Yearly Income for a Speech Pathologist
Speech pathologists treat patients who have problems with sound production, language fluency, voice pitch or swallowing. A master's degree is typically needed and about 47 states also mandate some kind of licensing, which requires passing a national exam, 300 to 375 hours of supervised clinical experience, and nine months of postgraduate professional clinical experience.
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Basics
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Speech pathologists work 40-hour weeks, though about 20 percent work part-time. They usually have surroundings that are comfortable for patients. However, they may also work at patients' bedsides or in their homes. Those in schools may work with students in classroom. As of May 2009, speech pathologists earned a median salary of $65,090 yearly, with a range of $42,310 to $101,820. This equals $31.29 per hour, with a range of $20.34 to $48.95. All amounts are the latest available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employers
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The biggest employers of speech pathologists were elementary and secondary schools with over half of the available 111,640 jobs. They paid a mean $30.22 per hour or $62,860 per year. Second on this list were the offices of other health practitioners, including pathologists who were self-employed. They comprised 15 percent of the available jobs and paid higher means at $35.96 per hour or $74,810 per year. The highest-paying employers were medical and diagnostic labs at a mean $62.81 per hour or $130,640 per year.
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Geography
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The state with the best pay for speech pathologists was Nevada, with compensation at a mean $46.23 per hour or $96,160 per year for 330 jobs. Also among the top five for salaries was California with lower means at $38.69 per hour or $80,480 per year but higher employment at 8,630 positions. For cities, Las Vegas, Nevada, tops the list with means of $53.57 per hour or $111,430 per year for 210 jobs. It is followed by Fresno, California, where means are at $46.95 per hour or $97,650 per year for 130 positions.
Future
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The BLS projects the number of jobs for speech pathologists to increase by 19 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is faster than average for all positions. An aging baby boom generation will drive this demand, since their chances of developing speech, language and swallowing problems is greater than that of the general population. Demand will also come from schools who try to accommodate eligible children who fall under the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Opportunities will be best for those who speak a second language such as Spanish.
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References
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