Speech-Language Pathologist

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Work Tasks

• Treat people with speech and language disorders
• Use special instruments and tests to learn what problems the patient has
• Help patients to make the correct sounds and to control breathing
• Teach sign language and other things that help people communicate
• Work for elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities; speech, language, and hearing centers; hospitals, nursing homes, doctors' offices, outpatient-care facilities, home healthcare agencies, and private practice
• Work with audiovisual equipment, computers, tape recorders, spectrographs, communication boards, electronic automated systems, sign language, gesture systems, and client records

Salary, Size & Growth

• $67,000 average per year ($32.25 per hour)
• A medium occupation (112,500 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.9% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A master's degree and license in speech-language pathology
• Employers Prefer: Additional training and experience, and a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)
• Skills/Courses: College courses include anatomy, physiology, development of speech, language, and swallowing, related disorders, acoustics, and psychology of communication.
• Certification/Licensing: Licensing or certification is required.