How to Make a Career Change to Speech Pathology

5 Reasons to Consider Switching Careers to Speech Language Pathology

1. You can choose your specialty

Speech pathologists work with people who have a wide range of communication and swallowing disorders. Some of the issues SLPs help individuals with, according to ASHA, include:

• Motor speech skills
• Auditory (hearing) problems
• Feeding issues
• Difficulty expressing emotions
• Problems swallowing
• Fluency (stuttering)
• Cognitive issues

Job responsibilities of SLPs may include evaluation and diagnosis, treatment, counseling, training families and other professionals, supervising support personnel, research, and providing augmentative and alternative communication systems for people who are nonverbal, according to ASHA.

2. You can work with different kinds of people

Speech pathologists work with individuals of all ages, according to ASHA. When you make a career transition to speech pathology, you can also work in a variety of settings. BLS estimates that in May 2025 about 76,290 SLPs worked in educational services, 48,170 in offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists and audiologists, 24,660 in hospitals, 7,440 in skilled nursing facilities and 6,350 in home health care services. In pediatrics, speech pathologists work with children who have challenges with speech sound disorders, fluency (stuttering), voice, receptive/expressive language, and swallowing.

ASHA's scope of practice for speech language pathology also covers supporting autistic individuals, providing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for people who are non-speaking, and delivering services through telepractice. Your professional environment can range from early intervention programs and public schools to acute care hospitals and private clinics. For adults, the scope includes rehabilitation for aphasia, cognitive-communication disorders, and dysphagia (swallowing) following a stroke or traumatic brain injury, as well as voice and communication services for transgender clients and cognitive-communication care for people with dementia.

3. You can play to your strengths

If you love working with children and find it easy to communicate with the adults in their lives—parents, teachers, administrators, and medical caregivers—then pediatrics may be your perfect fit. If patience or determination are your strengths, you might choose to work with stroke victims or those with traumatic brain injuries. If you have excellent writing or speaking skills, they will be valued in documenting your patients’ progress. If you’re entrepreneurial, becoming a private practice speech therapist may be the niche for your second career.

4. Many school SLPs report more openings than job seekers

In ASHA's 2024 Schools Survey, many of the ASHA-certified school-based SLPs providing clinical services who answered the question (3,081 respondents) said there were more job openings than job seekers in their type of facility and geographic area. That is a snapshot of how school-based SLPs saw their own job market in 2024, not a guarantee of a job in any area, so check openings where you plan to live.

5. You’ll change people’s lives

In addition to facial gestures, speech is a huge tool we use to express ourselves. Not being able to speak correctly—or at all—affects everything about a person’s life. Speech therapists can make an incredible difference in the life of a child who feels self-conscious about their stuttering, a teen who has to relearn speech after a head injury or an adult who must recapture the speech motor skills after a surgery or stroke. If this interests you, it might be time to switch careers and enter the speech pathology field.

How to Make a Mid-Career Transition to Speech Pathology

Making a career change may be a stressful journey and everyone’s path may not be the same, but we have gathered some helpful tips on how to make this process a bit easier.

1. Get acquainted with your state’s requirements

A state license is what allows you to practice, and each state sets its own rules. ASHA's state-by-state pages summarize current practice requirements in each state and territory, including licensure and certification standards, supervision rules, telepractice policies and continuing education. Our state-by-state guide to speech pathology license requirements walks through the steps in each state.

2. Assess your education

You’ll need a graduate degree. ASHA's 2020 certification standards require a master's, doctoral or other recognized post-baccalaureate degree, at least 36 graduate semester credit hours and at least 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience: 25 hours of guided clinical observation and 375 hours of direct client contact, with at least 325 of the 400 hours completed at the graduate level. After graduate school, you complete a Clinical Fellowship. Before you can enroll in a speech pathology master’s program, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree.

