If you’re on the path to becoming a speech pathologist, you need to know the educational and work experience requirements, fees, and where to find your state’s SLP license application and other resources. This guide offers general information about the licensing process and provides links to each state’s licensing board.
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- Prepares you to pursue certification as an SLP generalist
- In-person clinical placements at faculty-approved partner sites
- As few as 20 months to complete
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Want to Become an SLP? Earn an MS Online at NYU
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- Prepares students to pursue SLP licensure
- Accredited by ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation
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Who Sets the License Requirements for Speech Pathologists?
There is no single nationally accepted SLP license; each state has its own requirements for speech pathology licensure. Every state has a board with experienced practitioners or a licensing department that evaluates your education and experience to ensure you meet the state’s requirements and issues the SLP license.
State SLP License Requirements
Although each state determines SLP candidates’ eligibility, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), a nationwide credentialing association, offers a nationally recognized Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). Though it is not required in all states to earn an SLP license, many states require this certificate for licensure.. The requirements necessary for the CCC-SLP sometimes exceed general state licensing criteria.
According to ASHA, to qualify for a CCC-SLP, candidates must:
- Hold a post-baccalaureate degree in SLP from an ASHA-accredited institution
- Meet a minimum number of graduate semester credit hours that includes academic coursework and supervised clinical experience
- Demonstrate knowledge of:
- Human communication and swallowing processes
- Principles of basic and applied research and research design
- Statistics
- Biological, physical and social/behavioral sciences
- Contemporary professional issues such as educational legal requirements or policies and ASHA practice policies and guidelines
- Standards of ethical conduct
- Oral and written communication
- Fulfill a minimum of 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience
- Obtain a passing score of 162 on the national Praxis exam in speech-language pathology
- Complete a minimum 36-week post-graduate clinical fellowship
Even if your state does not require the CCC-SLP, you may find that qualifying for the CCC-SLP meets most individual state requirements, such as:
- A master’s degree in speech-language pathology or equivalent from an accredited school
- A specified number of clinical practice hours
- Completion of a clinical fellowship
- A passing score on the Praxis exam
Some states also expect candidates to pass the jurisprudence exam, which tests one’s knowledge of that state’s rules and regulations for speech-language pathology.
Explore SLP Licensing by State
Every state and the District of Columbia requires speech pathology licensure to become a speech pathology professional. States fall into one of three classifications when assessing an applicant’s credentials:
- States that mandate the CCC-SLP for licensure
- States that accept the CCC-SLP in place of an independent review of a candidate’s education and experience
- States that require standards equivalent to those of the CCC-SLP, but do not accept the CCC-SLP itself as a qualification
The following list contains links to the individual state’s licensing board or agency for speech pathologists.
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Online education is a convenient and attainable way to further your education and advance your career. Find out which speech pathology master’s program is right for you today.
Information last updated October 2020
Sponsored online speech pathology programs
Online MS: Pursue SLP Certification. Study FT/PT
Speech@Emerson enables you to earn an MS online and pursue SLP certification in as few as 20 mos. Learn the same curriculum as the on-campus program. Study FT or PT.
- Prepares you to pursue certification as an SLP generalist
- In-person clinical placements at faculty-approved partner sites
- As few as 20 months to complete
SPONSORED
Want to Become an SLP? Earn an MS Online at NYU
NYU Steinhardt’s online master of science program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders prepares aspiring speech-language pathologists with a comprehensive professional education.
- Prepares students to pursue SLP licensure
- Accredited by ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation
- As few as six terms to complete
- Full-time and part-time plans of study
SPONSORED