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Careers›Roles›Speech and Language Therapist
Mid-Level

Speech and Language Therapist

You manage speech language pathology services. As a Speech Language Pathologist Manager, you're supervising clinicians, overseeing programs, and ensuring effective speech therapy delivery.

Speech and Language Therapist pay typically runs $75K–$113K at this level, and jobs in this field are projected to grow 15% through 2034.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
S
I
C
A
R
E
Socialhelping, teaching
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Speech and Language Therapists
Professional ServicesRetailHealthcare · 53%Education · 42%Government · 2%Administrative Services · 2%
Job markets for Speech and Language Therapists
Where Speech and Language Therapist jobs concentrate · ~369 metro areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Healthcare
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers

While you’re learning about the Speech and Language Therapist role, anything we can help you with this week?

What it's like

What it's like to be a Speech and Language Therapist

Speech and Language Therapists (the primary title used in the UK, Ireland, and many other countries) provide assessment and treatment for communication and swallowing disorders across all age groups and settings. The role is equivalent to what the U.S. calls a Speech-Language Pathologist, with the same clinical scope: articulation, language, fluency, voice, AAC, and dysphagia.

The settings vary widely — NHS hospitals, community clinics, schools, care homes, private practice, and voluntary organizations all employ SLTs. Each setting brings its own patient population, multidisciplinary team structure, and balance between clinical and administrative demands.

Caseload size and waiting times can be a significant source of professional frustration: high demand for speech and language services often exceeds available provision, meaning therapists carry knowledge that patients need but can't always access. Prioritization decisions — who gets seen first, who waits — carry ethical weight. People who thrive tend to be resilient in systems that are imperfect, find genuine meaning in the communication improvements they enable, and have developed sustainable practices for managing a demanding caseload without burning out.

What people in this role value
RelationshipsHigh
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
Working ConditionsAbove avg
RecognitionModerate
SupportModerate
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns

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Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Professional Services$77K+1%
Energy & Utilities$77K+0%
Technology & Information$74K-4%
Financial Services$70K-9%
Healthcare$70K-9%
Compared to Healthcare average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Speech and Language Therapists (SOC 29-1127.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Healthcare →
Speech and Language TherapistAmerican Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter)Sign Language TranslatorSign Language InterpreterForeign Language InterpreterSchool Sign Language InterpreterSpeech Language PathologistSpeech ClinicianHome Health SLP (Home Health Speech Language Pathologist)Speech TherapistPediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP)Pediatric SLP (Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist)Speech Correction ConsultantSpeech and Language ClinicianSNF RN (Skilled Nursing Facility Registered Nurse)Teletherapy SLP (Teletherapy Speech Language Pathologist)Oral TherapistVoice PathologistSpeech-Language SpecialistSpeech and Language TeacherVirtual School SLP (Virtual School Speech Language Pathologist)Language PathologistSchool SLP (School Speech Language Pathologist)Public School Speech ClinicianTravel SLP (Travel Speech Language Pathologist)+1 more

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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$60K–$133K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
179K
U.S. Employment
+15%
10yr Growth
13K
Annual Openings

How Speech and Language Therapist pay & employment are changing

$74K$71K$68K$65K$62K201920202021202220232024$62K$74K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingLearning StrategiesWritingSpeakingInstructingComplex Problem SolvingActive Learning
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
29-1127.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

directorHealth and Wellness Director$61KmidAmerican Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter)$59KmidSign Language Translator$59KmidSign Language Interpreter$59KmidForeign Language Interpreter$59KmidSchool Sign Language Interpreter$59K
View all Healthcare roles →

Common questions about what it's like to be a Speech and Language Therapist

What does a Speech and Language Therapist do?

You manage speech language pathology services. As a Speech Language Pathologist Manager, you're supervising clinicians, overseeing programs, and ensuring effective speech therapy delivery.

How much does a Speech and Language Therapist make?

Median pay for a Speech and Language Therapist is about $95K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $60K to $133K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).

What skills does a Speech and Language Therapist need?

Core skills for this role include Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Learning Strategies.

What education do you need to be a Speech and Language Therapist?

Most people in this role hold a master's degree.

Is a Speech and Language Therapist in demand?

Employment in this field is projected to grow about 15% through 2034, with roughly 178,790 people working in it today (BLS).

What jobs are similar to a Speech and Language Therapist?

Closely related roles include Health and Wellness Director, American Sign Language Interpreter (ASL Interpreter), and Sign Language Translator.

Career advice

Speech and Language Therapist career advice

Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.

  • Micro habitMakes honest feedback easier to give you next time.Tell someone what their feedback changed
  • Micro habitStaying close to people you like and respect.Stay close to people you respect
  • Simple exerciseSee a company the way its own people do, before you ask to join it.Understand a company before you apply
  • Simple exerciseFind your footing after a reorg, and start well with whoever you now work for.Stay steady through a reorg

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More career advice

  • Keep your resume warm
  • Ask how your review would go today
  • Share how you work best
  • Make it answerable in one reply
  • Be reachable when your role needs it
  • Take a disappointing review one step at a time
  • Notice where your styles differ
  • Compare the whole offer

We believe careers grow through small steps taken often, more than big leaps. So we’ve collected hundreds of them for you to try.

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.

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