If your bachelor's degree is in another field, check two things:

• ASHA's required science and statistics courses. The 2020 standards require stand-alone coursework in biological sciences, chemistry or physics, social/behavioral sciences and statistics.
• Each program's CSD prerequisites. According to ASHA, each graduate program decides whether applicants need a CSD bachelor's degree. Some institutions offer leveling or second-bachelor's options and online prerequisites, while other programs admit students with no CSD background and build the prerequisites into a longer graduate program. Our guide to applying to speech pathology school covers prerequisites and application materials.

ASHA offers the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), a nationally recognized credential. To gain CCC-SLP certification, candidates must have a master’s or doctoral degree, meet minimums of graduate semester credit hours and clinical experience, and complete a successful clinical fellowship. You’ll also need to pass the Praxis Speech-Language Pathology exam (test code 5331); ASHA’s current passing score for certification purposes is 162. ASHA has also published 2027 certification standards with an implementation date of August 1, 2027, so check which standards will apply when you expect to apply for certification. Assess your current education and identify any gaps that may need to be filled to make this mid-career change, and the state in which you intend to practice.

3. Find the right degree program for you

The CAA's list of accredited and candidate programs is the official place to confirm a program's accreditation status. ASHA's EdFind directory builds program profiles from an annual survey of communication sciences and disorders programs, and ASHA notes you can search it for part-time enrollment, online or distance learning, and programs that offer prerequisites online or don't require them for admission.

Our guide to speech pathology programs covers distance learning and part-time master's programs, programs for prospective bilingual or multilingual speech pathologists, GPA benchmarks and programs that don't require the GRE.

4. Complete a supervised clinical fellowship

Licensure rules vary by state, so confirm with the licensing board where you plan to work whether it requires post-graduate supervised practice before you can practice independently. To qualify for ASHA certification (CCC-SLP), you must complete ASHA’s Clinical Fellowship (CF) experience. ASHA’s CF requirement is a minimum of 36 weeks and 1,260 hours.

You must work at least 5 hours per week for weeks to count toward the 36-week minimum, and working more than 35 hours/week does not shorten the 36-week requirement. A minimum of 80% of the CF experience must be spent in direct clinical contact, and the CF is completed across three segments (each at least 12 weeks) to support structured mentorship and skill development. Your CF mentor provides structured feedback and verifies required hours/segments. Mentors must complete mentorship activities in each segment, including at least 6 hours of direct observation and 6 hours of indirect supervision/other mentorship activities per segment (18 + 18 hours across three segments).

5. Pass the national exam

To make a career transition to speech pathology, you must pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology (5331). ASHA recommends taking it no earlier than the end of your graduate coursework and clinical practicum, or during your first year of clinical practice. ASHA’s certification passing score is 162. Each state sets its own passing score for licensure and teacher credentialing; most adopt ASHA's score, but some set a higher or lower one, so confirm your state's required score with its licensing board.

6. Follow up with continual education

Once you’re licensed, you’ll have to satisfy your state’s continuing education requirements, which ASHA's state-by-state pages track. If you hold the CCC-SLP, ASHA requires 30 professional development hours in each 3-year certification maintenance interval, including, under requirements effective January 1, 2026, at least 1 hour in ethics and at least 2 hours in topics that strengthen your ability to provide services aligned with the histories, values and circumstances of the individuals, families and communities you serve, or your capacity for self-reflection, adaptability and collaboration with colleagues and others. Cultural and linguistic topics are among those that qualify.

Switching From Teaching to Speech Pathology

If you're a teacher, your classroom experience is useful, but it doesn't replace any part of the SLP pathway:

• Your education degree or teaching license won't stand in for the graduate degree. ASHA requires a graduate degree in speech language pathology or a related discipline for the CCC.
• Check your transcript against the prerequisites. Compare your courses with ASHA's four required areas (biological sciences, chemistry or physics, social/behavioral sciences and statistics) and with the CSD prerequisites of each program you're considering.
• Working as an SLP in a school needs its own credential. States set their own requirements for school-based SLPs. ASHA describes a qualified school provider as someone who holds the appropriate state-issued teaching credential, certification or license and meets any national certification the state requires. Our guide to becoming a speech pathologist in a school setting explains what the role involves.

