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Speech pathologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a speech pathologist. Speech pathologists usually study communication disorders sciences, speech-language pathology, or special education. 54% of speech pathologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 43% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,878 real speech pathologist resumes to see exactly what speech pathologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for speech pathologists are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online speech pathologist courses to help get the education required to be a speech pathologist.
There are certain speech pathologist certifications that you should consider. These speech pathologist certifications include Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) and Pathology.
What education do you need to become a speech pathologist?
What degree do you need to be a speech pathologist?
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Master's, 43%
- Associate, 1%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
What should I major in to become a speech pathologist?
- Education, 5%
- Other Majors, 20%
Most common colleges for speech pathologists
| Speech pathologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 7.14% |
| University of Central Florida | 6.67% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.19% |
| Adelphi University | 6.19% |
| Hofstra University | 5.71% |
Best majors for speech pathologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication Disorders Sciences | 49.0% |
| 2 | Speech-Language Pathology | 20.0% |
| 3 | Special Education | 6.1% |
| 4 | Education | 4.8% |
| 5 | Psychology | 3.4% |
Best colleges for speech pathologists
The best colleges for speech pathologists are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.
A speech pathologist 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 pathologists. 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 pathologists.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
2. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
5. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
10. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Enrollment
1,834
20 best online courses for speech pathologists
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1. Speech to Text Transcription with the Cloud Speech API
This is a self-paced lab that takes place in the Google Cloud console. The Cloud Speech API lets you do speech to text transcription from audio files in over 80 languages. In this hands-on lab you’ll record your own audio file and send it to the Speech API for transcription...
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3. Stuttering Treatment The ABC's of Smoother Speech
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4. Take Lessons from an Actor -Speech & Confidence Training
Be successful in Job interviews, public speaking, committee meetings, employee evaluations, selling and auditions...
5. Trauma Emergencies and Care
Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...
6. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course
The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...
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9. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers
This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...
10. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children
Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...
11. Public Speaking Skills: Give a Great Informational Speech
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12. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
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13. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
14. Pain Management: Easing Pain in Palliative Care
In this course, you will be able to develop a systems view for assessing and managing pain in the palliative care setting. By the end of the course, you will be able to: 1) Describe the pain problem in the palliative care setting; 2) Assess a person’s pain, 3) Explain the benefits of integrative therapies and pharmacologic strategies to manage pain...
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16. Body Language & Lie Detection: Read Body Language, Spot Lies
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17. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative
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18. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes
COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...
19. NLP - Natural Language Processing with Python
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20. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
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Top 10 most affordable universities for speech pathologists
The most affordable schools for speech pathologists are Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, brigham young university, and hunter college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for speech pathologists 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 pathologists.
1. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
8. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce
Mercedita, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,914
Cost of attendance
13,564
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for speech pathologists
The hardest universities for speech pathologists to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for speech pathologists 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 pathologists 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. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,284
8. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for speech pathologists
The easiest schools for speech pathologists to get into are Our Lady of the Lake University, saint xavier university, and longwood university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a speech pathologist 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 pathologists.
1. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
2. Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
74%
SAT average
1,061
3. Longwood University
Farmville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,065
4. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
5. Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,073
6. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
7. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
8. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
9. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
10. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
Average speech pathologist salary by education level
| Speech pathologist education level | Speech pathologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $75,082 |
| Doctorate Degree | $71,406 |
Speech pathologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025