Top 10 Pros and Cons of Being a Speech Language Pathologist

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Speech language pathologists are vital in transforming their clients’ lives, often helping provide voices to those who struggle to communicate. Every barrier they break down not only liberates their clients but also brings personal and professional fulfillment. Whether you’re drawn to this career by the promise of making a significant impact or for more tangible perks like financial and job security, understanding the common pros and cons of this profession can guide your decision to enter this demanding yet rewarding field. 

What Does a Speech Language Pathologist Do?

A Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) is a healthcare professional who specializes in evaluating, diagnosing and treating communication disorders, speech issues and swallowing problems. In these rewarding careers, SLPs can work with people of all ages, from infants to older adults. Here’s a more comprehensive breakdown of what SLPs do:

• Speech Disorders: SLPs help individuals who struggle with speech sounds (articulation) or fluency (such as stuttering). They work on improving how a person produces sounds to form words and sentences correctly.

• Language Disorders: SLPs treat difficulties with understanding or producing language. This disorder could involve issues with vocabulary, sentence structure or understanding complex concepts.

• Social Communication: SLPs assist with the social use of language, helping individuals interact appropriately in social contexts. This assistance includes turn-taking in conversations, understanding tone and comprehending body language.

• Voice Disorders: SLPs work with people with voice issues, such as hoarseness or other vocal quality problems. These problems can stem from vocal cord damage, overuse or other medical conditions.

• Cognitive Communication: SLPs help individuals with cognitive communication disorders, which involve memory, attention, problem-solving and organizational skills. Cognitive communication is often affected by traumatic brain injury, stroke or developmental disorders.

• Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia): SLPs evaluate and treat swallowing difficulties that can result from stroke, neurological conditions or injury. This part of their work is especially common in medical settings like hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

We cover the educational and licensure requirements for the job below in greater detail. Essential skills include patience, communication, critical thinking and rapport-building with clients. If this kind of work interests you, Vivian Health shares five upsides to working in this role and five potential downsides worth your consideration.

5 Pros of Being a Speech Language Pathologist

Being a speech language pathologist isn’t just a career—it’s a chance to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. Here are five compelling advantages of pursuing this rewarding profession.

1. Supporting Patient Well-Being

Perhaps the most profound benefit of working in this type of therapy is the significant impact SLPs can have on patient well-being. This impact can include improving communication abilities, which boosts independence, confidence and social integration. For children, SLPs enhance language development and academic performance, helping them succeed in school and build better peer relationships. Among younger and older adults alike, SLPs play a critical role in rehabilitation after strokes, brain injuries or degenerative diseases, restoring speech and cognitive communication.

SLPs also address swallowing disorders (dysphagia), ensuring safe eating and drinking and reducing health risks like aspiration/choking and malnutrition. Their interventions improve overall quality of life by reducing frustration, isolation, anxiety and depression tied to communication and eating/drinking difficulties.

Through their work, SLPs enhance not only the patient’s well-being but also their ability to maintain meaningful connections with others, creating lasting benefits across personal, social and professional spheres.

2. Diverse Work Environments

SLPs are needed wherever people have communication and swallowing challenges—which can pretty much be anywhere. This need gives them a chance to find SLP jobs in diverse environments, including:

• Schools: Helping children with speech and language delays or disorders.
• Hospitals: Assisting patients recovering from strokes, head injuries or surgeries.
• Rehabilitation Centers: Supporting people with brain injuries, swallowing disorders and voice problems.
• Nursing Homes: Helping older adult patients with speech or swallowing difficulties, particularly after illnesses or strokes.
• Private Practice: Providing individualized therapy for clients with a range of communication disorders in any part of the country.

Regardless of your preferred work setting, SLP travel contracts are available for those willing to take temporary job assignments away from home. 

3. Scheduling Flexibility 

Speech language pathologists often enjoy significant flexibility in their scheduling, and many SLPs can even create their own schedules. They may choose to work evenings, weekends or specific weekdays to balance treating patients with childcare or other personal needs. The degree of flexibility depends on the setting in which they work, but here are some common aspects of scheduling flexibility in an SLP’s career:

• Private Practice: SLPs in private practice have the most control over their schedules. They can decide when to see clients and how many clients to take on, allowing for personalized work hours that suit their lifestyles. 

• Schools: School-based SLPs generally work a standard school day, typically Monday through Friday, with weekends, holidays and summers off. This setting particularly appeals to those who want a stable, predictable schedule or hours that match their school-age children’s schedule.

• Hospitals and Rehabs: SLPs in medical settings often work more varied schedules, but some flexibility and structure are possible. Depending on the facility, they may work part-time, full-time or on a per diem basis, and shifts can vary. Those who work in outpatient clinics may have more control over their hours.

• Contract and Teletherapy: Contract SLPs or those who work in teletherapy often set their hours, working with multiple clients or facilities on a schedule that fits their availability. However, since some aspects of SLP work require direct physical contact with the patient, there may be fewer available roles for SLPs in teletherapy than in other settings.

