Speech-Language Pathologists
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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.
Sample of reported job titles: Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist, Communication Specialist, Educational Speech-Language Clinician, Speech and Hearing Handicapped Teacher, Speech and Language Clinician, Speech and Language Specialist, Speech and Language Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Speech Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
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Tasks | Technology Skills | Tools Used | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Work Activities | Detailed Work Activities | Work Context | Job Zone | Education | Credentials | Interests | Work Styles | Work Values | Related Occupations | Wages & Employment | Job Openings | Additional Information
Tasks
All 22 displayed- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Complete administrative responsibilities, such as coordinating paperwork, scheduling case management activities, or writing lesson plans.
- Develop individual or group activities or programs in schools to deal with behavior, speech, language, or swallowing problems.
- Instruct clients in techniques for more effective communication, such as sign language, lip reading, or voice improvement.
- 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.
- Teach clients to control or strengthen tongue, jaw, face muscles, or breathing mechanisms.
- Participate in conferences, training, continuing education courses, or publish research results to share knowledge of new hearing or speech disorder treatment methods or technologies.
- Consult with and refer clients to additional medical or educational services.
- Communicate with non-speaking students, using sign language or computer technology.
- Consult with and advise educators or medical staff on speech or hearing topics, such as communication strategies or speech and language stimulation.
- Design, develop, or employ alternative diagnostic or communication devices or strategies.
- Develop speech exercise programs to reduce disabilities.
- Conduct lessons or direct educational or therapeutic games to assist teachers dealing with speech problems.
- Use computer applications to identify or assist with communication disabilities.
- Provide communication instruction to dialect speakers or students with limited English proficiency.
- Conduct or direct research on speech or hearing topics and report findings for use in developing procedures, technologies, or treatments.
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Technology Skills
All 13 displayed Show 26 tools used- Analytical or scientific software — Avaaz Innovations Computerized Speech Research Environment CSRE; Language analysis software; Signal analysis software; Speech analysis software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software — Dropbox
- Computer based training software — Text to speech software
- Desktop communications software — Tadpoles
- Electronic mail software — Email software
- Internet browser software — Web browser software
- Medical software — Biofeedback software; Bungalow Software Aphasia Tutor; KayPENTAX Nasometer; Micro Video Voice Speech Training System (see all 10 examples)
- Music or sound editing software — Adobe Systems Adobe Audition; Apple Logic Pro
- Office suite software — Microsoft Office
- Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel
- Video creation and editing software — YouTube
- Voice recognition software — Words+ E Z Keys for Windows
- Word processing software — Microsoft Word
Hot Technology — a technology requirement frequently included in employer job postings.
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Knowledge
All 6 displayed- English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Therapy and Counseling — Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- Medicine and Dentistry — Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
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Skills
All 19 displayed- Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.
- Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
- Time Management — Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
- Negotiation — Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Operations Analysis — Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Persuasion — Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Systems Analysis — Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
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Abilities
All 19 displayed- Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Fluency of Ideas — The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
- Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Category Flexibility — The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
- Hearing Sensitivity — The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
- Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Auditory Attention — The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
- Originality — The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Flexibility of Closure — The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
- Perceptual Speed — The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
- Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
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Work Activities
All 27 displayed- Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
- Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
- Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Working with Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
- Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
- Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
- Providing Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
- Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
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Detailed Work Activities
All 20 displayed- Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
- Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.
- Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
- Maintain medical facility records.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
- Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
- Prepare healthcare training materials.
- Process healthcare paperwork.
- Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
- Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
- Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
- Test patient hearing.
- Supervise patient care personnel.
- Present medical research reports.
- Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
- Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
- Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
- Develop health assessment methods or programs.
- Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel.
- Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
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Work Context
All 19 displayed- Contact With Others — 84% responded “Constant contact with others.”
- Face-to-Face Discussions — 87% responded “Every day.”
- Work With Work Group or Team — 73% responded “Extremely important.”
- Electronic Mail — 76% responded “Every day.”
- Freedom to Make Decisions — 58% responded “A lot of freedom.”
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 86% responded “Every day.”
- Structured versus Unstructured Work — 48% responded “A lot of freedom.”
- Telephone — 49% responded “Every day.”
- Physical Proximity — 43% responded “Very close (near touching).”
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 43% responded “Extremely important.”
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 45% responded “Very important results.”
- Frequency of Decision Making — 46% responded “Every day.”
- Time Pressure — 43% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
- Letters and Memos — 37% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
- Spend Time Sitting — 46% responded “More than half the time.”
- Deal With External Customers — 26% responded “Extremely important.”
- Coordinate or Lead Others — 30% responded “Very important.”
- Duration of Typical Work Week — 39% responded “More than 40 hours.”
- Exposed to Disease or Infections — 31% responded “Every day.”
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Job Zone
| Title | Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed |
| Education | Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master’s degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). |
| Related Experience | Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. |
| Job Training | Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians. |
| SVP Range | (8.0 and above) |
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Education
 Percentage of Respondents |
Education Level Required |
|---|---|
81   |
Master’s degree |
| 19 |
Post-master’s certificate
 |
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Credentials
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Interests
All 3 displayedInterest code: SIA Want to discover your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler at My Next Move.
- Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Investigative — Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Artistic — Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
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Work Styles
All 16 displayed- Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Self-Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Independence — Job requires developing one’s own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
- Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
- Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
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Work Values
All 3 displayed- Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Independence — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
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Related Occupations
All 8 displayed| 21-1012.00 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors  |
| 21-1022.00 | Healthcare Social Workers Bright Outlook |
| 21-1091.00 | Health Education Specialists |
| 25-1071.00 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1072.00 | Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1122.00 | Communications Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-1192.00 | Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-2058.00 | Special Education Teachers, Secondary School |
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Wages & Employment Trends
| Median wages (2020) | $38.69 hourly, $80,480 annual |
| State wages | |
| Local wages | |
| Employment (2020) | 158,100 employees |
| Projected growth (2020-2030) |  Much faster than average (15% or higher) |
| Projected job openings (2020-2030) | 15,200 |
| State trends | |
| Top industries (2020) |
Health Care and Social Assistance
Educational Services
|
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 wage data 
and 2020-2030 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2020-2030). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
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Job Openings on the Web
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Sources of Additional Information
All 7 displayedDisclaimer: Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries. Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
- Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Council for Exceptional Children
- International Literacy Association
- National Education Association
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Speech-language pathologists
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