Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Job Description: Duties, Template & Pay (2026)
A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) delivers therapy that a licensed speech-language pathologist has planned, and documents how each client is doing. Licensure and registration vary by state, so the credential lines in your posting have to match your state. This page has an SLPA job description template, two state examples read at source, and what the role pays.
What a speech-language pathology assistant does
A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) delivers therapy that a licensed speech-language pathologist has planned. O*NET defines the occupation as assisting speech-language pathologists in the assessment and treatment of speech, language, voice and fluency disorders, implementing programs as planned and directed by the SLP, and monitoring the use of alternative communication devices. The line that matters for your posting is the supervision: an SLPA extends an SLP’s caseload, and does not replace the SLP.
The O*NET task list for speech-language pathology assistants (31-9099.01) is mostly treatment and documentation:
- Implementing treatment plans or protocols as directed by the SLP, and working on speech and language skills with clients
- Documenting progress toward treatment objectives and collecting data on performance
- Assisting with screenings and assessments of language, voice, fluency, articulation or hearing
- Selecting and preparing therapy materials, and preparing charts or graphs of client progress
- Scheduling, record keeping and maintaining supplies and equipment
- Running in-service training or family and community education sessions
ASHA’s SLPA scope of practice draws the boundary from the other side. With appropriate supervision an SLPA may administer and score screenings (without clinical interpretation), carry out treatment plans developed by the supervising SLP, document performance and coach caregivers. An SLPA should not diagnose communication or swallowing disorders, interpret assessments to diagnose a disability, write or modify a plan of care, select AAC systems, make referrals or discharge a client, and should not sign formal documents without the supervising SLP’s co-signature. ASHA notes that its document does not supersede state credentialing laws, so your state’s rule wins where the two differ.
| Working conditions (SLPAs) | Share reporting it |
|---|---|
| Constant contact with others | 77% |
| Face-to-face discussions | 74% every day |
| Contributing to a work group or team rated extremely important | 64% |
| Sitting more than half the time | 60% |
| Making decisions | 58% every day |
| 49% every day |
The job is conversational, team-based and largely seated, with a lot of data entry after each session. If your caseload is split across schools, say how many sites and how much driving that involves.
Licensure and registration vary by state
There is no single national rule for SLPAs. States license them, register them, regulate them through the education department, or do not regulate them at all, and the education, fieldwork and supervision required differ from state to state. Two examples, read at the state agencies on 24 September 2026:
Texas: a license from TDLR
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issues a speech-language pathology assistant license. Applicants need a baccalaureate degree or higher with an emphasis or major in communicative sciences or disorders, including at least 24 semester credit hours in speech-language pathology and/or audiology (up to 6 of them in audiology). They should complete 25 hours of clinical observation and 25 hours of clinical assisting through their university; missing hours are made up after the license is issued, under a clinical deficiency plan. The application needs a supervisory responsibility statement completed by the licensed SLP who agrees to take responsibility for the assistant’s services, and proof of passing the Texas Jurisprudence Examination.
California: a registration from the SLPAHADB
California’s Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board registers SLPAs rather than licensing them. The education routes are a board-approved program, a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology or communication disorders, or an out-of-state associate degree in speech-language pathology assistant. Applicants also need at least 100 hours of field work or clinical experience through an educational institution, or 36 weeks of full-time work experience in another state. The board requires in-person onsite supervision for 20 percent of each week during the first 90 days after initial registration for out-of-state applicants.
So a Texas SLPA needs a bachelor’s degree, while a California SLPA can qualify with an associate degree from an approved program. That is why a posting written for one state can disqualify good candidates in another.
The national credential
ASHA also certifies assistants. Its 2020 SLPA certification standards lead to the C-SLPA credential: an SLPA program degree (two-year minimum), a bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders, or a two-year degree plus set coursework; short courses in ethics, universal precautions and confidentiality; at least 80 hours of direct and 20 hours of indirect services under an ASHA-certified SLP; and a national exam. Treat it as a useful signal, not a substitute for the state credential.
Speech-language pathology assistant job description template
Copy this into your ATS or job board, replace the bracketed fields, and set the credential lines to match your state before it goes live.
