CCC-SLP Salary and Career Outlook

Speech-language pathologists may seek credentials to build expertise and advance professionally. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), through its certification program, awards the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)—a nationally recognized professional credential that signifies excellence in the field. 

Learn how a CCC-SLP—and other advanced certifications—can help you further your speech pathologist career.

You may be curious about CCC-SLP career pathways and what salary data show for SLPs working in health care settings. Speech-language pathologists may pursue the CCC-SLP for several reasons, including that many employers prefer or require it for certain roles. In ASHA’s 2025 SLP Health Care Survey: Anhttps://speechpathologymastersprograms.com/speech-pathology-careers/slp-work-settings/nual Salary Report, the median full-time annual salary for SLPs working in health care was $90,000. Salaries also varied by role: SLPs who were primarily clinical service providers reported a median salary of $85,900, compared with $100,000 for administrators/supervisors who still see some patients and $114,000 for those in exclusively administrative/supervisory roles.

Speech therapists may choose to pursue this voluntary certification for a variety of reasons. One is that some employers require it; another is that the CCC-SLP credential may lead to higher earning potential, according to ASHA’s SLP Health Care 2019 Survey. Also, getting the credential may help speech pathologists gain leadership roles and advance their CCC-SLP careers, since they’re adding to their credentials.

Learn more about careers for SLPs in our Big Guide to Speech Pathologist Work Settings.

To earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), applicants must meet ASHA’s certification standards, including adherence to the ASHA Code of Ethics. Requirements for CCC-SLP certification typically include: 

To maintain the CCC-SLP, ASHA-certified SLPs must complete at least 30 professional development hours during each 3-year certification maintenance interval (and continue to adhere to ASHA’s ethics requirements). 

ASHA’s 2025 SLP Health Care Survey: Annual Salary Report shows that, among full-time SLPs in health care who are primarily paid an annual salary, the overall median annual salary is $90,000.

Facility type is one factor associated with differences in pay. In the 2025 report, the median full-time annual salary ranged from $83,000 in outpatient clinics/offices to $105,500 in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).

Below is a breakdown of CCC-SLP median annual salaries by facility type, as reported in ASHA’s survey.

In the U.S., speech-language pathologists typically must be state-licensed to practice, and licensure requirements vary by state. 

In some states, holding the CCC-SLP (or providing proof of national certification) is part of the licensure pathway. For example, in Alaska and Massachusetts, ASHA notes that the ASHA CCC is accepted as proof of meeting licensure requirements for speech-language pathologists.

Because employers and states may tie eligibility for certain roles to licensure and/or national certification, earning the CCC-SLP can broaden the positions you’re qualified to pursue—especially in settings that prefer or require ASHA certification.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Outlook Handbook: Speech-Language Pathologists, May 2024, the median annual wage for SLPs was $95,410 per year. BLS also reports higher median wages in certain settings, including $106,500 in nursing and residential care facilities and $101,560 in state, local, and private hospitals during the same timeframe. 

CCC-SLPs work with children and adults to assess, diagnose, treat, and help prevent swallowing and communication disorders. These disorders may be caused by such issues as hearing loss, brain injuries, developmental delays, autism, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and cleft palate. Speech pathologists develop individualized treatment plans to help people improve communication skills (such as voice, speech sounds, and fluency) and swallowing function.

CCC-SLP careers vary based on the specific populations you work with, such as children or the elderly. They may also specialize in treating certain issues, such as speech problems caused by brain injuries. 

In health care, SLPs work across a range of settings. In ASHA’s 2025 SLP Health Care Survey, respondents were drawn from six facility types:

Many SLPs also work in schools; ASHA’s 2025 Member & Affiliate Profile reports that about half of SLPs (49.6%) work in schools.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects strong demand for speech-language pathologists. BLS reports there were 187,400 SLP jobs in 2024 and projects 15% job growth from 2024 to 2034 (about 28,200 additional jobs). BLS also estimates about 13,300 openings per year, on average, over the decade. 

The largest employers of SLPs in 2024: 

There are also ASHA-recognized Clinical Specialty Certification opportunities for SLPs with experience, knowledge, and skills beyond a CCC-SLP. The Clinical Specialty Certification enables CCC-SLPs to be identified as a Board Certified Specialist (BCS) in a specific clinical practice area.

Like the CCC-SLP, this is a voluntary designation that can help speech therapists demonstrate their expertise in a specialty, which may be attractive to employers or required for certain positions.

ASHA currently recognizes specialty certification through these boards:

BCS specialty certification is available in various areas for CCC-SLPs. There are additional specialty certifications outside of BCS that CCC-SLPs may be interested in pursuing. The list below details some of these advanced certifications.

To become a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language (BCS-CL) through the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders, applicants must demonstrate advanced knowledge, skills, leadership, and clinical experience in child language. Applicants must have worked as a certified SLP at the full-time equivalent for five years, hold the CCC-SLP (or an equivalent credential from a country with an ASHA mutual recognition agreement), and document 100 hours of intermediate/advanced child-language continuing education completed within the past 10 years. 

