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New York Health Careers

Speech-Language Pathologists

What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Do?

Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, assess, diagnose, treat, and help to  prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency in people of all ages. Speech-language pathologists work with people who cannot produce speech sounds or cannot produce them clearly; those with speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering or slurred speech or other speech impairment; people with voice disorders, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice; those with problems understanding and producing language; those who wish to improve their communication skills by modifying an accent; and those with cognitive communication impairments, resulting from brain injury, stroke, or attention, memory, and problem-solving disorders.

Speech-language pathologists often work with audiologists because some speech problems are a direct result of hearing problems. (See Audiologists section on this website.) For more information on speech-language pathologists, go to: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm.

Where Do Speech-Language Pathologists Work?

In the U.S., nearly half of all speech-language pathologists work in schools; most others are employed by health care and social assistance facilities. Some speech-language pathologists also work in patients’ homes.

What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Earn?

According to the 2019 BLS, the average salary for full time speech-language pathologists nationwide was $82,000, varying by specialty and geographic region. Average annual salary also varies greatly across New York State, depending on location. The NYSDOL reports that speech-language pathologists in New York earned an average annual salary of $96,770, (entry level-$54,940, experienced- $149,470).

Supply and Demand

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of jobs for speech-language pathologists nationwide will increase by 17.8% between 2016 and 2026, and will increase by 21.6% in New York during the same time period. The demand for speech-language pathologists will grow as an aging population may have increased difficulties with neurological disorders and associated speech, language, and swallowing impairments. Medical advances are also improving the survival rate of premature infants and trauma and stroke victims, who then need assessment and sometimes treatment. Employment in educational services will increase with the growth in elementary and secondary school enrollments, including enrollment of special education students. Greater awareness of the importance of early identification and diagnosis of speech and language disorders in young children will also increase employment for speech-language pathologists.

For more information on employment projections of speech-language pathologists by New York State labor regions, 2014-2024, click here.

Educational Program Requirements

In New York, speech-language pathologists are required to have a graduate degree in speech-language pathology. Master’s level programs in speech-language pathology include coursework in basic communication processes, audiology, scientific areas of speech-language pathology and language, as well as a supervised practice of at least 400 hours.

Most master’s programs require an undergraduate degree in speech-language pathology, audiology, or a relevant or more generic degree, such as communications disorders.

New York Licensure Requirements

To be licensed as a speech pathologist in New York, an individual must have finished a graduate degree in speech-language pathology from an approved educational program; completed at least nine months (36 weeks) of supervised clinical experience; and pass the Specialty Area test of the Praxis Series, Praxis II, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

For more information on the Praxis Series test for speech-language pathology, go to: http://www.ets.org/praxis/.
Speech-language pathologists are also required to take continuing education courses to maintain licensure. For more information on New York licensing requirements for speech-language pathologists, go to: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/slpa/speechlic.htm.

Financial Support

Many of the colleges and universities listed below have scholarships and other funding awards available for speech-language pathology students. Please check the programs’ websites and with the financial aid office at the school.

In addition, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation offers several scholarship opportunities. For information, go to: http://www.ashfoundation.org/grants/default.htm.

Education Programs in New York (subject to change)

Note: Please click on each school’s name to view the school’s website for available academic programs.

Adelphi University
1 South Avenue
Garden City, NY 11530-0701
(516) 877-4850
Brooklyn College-CUNY
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
(718) 951-5000
Buffalo State College – SUNY
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 878-4412
College of Saint Rose
432 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203
(800) 637-8556
Hofstra University
106 Davison Hall
Hempstead, NY 11549
(516) 463-5508 or (516) 463-5509
Hunter College – CUNY
425 East 25th Street
New York, NY 10010
(212) 481-4467
Ithaca College
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 274-3248
Lehman College- CUNY
250 Bedford Park Blvd.
West Bronx, NY 10468-1589
(718) 960-8134
Long Island University
Brooklyn Campus
1 University Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 780-4122
Long Island University
C.W. Post Campus
720 Northern Blvd.
Brookville, NY 11548
(516) 299-2436
Mercy College
555 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
(914) 674-7743
Nazareth College
4245 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 389-2525
New York Medical College
40 Sunshine Cottage Rd
Valhalla, NY 10595
(914) 594-4000
New York University
Steinhardt School of Culture, Educ, & Human Dev
665 Broadway, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10012
(212) 998-5230
SUNY Plattsburgh
101 Broad Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 564-2000
Queens College- CUNY
65-30 Kissena Blvd.
Flushing, NY 11367
(718) 997-5000
St. John’s University
8000 Utopia Parkway
Jamaica, NY 11439
(718) 990-2000
University at Buffalo -SUNY
3435 Main St
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 829-2797
SUNY New Paltz
1 Hawk Drive
New Paltz, NY 12561
(845) 257-3620
SUNY Fredonia
2142 Fenton Hall
Fredonia, NY 14063
(716) 673-3808
Elmira College
One Park Place
Elmira, New York, 14901
(800) 935-6472
Syracuse University
900 Crouse Ave
Syracuse, NY 13244
(315) 443-1870
Teacher’s College
Columbia University
525 West 120th Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 678-3410
Touro College
1610 E 19th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11229
(718) 787-1602
The Graduate Center- CUNY
365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 817-8800
Iona College
715 North Ave
New Rochelle, NY  10801
(914) 633-2000
Molloy College
1000 Hempstead Ave
Rockville Centre, NY  11571
(888) 466-5569
Marymount Manhattan College
221 E 71st Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 517-0400
SUNY Cortland
21 Graham Ave
Cortland, NY  13045
(607) 753-2011
Pace University-New York
1 Pace Plaza
New York, NY  10038
(866) 722-3338

Yeshiva University

500 W 185th St
New York, NY  10033
(212) 960-5400

Additional Web Links

For more information about speech-language pathologists, go to the websites for:

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association http://asha.org/.

The New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association http://www.nysslha.org/.

The American Academy of Audiology http://www.audiology.org/.
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