4. Great Job Security

The demand for SLPs is continually increasing due to factors such as the aging population, a higher incidence of conditions like stroke and dementia that affect communication and an uptick in speech and language disorders in children, including autism spectrum disorders.

Speech Language Pathologists are No. 4 on Vivian Health’s list of the fastest-growing allied health careers and No. 8 on our overall list of fastest-growing healthcare careers. Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth for SLPs at a rate much faster than the average for other professions—18% for SLPs vs. 4% for all professions from 2023-2033.

5. Competitive Pay

Speech language pathologists can make good salaries in their highly skilled practice. For instance, based on SLP jobs posted to Vivian Health in mid-October 2024, a staff SLP earned an average of $46.90 per hour, equaling roughly $97,550 annually. Professionals who took SLP travel roles during this same period averaged $2,065 weekly but earned as much as $5,800 per week in the most in-demand locations.

5 Cons of Being a Speech Language Pathologist

While being an SLP clearly has its draws, it’s important to be aware of the potential downsides of this occupation and weigh them accordingly. Consider these five potential cons before choosing this career path.

1. Workload and Paperwork:

• Heavy Caseloads: In certain settings, SLPs may be assigned large caseloads, which can become overwhelming. Heavy caseloads are especially common in public schools due to the limited number of SLPs employed. Meanwhile, SLPs may have limited time to work with each client or student, making it challenging to provide the depth of care necessary. The pressure to provide individualized therapy in a limited timeframe can lead to burnout if not managed carefully.

• Extensive Paperwork: A significant portion of an SLP’s job involves documentation, including written assessments, therapy plans, progress reports and insurance documentation. In school settings, they also contribute to student Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which require substantial administrative work. In any setting, the demanding documentation may sometimes feel like it takes too much time away from direct patient care.

2. Education and Licensure Requirements

Speech language pathology is far from an entry-level healthcare role. It requires extensive education and training to achieve full licensure, which could be a burden in time and expense.

• Education and Training: Aspiring SLPs need a general bachelor’s degree followed by a master’s in speech-language pathology. The graduate degree program usually takes 2 years of full-time study, including both academic coursework and supervised clinical practice. After obtaining a master’s degree, SLPs must complete a clinical fellowship year (CFY), which is a supervised, paid position where they work under the guidance of a licensed SLP. This fellowship provides helpful hands-on experience but extends the time required before full licensure.

• State Licensure: Each state has its own licensure requirements, which typically include passing the national Praxis exam for speech-language pathology, completing the clinical fellowship and fulfilling continuing education requirements to maintain licensure.

• Certification: Many SLPs pursue the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). While certification isn’t usually required to work, it’s highly valued and can make you more competitive for certain jobs. However, it means additional time, expense and documented supervised training.

For most aspiring SLPs, pursuing all this education and training requires substantial financing. Read our tips for paying for nursing school, which apply equally to allied healthcare professionals, including SLPs. 

3. Working Weekends, Holidays and Odd Schedules

SLPs in certain healthcare settings will find that they must work some weekends and holidays to meet ongoing patient needs, especially early in their careers. This requirement may include working a rotating schedule that can make planning personal events challenging. Many facilities may require SLPs to be on-call. For instance, new patients admitted to a hospital may need a safety check with an SLP to ensure they can swallow liquids or solid foods before they’re allowed unsupervised meals. Hospitals may check in patients anytime, making this requirement necessary outside regular hours.

4. Physically & Emotionally Draining

Being a speech language pathologist can be physically and emotionally demanding. 

Physically, SLPs may experience strain from repetitive tasks like demonstrating speech or swallowing exercises. They often spend long hours on their feet, moving between therapy sessions. Managing large and diverse caseloads requires quick transitions and setup between clients, adding to physical exhaustion.

Emotionally, the job can be draining due to challenging cases, especially with patients who have severe or degenerative conditions. Forming close relationships with patients and their families means SLPs often share their frustrations. Supporting families through difficult times adds to the emotional load. Dealing with challenging situations requires emotional resilience, or these situations can take a toll over time. 

Overall, the role demands strong coping mechanisms, effective time management and self-care practices to manage the physical and emotional stresses of providing quality care.

5. Lack of Upward Mobility

For most SLPs, the career ladder is relatively flat. Once licensed and established, there are few clearly defined promotion opportunities. Most SLPs continue working as clinicians, with limited paths to leadership roles unless they transition into management, administration or academic teaching roles. Meanwhile, salary increases for SLPs are typically incremental and based on experience rather than significant promotions. The lack of mobility can be a limiting factor for SLPs seeking more substantial financial growth or career variety.

Many people enter the SLP field because they decide the potential upsides outweigh the downsides. If you’re ready to start a meaningful career in speech language pathology, we can help you find your ideal role. Register with Vivian to begin your search for jobs across the U.S. today.

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