To become a Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering, Cluttering, and Fluency Disorders (BCS-SCF) through the American Board of Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders (ABSCFD), applicants must hold ASHA certification (CCC) and have at least three years of post-CCC experience (or full-time equivalent). They must complete 6 CEUs (60 hours) of intermediate-to-advanced fluency-focused continuing education within the past three years, including at least 3 CEUs (30 hours) of live instruction. Of those CEUs, at least 4.8 CEUs (48 hours) must be directly related to stuttering, cluttering, and fluency disorders, while up to 1.2 CEUs (12 hours) may come from related areas (e.g., counseling, motor learning, CBT, etc.). Clinically, applicants must document 450 clinical hours within the past five years, including at least 25 hours with each of these populations: preschool, school-age, and adolescent/adult; up to 90 hours of the 450 may be counted as indirect clinical work (such as teaching, scholarly work, or program development tied to fluency).

To become a Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S) through the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (AB-SSD), applicants must hold the ASHA CCC-SLP and have at least 3 years of dysphagia experience after earning the CCC. Applicants then apply under one of two tracks: the Clinical Track requires documenting 350 hours per year of dysphagia evaluation and treatment for each of the 3 years prior to applying, while the Academic/Administrative Track requires 100 hours per year for each of the last 3 years and at least 450 total dysphagia-related hours over the past 4 years (which may include clinical work and/or research involving human subjects). Applicants must also document 7.5 CEUs (75 hours) of advanced dysphagia continuing education completed within the last 3 years, including a minimum of 4.5 CEUs from ASHA-sponsored courses and at least 1.0 CEU at the advanced level, provide three letters of reference attesting to advanced dysphagia knowledge/skills and hours, and demonstrate intermediate-to-advanced skills in two or more areas—Education/Mentorship, Leadership, and Scholarship/Research.

To become a Board Certified Specialist in Intraoperative Monitoring (BCS-IOM) through the American Audiology Board of Intraoperative Monitoring (AABIOM), applicants first must meet the board’s eligibility criteria and submit a complete application packet that includes documentation of education/certification/licensure, experience, and a detailed case/patient log, along with required attestations—at least two surgeon attestations in different surgical specialties and one or more audiologist specialist attestations (or NIOM equivalent). Applicants must hold the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) and document a minimum of 225 intraoperative neuromonitoring cases across at least three surgical specialties, completed within the 36 months immediately prior to application. AABIOM also requires 6 CEUs (60 contact hours) of specialty-related continuing education in the immediate 3 years prior to applying (at the intermediate or advanced level). If deemed eligible, candidates proceed to the examination process, which includes a 200-question multiple-choice exam.

LSVT LOUD is an evidence-based voice/speech treatment approach offered through LSVT Global via its LSVT LOUD Training and Certification Courses. The training is designed for speech-language pathology professionals and students and teaches clinicians how to deliver the standardized LSVT LOUD protocol—best known for treating communication changes associated with Parkinson’s disease —and its application to other motor speech disorders. LSVT Global offers an online option (described as a 13.5-hour training) as well as live/virtual-live formats; certification includes completing the course and passing the LSVT LOUD Certification Exam. 

LSVT LOUD for KIDS is the pediatric-focused training and certification course offered through LSVT Global for clinicians who want to apply LSVT LOUD principles with children. The LSVT LOUD for KIDS Training and Certification Course is intended for speech-language pathology professionals and students and covers the fundamental treatment principles and rationale, key treatment elements, available efficacy/outcomes research, and practical considerations for delivering and documenting the protocol with pediatric populations. LSVT Global describes its virtual-live version as a blend of pre-recorded online learning and live interactive instruction, with a focus on children with motor speech disorders (often highlighting populations such as those with cerebral palsy and Down syndrome) and discussing broader pediatric applications. 

The PROMPT Training and Certification Program, offered through the PROMPT Institute, provides a structured pathway for speech-language pathologists to become PROMPT Certified in the use of tactile-kinesthetic prompting for motor speech intervention. The Institute describes certification as a multi-step process that typically takes 5+ years to complete and includes completing the Introduction to PROMPT: Technique workshop, finishing a PROMPT Technique Practicum Project (a self-study “tape practicum”), completing the Bridging PROMPT Technique to Intervention workshop (which includes training in the Global Domain Evaluation framework), and then completing the PROMPT Certification Project, a four-month self-study project in which the clinician selects a client from their caseload and demonstrates assessment, treatment planning, and treatment implementation over time; the certification project is evaluated on a pass/fail basis with detailed feedback from a PROMPT instructor. 

CCC-SLP certification, along with a BCS designation, can prepare you for an exciting and fulfilling career in speech language pathology. These certifications expand your speech-pathology knowledge and, ultimately, your ability to help clients. 

Information last updated: April 2026

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