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Speech-Language Pathology Assistant

Types of Degrees Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Speech-Language Pathology Assistant have the option of earning 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

Studies 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

Coursework in 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

The skill set emphasized by 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

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Speech-Language Pathology Assistant careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — 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	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Bungalow Software Aphasia Tutor	Medical software	—
Text to speech software	Text to speech conversion software	—
Language analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Signal analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
KayPENTAX Multi-Speech	Medical software	—
Speech analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Biofeedback software	Medical 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
• Speech Language Assistant
• Speech Pathology Intern
• Hearing and Speech Assistant
• Speech-Language Pathologists Assistant (SLPA)
• Speech Pathologist Assistant
• Speech Paraeducator
• Communication Assistant
• School SLPA (School Speech Language Pathologist Assistant)
• SLPA (Speech and Language Pathology Assistant)
• Language Assistant
• Anatomic Pathology Assistant
• SLPA (Speech Language Pathologist Assistant)
• School SLPA (School Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant)

What Can You Do With a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Speech-Language Pathology Assistant commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Speech-Language Pathology Assistants	14.8%	$48,496	$38,165–$58,828
Endoscopy Technicians	7.8%	$40,643	$33,481–$47,805
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other	3.8%	$53,362	$45,950–$60,774

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

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?

College Scorecard reports 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
Emergency Care Attendant (EMT Ambulance)	3,923
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

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.