Job title
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) — [School district / Outpatient clinic / Home health], [City, ST], [Full-time / Part-time / School year]
Summary
[Organization] is hiring a speech-language pathology assistant to deliver therapy to [children / adults] under the supervision of [name or title of supervising SLP]. You will carry out treatment plans, collect data and keep sessions moving across [a caseload of about 00 / 00 school sites]. Pay is [$00.00–$00.00 an hour / $00,000–$00,000 a year], with [school calendar / set weekday hours / no weekends].
What you will do
• Deliver individual and group therapy sessions following treatment plans written by the supervising SLP
• Collect and record session data and progress toward goals in [EHR / IEP software]
• Administer and score screenings as directed, without interpretation
• Prepare therapy materials and [AAC device] activities
• Coach parents, teachers and caregivers on carrying over practice at home or in class
• Schedule sessions, keep attendance and billing records [for Medicaid school-based services]
• Meet with your supervising SLP [weekly] and flag any change in a client’s progress
What you need
• [State] [SLPA license / registration] [or eligibility to apply before start date]
• [Associate degree from an SLPA program / bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders], as required in [state]
• Completed clinical fieldwork hours required by [state]
• [Background check / fingerprint clearance for school settings]
• [Valid driver’s license if traveling between sites]
Nice to have
• ASHA C-SLPA certification
• Experience with [articulation / language / AAC / fluency] caseloads
• [Bilingual: Spanish/English]
What we offer
• [Pay range] and [paid prep or documentation time]
• [Supervision structure: who, how often, in person or remote]
• [Continuing education budget and license renewal fees]
• [Benefits and eligibility date]
• [Tuition support toward a master’s in speech-language pathology, if offered]
How to apply
[Short form with your credential number. We reply within [two business days].]
Requirements: what to ask for, and what to drop
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| State credential | Required wherever the state regulates SLPAs. Name the exact credential (license, registration or education department approval) and say whether you will hire someone whose application is pending. |
| Degree | Match your state, not a generic list. Texas requires a bachelor’s; California accepts an approved associate degree. Asking for more than the state requires shrinks a small pool. |
| Fieldwork hours | Candidates track these closely. State the number your state requires rather than “clinical experience required.” |
| ASHA C-SLPA | List it as preferred. The state credential is what allows the person to work. |
| Experience | Many SLPAs are recent graduates. Ask for the caseload type you need (pediatric articulation, AAC, adult neuro) rather than years. |
| Supervision | Not a candidate requirement, but the most important thing to describe. Say who supervises, how often, and whether it is in person or remote. |
Customizing it by setting
Schools
O*NET lists government among the top industries for this occupation, and much of that is school-based therapy. Say the calendar, the number of campuses, the caseload age range and the IEP system. Summers off is a recruiting point; say it.
Outpatient and private practice clinics
Say whether pay is hourly, salaried or per session, whether cancellations are paid, and how productivity is measured. Candidates compare these carefully.
Early intervention and home-based therapy
Mileage, drive time between homes and the number of visits a day decide whether the job works. Put them in the posting.
What speech-language pathology assistants earn
The Occupational Outlook Handbook does not profile SLPAs. BLS reports them inside healthcare support workers, all other (SOC 31-9099), a catch-all group, so read the following as the figures for that group rather than for SLPAs alone. It had a median wage of $48,430 a year in May 2025; O*NET gives the hourly median as $23.28.
| Healthcare support workers, all other (31-9099) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Median annual wage, May 2025 | $48,430 |
| Employment, 2025 | 113,900 |
| Projected employment, 2035 | 119,400 |
| Projected change, 2025–35 | +5,500 (+4.8%) |
| Openings a year, 2025–35 | 14,100 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, and the OOH table of occupations not covered in detail. BLS lists a high school diploma as the typical entry education for the whole group, which does not reflect SLPA credential rules in regulated states.
What it costs to reach a speech-language pathology assistant
Our benchmark does not break out assistants. The closest role family is therapy (PT / OT / SLP), which has a median cost per applicant of $74.62 on Meta, with the middle half of campaigns between $44.85 and $171.40, a blended figure of $64.12 and a 5 percent apply rate. That is the most expensive family we report, against an all-role median of $13.88.
The apply rate is the lever. Credentialed candidates abandon long forms, so ask the one question that disqualifies (does the candidate hold or qualify for your state’s SLPA credential?) and leave the rest for the phone call. Cost per applicant is not cost per hire.
