How to Become a Speech Pathologist in Indiana

Speech pathology programs in Indiana are highly selective. They accept only about 40 students out of 100 applicants each year. Students need strong academic performance to become a speech pathologist in Indiana, with most admitted students holding a 3.8 GPA.

A career as a speech language pathologist in Indiana starts with an undergraduate degree. You’ll need at least a 3.0 GPA from an accredited institution. Getting your Indiana SLP license requires a master’s degree and meeting specific requirements. The application fee is $150.00. The SLP M.A. program offers detailed training that covers all aspects of speech-language pathology. This opens doors to many career paths. Indiana program graduates now work in states of all sizes – from Illinois and Ohio to Michigan, New York, and beyond.

This piece walks you through everything you need to know about becoming a speech pathologist in Indiana. You’ll find information about education requirements, licensing steps, expected salaries, and job prospects. The complete 2025 guide helps both students starting their education and professionals ready to get their license.

Education Requirements for Indiana SLPs

Your journey to become a speech-language pathologist in Indiana starts with the right education. You must earn a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

These programs require an undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA from an accredited institution. Most successful applicants have higher GPAs because these programs are highly competitive.

Students with a bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing sciences or communication disorders can complete the master’s program in two years. The program follows a sequence of fall, spring, summer, and fall semesters. The final spring semester focuses on off-campus clinical externships.

Students with degrees in other fields must complete specific prerequisite courses. These essential prerequisites include:

• Speech Anatomy and Physiology
• Child Language Development
• Phonetics (with IPA transcription)
• Acoustics or Speech Science
• Audiology or Hearing Science

Students from other majors need to finish at least three of these five courses before starting graduate studies. The required courses are Speech Anatomy and Physiology, Child Language Development, and Phonetics.

ASHA certification requires coursework in these science areas:

• Biological sciences (biology, anatomy, physiology)
• Physical sciences (physics or chemistry)
• Behavioral/social sciences (psychology, sociology)
• Statistics (standalone course)

The master’s program includes four semesters of clinical practicum. This gives you experience in diagnosing and treating communication disorders in children and adults. After graduation, you need 400 hours of direct supervised clinical experience.

Once you complete your degree and clinical hours, you must pass the national Praxis examination in speech-language pathology. You’ll need to finish a nine-month clinical fellowship before applying for your Indiana SLP license.

The Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from ASHA meets many of Indiana’s licensing requirements. This certification lets you get licensure in all 50 states after completing the clinical fellowship year.

Getting Your Licensure and Credentials

Getting your Indiana speech pathology license requires several steps after you complete your master’s degree. You’ll need to work with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA). Start by submitting your application online or by mail with a non-refundable $150.00 application fee.

Your application package must include:

• Official transcripts verifying your master’s degree in speech-language pathology
• Documentation of 400 hours of direct supervised clinical experience
• Certification of completing a nine-month clinical fellowship
• Passing scores from the ETS-Praxis examination
• Criminal background check results

The IPLA will send you a jurisprudence examination after approving your application. This exam tests what you know about Indiana’s speech pathology regulations. You need a minimum score of 75% to pass.

Your clinical fellowship plays a vital role in getting licensed. You must complete this nine-month full-time employment (or equivalent) within 18 consecutive months. The minimum requirement is 15 hours per week. A temporary license is available during your fellowship period, which expires when your fellowship ends.

The process becomes simpler if you have an American Speech-Language Hearing Association Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC). This certificate replaces the need for transcripts, clinical experience documentation, fellowship proof, and Praxis scores[101]. However, you still need to pass the jurisprudence exam.

Licensed speech pathologists must complete 36 continuing education hours every two years. You can earn these hours through scientific and professional educational programs, relevant post-secondary courses, or self-study (limited to six hours).

The license renewal costs $100.00. A $50.00 late fee applies if your application arrives after the expiration date. Most applications take about four weeks to process once all documents arrive.

