Speech-Language Pathology major

Speech-Language Pathology: courses, careers, and where to study

Speech-Language Pathology studies how people produce speech, language, voice, and swallowing, suiting students who want to assess and treat communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan.

Undergraduate Speech-Language Pathology (often titled Communication Sciences and Disorders) is a pre-professional major covering the anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing, normal language acquisition, phonetics, and the science behind speech, voice, fluency, and swallowing disorders. Coursework typically pairs these foundations with audiology, linguistics, and supervised observation hours so students understand both how communication develops and how it breaks down.

The bachelor's degree is generally a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential: practicing as a speech-language pathologist almost always requires a master's degree plus a clinical fellowship, certification, and state licensure. Graduates work in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled-nursing facilities, and private clinics, evaluating and treating articulation, language, voice, fluency, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders. Some bachelor's holders work as speech-language pathology assistants under supervision while pursuing graduate study.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 15% employment growth for speech-language pathologists from 2024 to 2034 and reports a 2024 median annual wage of $95,410 for the occupation.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Speech-Language Pathology maps to CIP 51.0203, Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist, within the HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS family. The official definition:

A program that prepares individuals to evaluate the speaking, language interpretation, and related physiological and cognitive capabilities of children and/or adults and develop treatment and rehabilitative solutions in consultation with clinicians and educators. Includes instruction in the anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing, biomechanics of swallowing and vocal articulation, communications disorders, psychology of auditory function and cognitive communication, language assessment and diagnostic techniques, and rehabilitative and management therapies.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Anatomy and physiology of the speech, hearing, and swallowing mechanisms
  • Phonetics and acoustic analysis of speech sounds
  • Typical and atypical language acquisition across the lifespan
  • Speech, language, voice, fluency, and swallowing (dysphagia) disorders
  • Audiology and hearing science fundamentals
  • Clinical assessment, diagnostics, and treatment planning
  • Linguistics and the neurological bases of communication
  • Supervised clinical observation hours

Typical careers

  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
  • School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist (with master's)
  • Medical Speech-Language Pathologist (with master's)
  • Early Intervention Specialist
  • Audiologist (with doctoral degree)

Typical salary range: BLS reports a 2024 median annual wage of $95,410 for speech-language pathologists.Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Speech-Language Pathology. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Speech-Language Pathology major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Speech-Language Pathology program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Speech-Language Pathology department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Speech-language pathology is a master's-level field: practicing as an SLP generally requires a master's from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA), the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), and a state license. Confirm CAA accreditation and your state's licensure requirements.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Speech-Language Pathologycareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Speech-Language Pathology program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Speech-Language Pathology programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

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How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.