Speech-Language Pathologists
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $50K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $62K
Median Salary: $80K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $101K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $122K
Demand
Core Tasks
Monitor patients' progress and adjust treatments accordingly.
Develop or implement treatment plans for problems such as stuttering, delayed language, swallowing disorders, or inappropriate pitch or harsh voice problems, based on own assessments and recommendations of physicians, psychologists, or social workers.
Write reports and maintain proper documentation of information, such as client Medicaid or billing records or caseload activities, including the initial evaluation, treatment, progress, and discharge of clients.
Evaluate hearing or speech and language test results, barium swallow results, or medical or background information to diagnose and plan treatment for speech, language, fluency, voice, or swallowing disorders.
Participate in and write reports for meetings regarding patients' progress, such as individualized educational planning (IEP) meetings, in-service meetings, or intervention assistance team meetings.
Complete administrative responsibilities, such as coordinating paperwork, scheduling case management activities, or writing lesson plans.
Develop individual or group activities or programs in schools to deal with behavior, speech, language, or swallowing problems.
Instruct clients in techniques for more effective communication, such as sign language, lip reading, or voice improvement.
Administer hearing or speech and language evaluations, tests, or examinations to patients to collect information on type and degree of impairments, using written or oral tests or special instruments.
Educate patients and family members about various topics, such as communication techniques or strategies to cope with or to avoid personal misunderstandings.
Supervise or collaborate with therapy team.
Teach clients to control or strengthen tongue, jaw, face muscles, or breathing mechanisms.
Participate in conferences, training, continuing education courses, or publish research results to share knowledge of new hearing or speech disorder treatment methods or technologies.
Consult with and refer clients to additional medical or educational services.
Communicate with non-speaking students, using sign language or computer technology.
Consult with and advise educators or medical staff on speech or hearing topics, such as communication strategies or speech and language stimulation.
Design, develop, or employ alternative diagnostic or communication devices or strategies.
Develop speech exercise programs to reduce disabilities.
Provide communication instruction to dialect speakers or students with limited English proficiency.
Conduct lessons or direct educational or therapeutic games to assist teachers dealing with speech problems.
Conduct or direct research on speech or hearing topics and report findings for use in developing procedures, technologies, or treatments.
Use computer applications to identify or assist with communication disabilities.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
English Language
96%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Psychology
80%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Customer and Personal Service
78%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training
78%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Therapy and Counseling
74%
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Medicine and Dentistry
68%
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Computers and Electronics
60%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Clerical
59%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Foreign Language
57%
Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Sociology and Anthropology
57%
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
83%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Learning Strategies
78%
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Reading Comprehension
78%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness
78%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking
78%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making
75%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
75%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Writing
75%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
73%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
85%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Recognition
85%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
80%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Speech Clarity
80%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Fluency of Ideas
78%
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Oral Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity
78%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Comprehension
78%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Top 10 Work Activities
Developing Objectives and Strategies
88%
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Getting Information
87%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Documenting/Recording Information
86%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
86%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Assisting and Caring for Others
84%
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
84%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
83%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
81%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
80%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
78%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Detailed Work Activities
Monitor patient progress or responses to treatments.
Develop treatment plans that use non-medical therapies.
Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
Maintain medical facility records.
Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Schedule patient procedures or appointments.
Prepare healthcare training materials.
Process healthcare paperwork.
Train patients, family members, or caregivers in techniques for managing disabilities or illnesses.
Test patient hearing.
Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
Supervise patient care personnel.
Maintain medical or professional knowledge.
Present medical research reports.
Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
Advise medical personnel regarding healthcare issues.
Develop health assessment methods or programs.
Train caregivers or other non-medical personnel.
Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
Work Context
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
Education
Interests
Social
96%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative
86%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
62%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Conventional
34%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising
29%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Realistic
24%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
97%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Concern for Others
96%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Integrity
96%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation
95%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility
92%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail
92%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Self Control
89%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Achievement/Effort
85%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Independence
85%
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Initiative
85%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Work Values
Relationships
96%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
74%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
67%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
