If you’ve researched careers in speech-language pathology, you may have come across the terms speech pathologist or speech therapist. These terms are sometimes used informally to refer to the role of Speech-Language Pathologist. The accurate professional title of Speech-Language Pathologist is sometimes shortened to “SLP.”  Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are licensed healthcare providers who evaluate and treat people with communication and/or swallowing impairments.

This blog post explores the role of speech-language pathologists in helping adults and children with communication and/or swallowing disorders.

 

What Is the Demand for Speech-Language Pathology in the United States?

Many Americans experience communication difficulties and have communication and swallowing disorders. Speech, language and swallowing problems occur in people of all ages—during development, due to underlying medical conditions or without an identifiable cause.

A study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that one in 12 children aged 3 to 17 has experienced a voice, speech or language disorder in the past year. Among adults, an estimated 38 million experience hearing difficulties, and another three million experience disfluency or stuttering. Nearly 180,000 Americans acquire aphasia each year. Aphasia is a language disorder that can result from stroke, injury, or disease. About 2 million people in the United States currently have aphasia.

Key contributors to the prevalence include:

• Early Diagnosis: Awareness of communication and swallowing disorders is growing, leading to more children being diagnosed at an earlier age.
• Aging Population: Strokes and dementia are expected to become more common as the population of aging adults grows, potentially increasing communication and swallowing disorders.
• Medical Advances: More children are surviving premature birth, and survival rates are also improving for people who have experienced traumatic injuries or stroke. These individuals may need assessment and treatment for associated communication difficulties.

The need for speech-language pathology services is far-reaching. By optimizing individuals’ abilities to communicate and swallow, speech-language pathology helps people improve their quality of life.

 

So what’s the difference? Speech Therapist vs. Speech Pathologist vs. Speech-Language Pathologist

“Speech pathologist” and “speech therapist” are informal titles for the profession of speech-language pathology. “Speech-language pathologist” or “SLP” is the official professional and regulatory title in the United States.

In 1976, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) endorsed “speech-language pathologist” as the title for individuals qualified to diagnose, evaluate and treat speech, language and swallowing disorders. Before this, speech-language pathologists were referred to as “speech pathologists,” “speech therapists,” and, in the early 1900s, “speech teachers” and “speech correctionists.”

It was believed that titles such as “Speech pathologist” and “speech therapist” did not capture the breadth of clinical practice and variety of populations served by SLPs.

On the other hand, “speech-language pathologist” conveys the full scope of practice, which is why it’s the preferred title. Speech-language pathologists assess, diagnose and treat language, swallowing and communication difficulties and disorders.

 

What Is the Scope of Practice of a Speech-Language Pathologist?

Speech-language pathologists have expertise in communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan. As licensed, autonomous health care professionals, they are qualified to address a range of conditions and skills, including:

• Speech Production: Articulation, phonological processes, apraxia, dysarthria
• Fluency: Stuttering, cluttering
• Language: Spoken and written (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, literacy)
• Cognition: Attention, memory, executive functioning, problem-solving
• Voice: Quality, pitch, loudness, alaryngeal voice
• Resonance: Hypernasality, hyponasality, cul-de-sac resonance
• Feeding and Swallowing: Oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal phases; atypical feeding behaviors
• Auditory Habilitation/Rehabilitation: Communication impacted by hearing loss or auditory processing disorders

So, what can a speech-language pathologist do? Speech-language pathologists assess, diagnose and treat people with communication and swallowing disorders. Depending on their practice setting, they may collaborate with physicians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, educators, audiologists and other professionals to achieve clients’ goals.

 

Assessment & Diagnosis

Speech-language pathologists evaluate and make differential diagnoses of communication and swallowing disorders in people of all ages, including:

• Speech disorders
• Language disorders
• Social communication skills and disorders
• Cognitive-communication disorders
• Swallowing disorders

They assess individuals by evaluating their body function, structure, activity and participation, while also considering the environmental and personal factors that shape how individuals function in daily life. Some may partner with aides to collect client information.

Communication Assessment procedures are individualized to the needs of the client but usually include activities such as standardized norm-referenced testing, observation, criterion-referenced tools, case history and reviews of health records and prior test results, as well as interviews with the client and their family members.

Swallowing Assessment procedures include a variety of instrumental and non-instrumental techniques to determine whether the patient has a swallowing disorder.

 

Treatment

Speech-language pathologists develop and implement evidence-based treatment based on the needs of each individual. Treatment aims to build new skills and abilities or remediate those that have been impaired.

Speech-language pathologists may use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems, motor strength and coordination practice, functional language use instruction, and the development of compensatory strategies.

As clinicians, speech-language pathologists improve clients’ functional outcomes. Yet, their expertise and influence extend beyond direct services.

 

What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Do Outside of Clinical Practice?   

Speech-language pathologists are also qualified to serve in roles outside of clinical practice. They advocate, lead, teach and conduct research to advance the profession and expand its impact.

