Bright outlook
Education
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $107,310
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Instructing
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
ProgramsHealth Professions and Related Programs
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
CIP51.02
292 colleges offer Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 292
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $58,490
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $19,500
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 32
- Associate's
- 39
- Bachelor's
- 292
- Master's
- 292
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 13
- Doctoral
- 100
- First professional
- 66
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 46
What it covers
About Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
A program that focuses on the application of biomedical, psychological, and physical principles to the study of the scientific bases, development, and treatment of speech, language, hearing, and cognitive communication problems caused by disease, injury, or disability. Includes instruction in language science, hearing science, speech and voice science, biology of communication, behavioral linguistics, psychology, and applications to the development of diagnostic and rehabilitative strategies and technologies.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 51.02.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 51.02.
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General
- Audiology/Audiologist
- Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
- Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 32 | $54,3984 yrs after · 2 colleges | $15,9373 colleges |
| Associate's | 39 | $45,9714 yrs after · 1 college | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 292 | $58,4904 yrs after · 206 colleges | $19,500199 colleges |
| Master's | 292 | $65,7864 yrs after · 223 colleges | $41,000247 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 13 | $35,0081 yr after · 2 colleges | $13,2692 colleges |
| Doctoral | 100 | $89,2334 yrs after · 15 colleges | $81,21510 colleges |
| First professional | 66 | $89,1934 yrs after · 6 colleges | $85,4883 colleges |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 46 | $60,0191 yr after · 1 college | $37,2161 college |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Communication Disorders Sciences and Services graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
University of Washington-Seattle
Seattle, WA · Public · 45 graduates
$80,947
debt $12,500
- 2
Loma Linda, CA · Private nonprofit · 11 graduates
$79,062
debt not reported
- 3
Queens, NY · Public · 52 graduates
$78,281
debt not reported
- 4
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofit · 25 graduates
$77,549
debt $22,362
- 5
New Rochelle, NY · Private nonprofit · 31 graduates
$77,352
debt $20,500
- 6
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 24 graduates
$75,970
debt not reported
- 7
Brookville, NY · Private nonprofit · 19 graduates
$75,502
debt not reported
- 8
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · Public · 61 graduates
$75,137
debt $19,218
- 9
St. John's University-New York
Queens, NY · Private nonprofit · 56 graduates
$74,937
debt $23,250
- 10
Rockville Centre, NY · Private nonprofit · 16 graduates
$74,070
debt $25,500
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Communication Disorders Sciences and Services by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Speech-Language Pathologists
- Median pay
- $97,870
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Master's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Audiologists
- Median pay
- $95,780
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Doctoral or professional degree
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
More in Health Professions and Related Programs
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing1,111 colleges
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions930 colleges
- Health and Medical Administrative Services890 colleges
- Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants864 colleges
- Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services796 colleges
- Public Health540 colleges
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General461 colleges
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions424 colleges
Questions about Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
How many colleges offer Communication Disorders Sciences and Services?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Communication Disorders Sciences and Services at these degree levels: certificate (32 colleges), associate's (39 colleges), bachelor's (292 colleges), master's (292 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (13 colleges), doctoral (100 colleges), first professional (66 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (46 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Communication Disorders Sciences and Services graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Communication Disorders Sciences and Services earn $58,490 a year four years after finishing, across 206 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Communication Disorders Sciences and Services graduates earn the most?
University of Washington-Seattle reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Communication Disorders Sciences and Services: $80,947 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.