Skills That Transfer to Speech Therapy

You can't practice speech therapy until you're qualified, but you can learn a lot about the work beforehand. ASHA's certification standards include 25 hours of guided clinical observation, which can be completed in an undergraduate or graduate program, and ASHA suggests volunteering or working in jobs with the populations SLPs serve, such as a special education classroom aide or a role at a hospital or skilled nursing facility. Our guide to speech therapy volunteer opportunities lists more options. Many skills from other careers will also help in a career transition to speech pathology:

• Analytical skills: Having strong analytical skills, such as the ability to research and synthesize findings to develop a treatment plan, will help as you make a career transition to speech pathology.
• Communication: Strong communication skills will help you navigate conversations with clients, medical personnel, parents and/or teachers.
• Compassion: Having compassion and empathy for those with speech disabilities means you understand that communication can bridge the gap many people feel in their daily lives. When you switch careers, your understanding will turn to fulfillment as you help them find their way.
• Critical thinking: No single therapy works for every individual or every condition. At times, you’ll need to act as a counselor, teacher, cheerleader or adviser to find the right solution for someone’s unique needs.
• Attention to detail: Many clients have more than one speech disorder or work with other professionals on their physical, neurological or emotional challenges. You’ll need to communicate with these professionals while keeping your clients’ progress documentation, reports and treatment options organized.
• Listening: Speech pathologists must listen to their patients to decide how to treat their symptoms.
• Dedication: Dedication to your clients’ needs and career responsibilities will help you succeed. The field of speech pathology offers many career possibilities. Finding where your passion lies will help you succeed.

Career Change to Speech Pathology FAQs

How long does it take to become a speech pathologist if I'm changing careers?

According to ASHA, a master's in speech language pathology generally takes 2 years of full-time study for students with a CSD bachelor's degree, and students without one may need additional time for prerequisites. After graduation, the Clinical Fellowship lasts at least 36 weeks, according to ASHA.

Can I work in speech therapy before I finish my master's degree?

You can work as a speech language pathology assistant (SLPA) under an SLP's supervision if you meet your state's requirements; ASHA notes that licensure for support personnel varies from state to state and offers a voluntary SLPA certification. Our guide on how to become a speech pathology assistant covers the training and exam.

Do speech pathologists earn more than teachers?

According to BLS, speech language pathologists had a national median annual wage of $97,870 in May 2025, compared with $63,970 for elementary school teachers (except special education), $64,370 for middle school teachers and $72,040 for secondary school teachers (both except special and career/technical education). These medians cover all experience levels and settings, so they aren't starting pay, and pay in a given district or facility can differ.

Career Development Resources for Aspiring Speech Pathologists

If you’re thinking of making a mid-career change to speech pathology, there are associations, websites and blogs that offer information and insight.

Associations

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: ASHA is the national credentialing and professional organization for speech pathologists. The website includes news, conferences, events and continuing education opportunities.

American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology: A professional organization dedicated to helping speech pathologists in private practice.

International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A society for those working with individuals who are unable to communicate using natural speech. Its website includes news, webinars, conference information and links to published material.

National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing: A professional association working to increase the number of certified Black speech-language and hearing professionals and to improve services and research for Black communities with communication disorders.

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Part of the National Institutes of Health, NIDCD conducts and supports research on hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech and language.

Blogs and other websites

Speech and Language Kids: Free speech and language therapy materials, including activities, videos and podcasts, from speech language pathologist Carrie Clark.

Speech Techie: Created by speech therapist Sean J. Sweeney, this blog shares free technology tools, apps and activity ideas for language lessons and therapy.