Skip to content
Boston Career Explorer

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Speech-Language Pathologists

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.

Also called: Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP), Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP), Speech and Language Clinician, Speech and Language Specialist, Speech and Language Teacher, Speech and Language Therapist

Compare with my current job (Foreign Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$102,810
$49.43/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
3,720
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+14.2%
360 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Master's degree
plus Internship/residency

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$71,310$84,100$102,810$120,900$129,950

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure77 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 78
  • Language-model AIOE 89
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 63

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

Speech-language pathology has higher AI exposure, so AI tools may help with some tasks, such as reviewing test results and writing reports. Right now, observed AI use in this job is little or none. Hands-on testing and treatment depend on working directly with clients. Massachusetts job growth is projected at 14.2%, and federal notes point to an aging population and more need in schools.

Likely to change

  • Writing reports and billing records
  • Reviewing test results and background information

Still relies on people

  • Testing and treating clients face to face
  • Adjusting treatment as clients make progress

What federal projections say

“Demand change - share increases as an aging population; growing awareness of the importance of identifying speech and language impairments early; and increasing special education needs in schools raise demand for speech-language pathology services.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Physical Therapists

    Evaluating patients, planning treatment, and documenting progress carry over. Pay is similar at $103,550, with a lower AI exposure, but it requires a doctoral degree.

    Pay difference
    +$740 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +7.3%
    To get started
    Doctoral or professional degree

  • Nurse Practitioners

    Your skills in diagnosis, treatment planning, and detailed records carry over. This master's-level job pays $147,480 and has 35.1% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$44,670 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +35.1%
    To get started
    Master's degree

  • Physician Assistants

    Reviewing test results and deciding on treatment build on your evaluation skills. It is a master's-level job paying $142,410, with 18.2% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$39,600 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +18.2%
    To get started
    Master's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

6 programs near Boston (plus 9 graduate)

Related occupations

Talk to a career coach

A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.

Talk to a career coach