JobAfterNext

Speech-Language Pathology Assistants

Assist speech-language pathologists in the assessment and treatment of speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. Implement speech and language programs or activities as planned and directed by speech-language pathologists. Monitor the use of alternative communication devices and systems.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants separately. These are the figures for Healthcare Support Workers, All Other (31-9099), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$48,430
Employment, U.S.109,740
Median hourly wage$23.28
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$34,770$39,470$48,430$59,710$71,470
By state (51)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama660$36,7600.44
Alaska120$61,3000.50
Arizona3,070$49,9401.34
Arkansas790$38,0400.86
California23,590$49,1301.84
Colorado2,650$47,3301.31
Connecticut1,550$44,5501.30
Delaware110$57,7600.34
District of Columbia400$73,5900.81
Florida5,550$45,7000.79
Georgia2,040$46,7500.59
Hawaii1,400$48,6203.17
Idaho220$52,1600.37
Illinois1,330$48,3600.31
Indiana590$49,9000.26
Iowa470$44,7200.43
Kansas240$54,8300.23
Kentucky770$46,0200.54
Louisiana4,100$34,0403.00
Maine420$49,1000.92
Maryland3,170$43,6801.62
Massachusetts1,680$58,3400.66
Michigan2,220$40,2800.72
Minnesota2,940$45,9301.41
Mississippi520$34,9000.63
Missouri4,410$39,9402.13
Montana350$41,4100.96
Nebraska430$39,1400.59
Nevada1,280$50,7901.17
New Hampshire450$45,4600.93
New Jersey2,640$49,6000.87
New Mexico450$52,1700.73
New York5,470$56,5100.80
North Carolina2,470$47,0800.71
North Dakota280$47,0100.91
Ohio1,360$43,6200.35
Oklahoma540$49,9400.45
Oregon2,650$47,5101.91
Pennsylvania4,160$45,1600.97
Rhode Island290$47,6000.81
South Carolina860$49,7300.53
South Dakota260$44,6100.79
Tennessee1,230$47,9400.53
Texas10,320$45,2501.04
Utah830$46,8000.68
Vermont300$47,3701.41
Virginia2,180$46,0600.75
Washington3,140$62,0401.25
West Virginia780$38,7401.57
Wisconsin1,810$44,8500.87
Wyoming180$49,9400.92

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Speech-Language Pathologists50.977
2Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors50.956
3Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten40.953
4Special Education Teachers, Preschool40.952
5Social and Human Service Assistants40.951
6Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors40.949
7Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists50.949
8Child, Family, and School Social Workers40.948
9School Psychologists50.948
10Substitute Teachers, Short-Term40.948

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Speech-Language Pathology Assistants, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Patient RepresentativesPersuasion1.000.932
TutorsInstructing0.880.930

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Speech-Language Pathology Assistants, excluding software Speech-Language Pathology Assistants already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
EasyCBM5 of 2028.8x
Screen magnification software4 of 2023.1x
Children's educational software4 of 2020.5x
Screen reader software4 of 2020.5x
Google Classroom5 of 2010.5x
American Sign Language Browser3 of 2046.2x
Google Meet6 of 206.3x
Drawing software3 of 2034.6x
Common Curriculum4 of 2013.2x
Voice activated software3 of 2027.7x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Active ListeningEssential skill 4.00 4.00
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.75 4.00
SpeakingEssential skill 3.75 3.88
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.50 3.88
MonitoringEssential skill 3.38 3.62
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.38 3.38
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 3.25 3.12
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.12 3.62
WritingEssential skill 3.12 3.25
Active LearningEssential skill 3.12 3.12
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 3.00 3.50
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.75 3.12
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.62 2.62
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.62 2.62
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.62 2.50
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.12 2.00
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 2.12 1.75
MathematicsEssential skill 2.00 1.88
ScienceEssential skill 2.00 1.62
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.00
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.75 1.00
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.50 0.62
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 1.50 0.50
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.38 0.38
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.25not rated
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 1.25not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.12not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
English Language 4.55 4.89
Education and Training 4.15 4.35
Therapy and Counseling 3.68 4.36
Psychology 3.61 3.95
Customer and Personal Service 3.38 3.65
Administrative 3.36 3.97
Computers and Electronics 2.76 2.59
Sociology and Anthropology 2.57 2.33
Administration and Management 2.40 1.91
Communications and Media 2.39 1.98
Public Safety and Security 2.19 1.35
Telecommunications 1.93 0.79
Medicine and Dentistry 1.83 1.21
Foreign Language 1.81 1.34
Law and Government 1.74 1.32
Mathematics 1.69 1.50
Sales and Marketing 1.58 0.93
Philosophy and Theology 1.47 1.03
Biology 1.36not rated
Personnel and Human Resources 1.34not rated
Engineering and Technology 1.33not rated
Geography 1.17not rated
History and Archeology 1.17not rated
Fine Arts 1.13not rated
Economics and Accounting 1.12not rated
Production and Processing 1.09not rated
Chemistry 1.08not rated
Transportation 1.08not rated
Food Production 1.03not rated
Physics 1.03not rated
Building and Construction 1.00not rated
Design 1.00not rated
Mechanical 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Speech Recognition 4.00 4.75
Oral Comprehension 4.00 4.00
Oral Expression 4.00 4.00
Speech Clarity 4.00 4.00
Written Comprehension 3.88 4.00
Written Expression 3.88 4.00
Problem Sensitivity 3.62 3.88
Information Ordering 3.62 3.38
Near Vision 3.50 3.62
Deductive Reasoning 3.50 3.38
Inductive Reasoning 3.50 3.38
Hearing Sensitivity 3.25 3.25
Fluency of Ideas 3.00 3.12
Originality 3.00 3.12
Auditory Attention 3.00 3.00
Time Sharing 3.00 2.75
Category Flexibility 2.88 2.88
Flexibility of Closure 2.88 2.88
Far Vision 2.75 2.88
Perceptual Speed 2.75 2.88
Selective Attention 2.75 2.88
Speed of Closure 2.75 2.75
Visual Color Discrimination 2.50 2.38
Memorization 2.38 2.75
Visualization 2.25 2.12
Finger Dexterity 2.25 2.00
Number Facility 2.12 2.25
Mathematical Reasoning 2.12 2.12
Arm-Hand Steadiness 2.12 2.00
Control Precision 2.12 1.88
Manual Dexterity 2.12 1.88
Trunk Strength 1.75 1.25
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.50 0.62
Depth Perception 1.12not rated
Sound Localization 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Rate Control 1.00not rated
Reaction Time 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants separately. These are the figures for Healthcare Support Workers, All Other (31-9099), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Jefferson City, MO1,07018.90$48,380
Hammond, LA2106.28$37,750
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA6305.49$38,510
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX5404.89$40,660
Kahului-Wailuku, HI2404.55$50,370
Fayetteville, NC4104.38$57,390
Alexandria, LA1804.30$28,990
Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA2804.07$30,340
Killeen-Temple, TX4003.75$49,730
Rochester, MN3203.71$43,180

More metros, other thresholds