Pathologist

Pathologist 

Speech-language pathologists typically do the following:

• Evaluate  levels of speech, language, or swallowing difficulty
• Identify treatment options
• Create and carry out an individualized treatment plan that addresses  specific functional needs
• Teach children and adults how to make sounds and improve their voices and maintain fluency
• Help individuals improve vocabulary and sentence structure used in oral and written language
• Work with children and adults to develop and strengthen the muscles used to swallow
• Counsel individuals and families on how to cope with communication and swallowing disorders 

Salary:

The median annual wage for speech-language pathologists was $74,680 in May 2016. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,070, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $116,810.

Speech-language pathologists typically need at least a master’s degree. Although master’s programs do not require a particular undergraduate degree for admission, certain courses must be taken before entering a program. Required courses vary by institution.