New applicants should know that working in Indiana schools requires both an IPLA license and possibly a Department of Education license, depending on where you work.

Salaries for SLPs in Indiana

Speech pathologists in Indiana receive competitive pay. Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows an average annual wage of $85,700. This amount changes based on experience, location, and where you work.

The salary range for Indiana SLPs starts at $47,580 for beginners and goes up to $117,440 for experienced professionals. The BLS reports Indiana speech-language pathologists earned a median annual salary of $82,190 in 2022. Another source puts the median at $84,330, with top performers making $119,610 yearly.

Your location in Indiana substantially affects how much you can earn. Urban areas generally pay better than rural ones. The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson metro area tops the list with average earnings of $87,470. SLPs in Elkhart-Goshen make about $75,860. Rural areas show different figures – Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan areas average $79,970, while Northern Indiana rural regions pay $77,330.

The type of workplace also determines your salary. National trends that apply to Indiana show varying pay scales:

• Nursing/residential care facilities: $101,320
• Hospitals: $96,830
• Therapy offices: $93,600
• Educational services: $77,310

Hourly rates look promising too. Indiana SLPs make $46.48 per hour on average. This figure lines up with ZipRecruiter’s estimate of $44.54 hourly.

Indiana’s salaries sit in the middle range nationally. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) reports Midwest region SLPs earn a median annual salary of $73,520. This amount falls below the national median of $78,000 and the Western states’ median of $85,000.

Clinical service providers with an Indiana speech language pathology license typically earn $74,000 yearly. Moving into administration or supervision can boost your earnings to around $100,000.

Careers in Indiana

Speech-language pathologists in Indiana have excellent job prospects. Employment numbers will grow by 18% from 2023 to 2033. This is a big deal as it means that the average growth rate for all occupations. Several factors drive this trend: better awareness of speech disorders, our aging population, and new roles opening up in different settings.

These professionals start their careers in schools, hospitals, and rehab centers. Experience opens doors to management positions. Many advance to become clinical directors or program managers.

Job opportunities exist all over Indiana. Indianapolis, Carmel, Lafayette, Greenwood, and Terre Haute have active job listings. Fort Wayne leads with $50.27 per hour in compensation. South Bend follows at $49.30 while Greenwood offers $49.07.

Speech-language pathologists help people of all ages. Their patients range from kids with developmental challenges to adults recovering from injuries. Professionals can focus on specialized areas like pediatric therapy, telepractice, or alternative communication methods.

Indiana graduates find jobs nationwide. Many now work successfully in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Washington, Texas, and Nebraska.

Start Your Education Today

A career as a speech pathologist in Indiana is a rewarding path with great growth potential. This piece walks you through the detailed experience from education to professional practice. You’ll need to earn your bachelor’s degree and complete an ASHA-accredited master’s program. Getting admitted is tough – only 40% of applicants make it each year.

The next step after your education is to complete the clinical requirements. You need 400 supervised hours and a nine-month fellowship before you can apply for Indiana’s license. Getting licensed means passing the Praxis examination and scoring at least 75% on the state jurisprudence exam.

Speech pathology offers stable pay in Indiana. Entry-level professionals earn $47,580 while experienced pathologists can make up to $117,440. Your location and work setting affect your salary by a lot. Indianapolis has the highest average salaries, and healthcare facilities usually pay more than schools.

The job market looks bright with an expected 18% growth through 2033 – much faster than most jobs. This surge comes from better awareness of communication disorders and expanding roles for SLPs in all types of settings.

An Indiana SLP license lets you work anywhere in the state and possibly across the country. Many graduates from Indiana’s programs have built successful careers in nearby states and beyond. This career path gives you both job security and the freedom to move where you want.

Becoming a speech pathologist in Indiana takes dedication and hard work. But the mix of competitive pay, job security, and the chance to change patients’ lives makes this profession worth thinking over for your career.