Building a therapy team? See the speech-language pathologist, speech therapist, occupational therapy assistant and physical therapist assistant job descriptions, and therapy staffing for the hiring side.
The job description is not the job ad
The template is the document for your HR file and your supervising SLP. The ad has to get a credentialed assistant who is not job hunting to stop and read.
- First line: setting, schedule and pay. “School-based SLPA, school calendar, $00–$00/hr” tells them almost everything.
- Name the supervision model in the ad itself.
- Say the caseload size and age range. Experienced SLPAs screen on these.
- Ask only for the credential in the form. Transcripts and references can wait.
More on writing the ad is in job ad copywriting, and healthcare recruiting strategies covers the wider plan.
Frequently asked questions
What does a speech-language pathology assistant do?
An SLPA carries out therapy that a licensed speech-language pathologist has planned: running individual and group sessions, collecting data on progress, administering and scoring screenings without interpreting them, preparing materials and coaching families or teachers. The SLP remains responsible for diagnosis, the plan of care, referrals and discharge.
Do speech-language pathology assistants need a license?
It depends on the state. Some license SLPAs, some register them, some regulate them through the education department and some do not regulate them. Texas issues a license through TDLR; California issues a registration through its Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. Check your state agency before you post.
What degree does an SLPA need?
It varies by state. Texas requires a baccalaureate degree with an emphasis or major in communicative sciences or disorders and at least 24 semester credit hours in speech-language pathology or audiology. California accepts a board-approved program, a bachelor’s in speech-language pathology or communication disorders, or an out-of-state SLPA associate degree.
What is the difference between an SLPA and a speech-language pathologist?
A speech-language pathologist holds a graduate degree and a state license, evaluates and diagnoses, writes the plan of care and supervises. An SLPA implements that plan under supervision. ASHA’s scope of practice says an SLPA should not diagnose, write or modify a plan of care, make referrals, select AAC devices or discharge a client.
What is the C-SLPA?
The C-SLPA is ASHA’s national certification for speech-language pathology assistants. Under ASHA’s 2020 standards it requires a qualifying degree or coursework, short courses in ethics, universal precautions and confidentiality, at least 80 hours of direct and 20 hours of indirect services under an ASHA-certified SLP, and a national exam. It does not replace a state credential.
How much do speech-language pathology assistants make?
BLS does not publish SLPAs separately. They fall within healthcare support workers, all other (SOC 31-9099), which had a median wage of $48,430 a year in May 2025, or $23.28 an hour according to O*NET. Because that group mixes several occupations, local postings for SLPAs are a better guide to your market rate.
Is the SLPA job growing?
BLS projects the broader healthcare support workers, all other group to grow from 113,900 jobs in 2025 to 119,400 in 2035, a 4.8 percent increase, with about 14,100 openings a year. BLS does not publish a separate projection for speech-language pathology assistants.
How many hours of supervision does an SLPA need?
Supervision rules are set by each state, and they differ. California, for example, requires onsite in-person supervision for 20 percent of each week during the first 90 days for out-of-state applicants after initial registration, and Texas requires a supervisory responsibility statement from the licensed SLP with the license application. Check your state’s current rule.
What should an SLPA job posting include?
The setting, schedule and pay in the first lines; the exact state credential and whether a pending application is acceptable; the caseload size and age range; who the supervising SLP is and how supervision works; and the documentation system. Keep the application form to the credential question.
How much does it cost to recruit SLPAs on social media?
Our benchmark does not separate assistants. The closest family, therapy roles (PT, OT and SLP), ran a median $74.62 per applicant on Meta in 2026, with the middle half between $44.85 and $171.40 and a 5 percent apply rate. Cost per applicant is not cost per hire.
Related job descriptions
Hiring speech-language pathology assistants?
The description is the document. Reaching credentialed assistants who are not on job boards, with a form short enough to finish, is the part we do.
Wage, employment and projection data for healthcare support workers, all other (SOC 31-9099), the BLS group that includes speech-language pathology assistants: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025–35 and the Occupational Outlook Handbook table of occupations not covered in detail, last modified 27 August 2026; wage figures are May 2025 OEWS. Tasks, work context and hourly median: O*NET OnLine 31-9099.01. State rules: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and California Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. National certification and scope: ASHA. Read at source 24 September 2026. Cost-per-applicant and apply-rate figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 managed campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months.