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Speech instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a speech instructor. Speech instructors usually study communication, theatre, or fine arts. 53% of speech instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 37% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 269 real speech instructor resumes to see exactly what speech instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for speech instructors are the Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University.
There are also many online speech instructor courses to help get the education required to be a speech instructor.
What education do you need to become a speech instructor?
What degree do you need to be a speech instructor?
- Bachelor's, 53%
- Master's, 37%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a speech instructor?
- Communication, 30%
- Theatre, 10%
- Fine Arts, 6%
- English, 6%
- Other Majors, 48%
Most common colleges for speech instructors
| Speech instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Texas Tech University | 10.91% |
| Wayne State University | 7.27% |
| Northern Illinois University | 7.27% |
| University of Nebraska - Kearney | 5.45% |
| University of Southern Mississippi | 5.45% |
Best majors for speech instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication | 29.9% |
| 2 | Theatre | 10.2% |
| 3 | Fine Arts | 6.2% |
| 4 | English | 6.2% |
| 5 | Political Science | 5.6% |
Best colleges for speech instructors
The best colleges for speech instructors are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Northeastern University.
A speech instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for speech instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become speech instructors.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
10. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
20 best online courses for speech instructors
Advertising disclosure
1. Communicating with the Public
Rooted in theater, journalism and humanities practices, this course presents tools and techniques that help you improve your public-facing communication skills, particularly when describing your work to a lay audience. Whether it’s a 30-second elevator pitch or speaking to a large organization, “Communicating with the Public” will boost your confidence in any speech-communication scenario...
2. The Complete Presentation and Public Speaking/Speech Course
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8. Speak Like a Pro: Public Speaking for Professionals
Master presentation skills and impromptu speaking, conquer speech anxiety, and get your point across to any audience...
9. Public Speaking: Be a Professional Speaker
Public Speaking: Learn how to position yourself as a professional speaker and market yourself...
10. Public Speaking for Beginners
Public Speaking Skills Developed From Scratch, in Little Time...
11. Communication Skills Masterclass: Speak Like A Leader
Master Public Speaking, Business Communication, Presentation Skills, Storytelling, Body Language, Listening & More!...
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Public Speaking - Give fantastic speeches, presentations and Power Point talks. Never be a Mediocre presenter again...
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Public Speaking: It's never too early to learn how to speak effectively and with confidence. An essential life skill...
15. Take Lessons from an Actor -Speech & Confidence Training
Be successful in Job interviews, public speaking, committee meetings, employee evaluations, selling and auditions...
16. Public Speaking: A tactical approach
This course will teach public speaking, communication skills and storytelling in an entirely new way...
17. Public Relations: Media Crisis Communications
Public Relations: You Can Shape and Control Your Media Messages at The Worst Possible Times...
18. Communication Skills - 7 Communication Courses In 1
Master Communication Skills: Learn Persuasion, Negotiation, Body Language, Emotional Intelligence & More!...
19. Effective Presentation and TED like Public Speaking
Transform your passion into performance through public speaking, presentation or storytelling...
20. The Art of Communications - Become A Master Communicator
Communication skills training. Confidence. Public Speaking. Promotion. Body Language. Pay raise. Job interview. Speech...
Top 10 most affordable universities for speech instructors
The most affordable schools for speech instructors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for speech instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for speech instructors.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
8. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for speech instructors
The hardest universities for speech instructors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for speech instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for speech instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
8. Tulane University
New Orleans, LA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,428
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for speech instructors
The easiest schools for speech instructors to get into are Barry University, mount saint mary's university, and grand view university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a speech instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for speech instructors.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
6. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
7. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
8. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
Average speech instructor salary by education level
| Speech instructor education level | Speech instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $66,291 |
| Doctorate Degree | $80,491 |
Speech instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025