Speech Pathologist Salary
Before we get into the specific’s of a speech pathologist’s salary, it is important that you get a good handle on what the job is all about first. Also known as speech-language pathologists, speech pathologists are highly-trained professionals that deal with evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients with communication disabilities. Speech pathologists aid individuals in preventing or overcoming communication problems like slurring or lisps, articulation, impaired language, and stuttering. Some of the most common people that speech pathologists work with are those with swallowing disorders, learning disabilities, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy. When a person unfortunately suffers from a stroke or major trauma, the ability to speak and communicate is one of the first things that get impaired so this is where speech pathologists come in.
A speech pathologist has a variety of methods in their arsenal when dealing with their patient’s various speech problems. Some of the commonly used methods include one-on-one, group and family therapy sessions within which multimedia programs, automated devices, toys, books, sound analyzers, and sign language may be used. A speech pathologist will create a treatment plan tailor made to fit their individual patient’s needs. While many speech pathologists deal with patients who have severe medical problems with speech, they also help people looking to improve on their pronunciation, enunciation, and accentuation.
Speech Pathologist Salary
The average speech pathologist salary in the United States is $68,244 a year. Of course salaries will vary depending on factors like location, the company you are working for, and the job level you are at. Median salary for a speech pathologist recorded in the United States is at $38,620 to $72,706, with bonuses ranging from $100 to $5,000. Total pay you can expect a speech pathologist to have then is at $41,105 and $93,014.
Education and Certification Needed to Become a Speech Pathologist
Generally speaking most speech pathologists will need to complete a Master’s Degree at a college or university. In pursuing your master’s degree you will usually take courses covering areas such as physiology, anatomy, courses focusing on the development of speech, language and swallowing. Courses covering specific disorders as well as communication are also often required.
There are various possible certifications a prospective speech pathologist may chose to pursue. These vary from state to state and can get a little complex. Here’s a quote from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on both certification and licensure:
Typical licensing requirements are a master’s degree from an accredited college or university; a passing score on the national examination on speech-language pathology, offered through the Praxis Series of the Educational Testing Service; 300 to 375 hours of supervised clinical experience; and 9 months of postgraduate professional clinical experience. Most States have continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Medicaid, Medicare, and private health insurers generally require a practitioner to be licensed to qualify for reimbursement. For specific regulation and eligibility requirements contact your State’s regulatory board.
State regulation of speech-language pathologists may differ for pathologists practicing in schools. For information on State regulation of speech-language pathologists in public schools contact your State’s Department of Education. The Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) credential offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is a voluntary credential; however, the CCC-SLP meets some or all of the requirements for licensure in some States. To earn a CCC, a person must have a graduate degree from an accredited university, which typically includes a 400-hour supervised clinical practicum, complete a 36-week full-time postgraduate clinical fellowship, and pass the Praxis Series examination in speech-language pathology administered by the Educational Testing Service.
Job Growth Outlook for Speech Pathologists
Job growth for speech pathologists is expected to grow at a rate of 19% between 2008-2018. This is faster than average when compared to other U.S. jobs.
Because of the increasing age of the baby boomer generation, speech pathology is expected to become increasingly called upon to help with a variety of problems.
Job openings should be numerous as many of those same baby boomers retire and their shoes will need to be filled. One thing to keep in mind is that those speech pathologists adept in multiple languages (such as Spanish) are expected to have a huge advantage in terms of “employability”.
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