, telehealth platforms, and computer-based training software — champion and evaluate, shaping institutional readiness and staff capability.High-stakes, precedent-setting clinical cases involving ethical dilemmas or novel presentations — provide expert consultative judgment that informs not only individual patient care but broader institutional protocols.Next-generation professional training programs at university affiliates or residency sites — co-design with academic partners, ensuring alignment between graduate-level curriculum and the evolving competency demands of the occupation.
Also known as
28 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Speech and Language ClinicianSpeech PathologistSpeech Correction ConsultantSpeech ClinicianSchool SLP (School Speech Language Pathologist)Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP)Voice PathologistSpeech TherapistPublic School Speech TherapistLanguage PathologistSpeech-Language SpecialistDirector, Speech-and-Hearing ClinicSpeech Language PathologistPediatric SLP (Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist)Speech and Language TeacherAudiology (Army 72C)Oral TherapistTravel SLP (Travel Speech Language Pathologist)Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP)Home Health SLP (Home Health Speech Language Pathologist)SLP CF (Speech Language Pathologist Clinical Fellow)Speech and Language TherapistTeletherapy SLP (Teletherapy Speech Language Pathologist)SNF RN (Skilled Nursing Facility Registered Nurse)Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)Speech and Language SpecialistVirtual School SLP (Virtual School Speech Language Pathologist)Public School Speech Clinician