Speech-language pathologists need a master’s degree from a program accredited by ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA), with supervised clinical hours built in. Graduates then pass the Praxis exam in speech-language pathology, complete a paid clinical fellowship and apply for a state license, and most also earn ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). Plan on roughly six to seven years after high school.
A typical week for an SLP
SLPs evaluate and treat problems with speech sounds, language, stuttering, voice, social communication and swallowing. The client could be a preschooler who is not talking yet, a second grader who struggles to read, a teenager who stutters or an adult relearning words after a brain injury.
- Schools: a large share of SLPs work in schools, running small group and individual sessions and writing goals for IEP meetings.
- Medical settings: hospitals, rehab centers and skilled nursing, where swallowing evaluations are a big part of the job.
- Other settings: early intervention in family homes, private practice and teletherapy.
- The paperwork: progress notes, data tracking and reports take real time, especially with a large caseload.
The education path
- Bachelor’s degree: communication sciences and disorders (CSD) is the most direct major. If you major in something else, you take prerequisite courses through a post-baccalaureate or leveling program before applying.
- Science and statistics: ASHA also expects coursework in biological science, physical science (chemistry or physics), statistics and social or behavioral science.
- Master’s degree: usually about two years, combining coursework with supervised clinical practicum. ASHA requires 400 supervised clinical hours, most of them direct work with clients.
- Assistant route: some states license or register speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), usually with an associate or bachelor’s degree. It is a good way to test the field, but it is a different role with a narrower scope.
Choosing an undergraduate major with grad school in mind is its own decision; our guide on how to choose a major can help.
Praxis, the clinical fellowship and the CCC
After your master’s, you take the Praxis exam in speech-language pathology and complete a clinical fellowship, at least 36 weeks of full-time work (or the part-time equivalent) under the mentorship of an SLP who holds the CCC. Then you can apply for ASHA’s CCC-SLP. Separately, every state licenses SLPs, and school jobs may need a state education credential as well. Requirements vary by state, so check your state licensing board and department of education.
Getting from high school to your first job
- In high school, take biology, psychology, a foreign language if you can and anything that builds writing skills.
- Volunteer with young kids, a reading program or older adults to see how communication problems show up in real life.
- Pick a CSD major, or another major plus the prerequisites. Keep your grades strong; master’s programs are selective.
- Observe licensed SLPs and log those hours. Programs often ask for them.
- Apply to CAA-accredited master’s programs in your senior year.
- Complete your clinical hours, pass the Praxis, finish your clinical fellowship and get your state license.
How to know if it fits
- Shadow one SLP in a school and one in a hospital. Swallowing work in a hospital and articulation groups in an elementary school are very different jobs.
- Take an online or community college intro course in communication disorders.
- Work as a classroom aide or, where your state allows it, an SLPA.
- Use informational interviews to ask SLPs how they handle caseloads and paperwork.
Who stays in the field, and who moves on
SLPs who thrive are good listeners, patient with slow progress, curious about language and comfortable tracking data. The most common reasons people leave or change settings are large school caseloads, heavy paperwork and the stress of meetings with families and school teams. Many move between schools, medical settings and private practice before finding the right fit.
Starting later
Teachers, linguistics and psychology majors, and parents who saw speech therapy up close often move into this field. A post-baccalaureate leveling program, some of them online, covers the prerequisites before graduate school. Our guides to a mid-career pivot and deciding on grad school help you weigh the time involved. For current pay and outlook, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Where a mentor helps
This path has many moving parts: prerequisites, observation hours, applications, a clinical fellowship. A mentor helps you explore the field, plan the sequence, stay on track week by week and prepare for applications and the first job. Mentors are not credentialed career counselors, admissions counselors or licensing experts; ASHA and your state board remain the sources for rules. Learn about our career and education mentoring and young adult mentoring.
Related
- Career paths: guides to more careers
- How to become an occupational therapist
- How to become a teacher
- How to become a therapist
Common questions
Can you become an SLP with a bachelor’s degree?
Not as a fully licensed SLP. A master’s degree is the standard requirement, though some states let people with a bachelor’s work as speech-language pathology assistants.
What is a clinical fellowship?
It is a paid, supervised period of at least 36 weeks of full-time work after graduate school, mentored by an SLP who holds the CCC. It is required for ASHA’s CCC-SLP.
Do I need to major in communication sciences and disorders?
No. Many students major in psychology, linguistics or education and then complete the prerequisite courses through a leveling program before applying to master’s programs.
Is the CCC-SLP the same as a state license?
No. The CCC is a national credential from ASHA, while a license comes from your state. Most SLPs hold both.
Get started
Considering speech-language pathology and want a mentor to help you plan? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.