Speech language pathologist vs physical therapist

The differences between speech language pathologists and physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist has an average salary of $73,070, which is higher than the $62,340 average annual salary of a speech language pathologist.

The top three skills for a speech language pathologist include patients, SLP and speech-language pathology. The most important skills for a physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Speech language pathologist vs physical therapist overview

	Speech Language Pathologist	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$62,340	$73,070
Hourly rate	$29.97	$35.13
Growth rate	21%	17%
Number of jobs	25,617	86,697
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	40	41
Years of experience	2	-

What does a speech language pathologist do?

A speech-language pathologist specializes in diagnosing disorders in speech, language, and communication among children and adults. They are also responsible for devising and providing suitable treatments and therapeutic solutions that would improve a patient's condition. With each case varying from the rest, a speech-language pathologist must conduct an extensive assessment, research, analysis, and observation. Aside from providing treatments, a speech-language pathologist can also supervise other personnel in the same field, engage in various programs to share expertise, and provide consultations.

What does a physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Speech language pathologist vs physical therapist salary

Speech language pathologists and physical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Speech Language Pathologist	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$62,340	$73,070
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $89,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Redwood City, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Northeastern University	Parkway
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between speech language pathologist and physical therapist education

There are a few differences between a speech language pathologist and a physical therapist in terms of educational background:

	Speech Language Pathologist	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Communication Disorders Sciences	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Duke University

Speech language pathologist vs physical therapist demographics

Here are the differences between speech language pathologists' and physical therapists' demographics:

	Speech Language Pathologist	Physical Therapist
Average age	40	41
Gender ratio	Male, 8.9% Female, 91.1%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 4.5% White, 77.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	12%

Differences between speech language pathologist and physical therapist duties and responsibilities

Speech language pathologist example responsibilities.

Plan and provide speech therapy services to preschool and elementary school children with autism, communication disorders and developmental disabilities.
Offer speech therapy services in schools k-12 grade.
Perform tasks prescribe, direct, and supervise by ASHA certify speech language pathologist.
Diagnose, assess and provide treatment in private practice for kids of all ages presenting a language delays.
Act as primary liaison between administrative staff, rehabilitation managers, multidisciplinary team members and SLP staff.
Provide formal evaluation of communication, cognitive-linguistic, and swallowing deficits for both short term rehabilitation patients and long term residents.

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

Speech language pathologist vs physical therapist skills

Common speech language pathologist skills

Patients, 19%
SLP, 17%
Speech-Language Pathology, 13%
Rehabilitation, 10%
Home Health, 8%
Patient Care, 6%

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

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Speech Language Pathologist
Speech Language Pathologist vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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