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Speech-Language Pathology Assistant

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of speech-language pathologists, to assist in the provision of speech-language pathology services to individuals of all ages, including screenings and assessments, following treatment plans or protocols, documenting and reporting patient performance, performing checks and maintenance of equipment, and providing support in research projects. Includes instruction in speech and language development, phonetics, childhood and adult communication disorders, speech and hearing screening, and clinical procedures in speech-language pathology.

Types of Degrees Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Speech-Language Pathology Assistant can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	64
Associate’s Degree	136
Bachelor’s Degree	82
Master’s Degree	81

What Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Majors Need to Know

Programs in Speech-Language Pathology Assistant build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Speech-Language Pathology Assistant emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Speech-Language Pathology Assistant careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Speech-Language Pathology Assistant professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
KayPENTAX Multi-Speech	Medical software	—
Speech analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Biofeedback software	Medical software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Bungalow Software Aphasia Tutor	Medical software	—
Adobe Audition	Music or sound editing software	—
Language analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates include:

• Speech Therapy Assistant
• Speech Correction Assistant
• Pathology Assistant
• Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA)
• Hearing and Speech Assistant
• Anatomic Pathology Assistant
• Certified Pathology Assistant
• Speech Pathologist Assistant
• Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)
• Speech-Language Assistant
• Speech Assistant
• Speech Language Assistant
• Speech Pathology Intern
• Speech Pathology Assistant
• Speech-Language Pathologists Assistant (SLPA)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	36.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	25.1%
Postsecondary certificate	14.3%
Bachelor’s degree	12.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	7.5%
Master’s degree	2.6%
Some college courses	1.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Speech-Language Pathology Assistant?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 96.7% of Speech-Language Pathology Assistant degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	351	96.7%
Men	12	3.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	212	58.4%
Asian	5	1.4%
Hispanic or Latino	103	28.4%
Black or African American	17	4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.8%
Two or More Races	14	3.9%
Race Unknown	8	2.2%
International Students	1	0.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$27,434
4 years	$29,082
5 years	$32,352

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $32,352 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Speech-Language Pathology Assistant. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	7	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Speech-Language Pathology Assistant graduates earn a median of $29,082 four years after completion — about 23% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services	80,693
Medical/Clinical Assistant	52,819
Medical Insurance Specialist/Medical Biller	11,963
Pharmacy Technician/Assistant	7,541
Physical Therapy Assistant	5,633
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other	4,065
Occupational Therapist Assistant	3,178
Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other	3,168
Radiologist Assistant	1,513
Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist	1,195
Medication Aide	724
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant	614

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.