Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
Assist speech-language pathologists in the assessment and treatment of speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. Implement speech and language programs or activities as planned and directed by speech-language pathologists. Monitor the use of alternative communication devices and systems.
Most important skills
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Monitoring
- Service Orientation
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Key knowledge
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administrative
- Computers and Electronics
- Sociology and Anthropology
What the work involves
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the conduct of client screenings or assessments of language, voice, fluency, articulation, or hearing.
- Implement treatment plans or protocols as directed by speech-language pathologists.
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the remediation or development of speech and language skills.
- Collect and compile data to document clients' performance or assess program quality.
- Document clients' progress toward meeting established treatment objectives.
- Perform support duties, such as preparing materials, keeping records, maintaining supplies, and scheduling activities.
- Prepare charts, graphs, or other visual displays to communicate clients' performance information.
- Select or prepare speech-language instructional materials.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Social, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree (57.7% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (55.4%)
- On-the-job training
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (32.5%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 31-9099 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very high | Higher on contact with others than 82% of occupations compared | 77% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Moderate | Lower on dealing with the public than 50% of occupations compared | 44% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Teamwork | Low | Lower on teamwork than 70% of occupations compared | 64% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 93% of occupations compared | 52% of surveyed respondents chose “Limited freedom” |
| Time pressure | Low | Lower on time pressure than 79% of occupations compared | 32% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 96% of occupations compared | 40% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 88% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Low | Lower on consequence of error than 76% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 0%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0%
- Contact with others most of the time: 23.46%
- Constant contact with others: 76.54%
n = 17, Incumbent 08/2022
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 24.12%
- Fairly important: 10.8%
- Important: 9.84%
- Very important: 11.6%
- Extremely important: 43.64%
n = 17, Incumbent 08/2022
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 12.6%
- Fairly important: 5.58%
- Important: 12.79%
- Very important: 5.09%
- Extremely important: 63.93%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2022
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 12.4%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 51.57%
- Some freedom: 18.84%
- A lot of freedom: 17.18%
n = 17, Incumbent 08/2022
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 24.87%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 31.85%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 16.04%
- Every day: 27.24%
n = 17, Incumbent 08/2022
Conflict situations
- Never: 40.3%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 30.16%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 23.67%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 5.87%
- Every day: 0%
n = 17, Incumbent 08/2022
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 27.65%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 42.3%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 19.04%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 11.01%
- Every day: 0%
n = 17, Incumbent 08/2022
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 26.69%
- Fairly serious: 37.68%
- Serious: 13.5%
- Very serious: 8.61%
- Extremely serious: 13.52%
n = 16, Incumbent 08/2022
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O*NET-SOC 31-9099.01 · SOC 31-9099 (detailed_parent, medium confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8