According to ASHA, the other domains of speech-language pathology practice include:

• Advocacy: Advocating on behalf of the profession and the individuals it serves by promoting funding, services, education, research and policies that improve the quality and accessibility of speech-language pathology services.
• Supervision: Supervising graduate externs, trainees, speech-language pathology assistants and other clerical, technical and administrative support professionals.
• Education: Teaching students and professionals in academic and continuing education programs.
• Research: Conducting and participating in research to advance knowledge of communication and swallowing disorders.
• Leadership: Administering and leading speech-language pathology programs across settings to ensure quality, compliance and innovation.

 

Where Do Speech-Language Pathologists Work?

Speech-language pathologists can work in a wide range of settings, allowing them to tailor their careers to their professional interests.

They work with children in early intervention programs and schools, and with individuals experiencing acute or complex medical conditions in health care settings. Some speech-language pathologists open private practices or work in telehealth to better serve their clients and respond to community needs.

These are the largest employers of speech-language pathologists, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• State, local and private educational services (40%)
• Physical, occupational, or speech therapist offices (26%)
• Local, state, and private hospitals (14%)
• Nursing and residential care facilities (4%)
• Self-employed (3%)

With opportunities across many work environments and a growing demand for their services, speech-language pathologists can build a gratifying career.

 

What Is the Career Outlook for Speech-Language Pathologists?

A career in speech-language pathology comes with strong employment demand, competitive earning potential and opportunities for specialization.

Between 2024 and 2034, BLS expects the employment of speech-language pathologists to grow by 15%, five times faster than average. This growth rate equates to an average of 13,000 annual job openings over the decade.

Over half of speech-language pathologists earn more than $95,410 per year, with the top 10% earning more than $132,850. Actual salary depends on many factors, including years of experience, geographic location and work environment.

These are the median salaries by practice setting:

• Nursing and residential care facilities: $106,500
• Hospitals; state, local, and private: $101,560
• Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists: $98,470
• Educational services; state, local, and private: $80,280

Job opportunities and salary also vary by specialization. Speech-language pathologists can obtain specialty certifications in these areas:

• Intraoperative Monitoring (American Audiology Board of Intraoperative Monitoring)
• Child Language and Language Disorders (American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders)
• Fluency and Fluency Disorders (American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders)
• Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders)

For those passionate about helping individuals with communication difficulties, speech-language pathology offers meaningful work and strong job prospects.

 

Why Pursue a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology After Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)?

All states require licensure to practice as a speech-language pathologist. Licensed speech-language pathologists are prepared to make a lifelong impact, from improving a child’s ability to say their first word to helping an adult regain speech after a stroke. They enable clients to participate more fully in their lives while benefiting from a bright career outlook in diverse roles and practice settings.

Professionals seeking licensure in speech-language pathology must earn a graduate degree, typically a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, from an ASHA-accredited program. A master’s degree in speech-language pathology is also a requirement for ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).

If you have a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) or speech-language pathology, then completing graduate education in speech-language pathology is the next step to becoming a speech-language pathologist.

If you have an undergraduate degree that is not in CSD or speech-language pathology, you can still earn a master’s in speech-language pathology. First, you’ll need to take the prerequisite courses for the master’s program you want to pursue. Then, you can apply for admission to the program.

The United States has over 300 master’s degree programs in speech-language pathology. Some programs deliver coursework entirely online, providing students more flexibility on the path to earning their degree.

After earning your master’s degree in speech-language pathology, you’ll follow the licensure process in the state where you plan to practice. Some of the steps in this process are:

• Applying for licensure through the state board.
• Completing at least 36 weeks of post-graduate supervised experience.
• Achieving a passing score on the Praxis speech-language pathology exam.

In all, becoming a speech-language pathologist will take those with a bachelor’s degree in CSD or speech-language pathology approximately three years.

 

Transform Your Passion for Communication into a Rewarding Career with a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology

Whether you’re motivated to help people with communication difficulties because of your own experience or that of loved ones, you can turn your passion for communication into both a personally and professionally rewarding career. Becoming a speech-language pathologist offers the opportunity to work in diverse environments, serving individuals of all ages with varied communication and swallowing needs.

St. Bonaventure University (SBU) offers an online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program that prepares you to deliver client-centered speech-language pathology care, particularly in underserved communities.

Rooted in Franciscan values, our online M.S. in SLP provides a flexible education and engaged learning experiences that will equip you to become a culturally responsive clinician who makes a positive difference:

• Preparation for SLP Certification: Gain academic and clinical training designed to meet the requirements for national certification through ASHA (CCC-SLP) and New York state licensure in speech-language pathology.
• 100% Online Coursework: Attend a mix of both live and asynchronous classes.
• Placement Support: Receive integrated clinical placement support for your local area.
• Culturally Responsive Training: Learn to provide ethical, culturally responsive services to pediatric and adult clients.

Earn your online M.S. in SLP at SBU and set yourself up for success. Learn more about our transformative program and connect with an enrollment advisor today to discover the SBU difference.