# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/speech-language-pathologists
- SOC code: 29-1127.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $97,870 (10th percentile $62,900, 90th percentile $134,160)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +16.6%
- Openings a year: 12,500
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 27 |
| Investigative (I) | 76 |
| Artistic (A) | 33 |
| Social (S) | 85 |
| Enterprising (E) | 7 |
| Conventional (C) | 51 |

## What you'd do

- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 99/100)
- Getting Information (importance 95/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 92/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 90/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 90/100)
- Developing Objectives and Strategies (importance 87/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 86/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 83/100)
- Performing Administrative Activities (importance 82/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Learning Strategies, Speaking, Writing, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Instructing

## Knowledge

English Language, Education and Training, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology, Therapy and Counseling, Administrative, Sociology and Anthropology, Medicine and Dentistry, Communications and Media, Public Safety and Security

## Also called

Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP), Home Health SLP (Home Health Speech Language Pathologist), Language Pathologist, Oral Therapist, Pediatric SLP (Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist), Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP), Public School Speech Clinician, Public School Speech Therapist, School SLP (School Speech Language Pathologist), SLP CF (Speech Language Pathologist Clinical Fellow)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Communication Disorders Sciences and Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5102) (CIP 5102, 378 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Washington-Seattle Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-seattle-main-campus-3075) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $33,520 | $80,947 | $12,500 |
| [Loma Linda University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/loma-linda-university-1516) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | not reported | $79,062 | not reported |
| [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-queens-college-746) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $31,666 | $78,281 | not reported |
| [University of the Pacific](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-the-pacific-3061) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | not reported | $77,549 | $22,362 |
| [Iona College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/iona-college-1302) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | not reported | $77,352 | $20,500 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | not reported | $75,970 | not reported |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | not reported | $75,502 | not reported |
| [California State University-Long Beach](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-long-beach-371) | Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | not reported | $75,137 | $19,218 |

## Related careers

- [Speech-Language Pathology Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/speech-language-pathology-assistants): $48,430 median pay
- [Occupational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapists): $100,330 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants): $72,300 median pay
- [Audiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/audiologists): $95,780 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Recreational Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/recreational-therapists): $61,960 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.