Speech therapists, also called speech-language pathologists, treat problems with speech, language, voice, fluency and swallowing. A master's degree is the most common education for this profession. As of 2009, 47 states regulated speech therapists, who typically needed a graduate degree, a passing score from a national exam and clinical experience to obtain a license. Most states require continuing education for renewing licenses.
Work Environment and Salaries
Speech therapists work in clean environments that include offices or the bedside of patients in hospitals. Most work 40 hours a week, though a few work part-time or travel between facilities. The work requires intense concentration and sensitivity to the emotional needs of patients and their families. As of May 2009, the median salary for the profession was $65,090 yearly, with a range of $42,310 to $101,820. This is equivalent to $31.29 per hour, with a range of $20.34 to $48.95. All information comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employers
The biggest employers of speech therapists were elementary and secondary schools, where the patients are children and teens. They had over half of the available 111,640 positions and paid a mean salary of $30.22 per hour or $62,860 per year. The highest-paying employers were medical and diagnostic laboratories, with a range of patient ages. They paid a mean salary of $62.81 per hour or $130,640 per year.
Geography
The state with the best-paying employers for speech therapists in May 2009 was Nevada. Compensation there averaged $46.23 per hour or $96,160 per year, but for only 330 positions. Still among the top five for compensation, California paid $38.69 per hour or $80,480 per year. However, because it is the state with the highest population, it offered far more opportunities with 8,630 jobs. For cities, the highest-paying positions were in Las Vegas, Nevada, with mean wages at $53.57 per hour or $111,430 per year for 210 jobs.
Prospects
The Bureau of Labor Statistics sees jobs for speech therapists growing at 19 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is faster than average for all occupations. Much of this growth will come from an aging population with an increasing possibility of speech disorder. The BLS also attributes job growth to the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which guarantees special education services to all eligible children with speech disabilities. Opportunities will be best for those who speak a second language, such as Spanish.
