How to Become a Pediatric Speech Therapist: A Step-by-Step Career Guide

The employment outlook for speech-language pathologists looks promising with a projected growth of 21% between 2014 and 2024. A career as a pediatric speech therapist offers exceptional growth potential.

The field needs more specialized professionals, with about 13,200 openings expected each year over the next decade. The career provides both personal satisfaction and financial security, with median salaries reaching $89,290 per year. Texas alone needs speech therapists to assess and treat more than 200,000 public school students aged three to 21 yearly.

This career stands out because it combines competitive pay with meaningful work. You’ll help children overcome communication challenges as a pediatric speech therapist while enjoying great professional opportunities. The field consistently ranks among the most rewarding and desirable jobs.

Let’s explore each step to become a pediatric speech therapist. We’ll cover everything from selecting the right bachelor’s degree to finishing your master’s in speech-language pathology. You’ll also learn about passing certification exams and getting your license. Your path to this rewarding career starts here!

Understand the Role of a Pediatric Speech Therapist

Starting a career as a pediatric speech therapist requires you to understand what the job really means. The daily tasks, challenges, and rewards will help you decide if this career matches your goals and interests.

What pediatric speech therapists do

Pediatric speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help children by assessing, diagnosing, and treating communication and swallowing disorders. These experts know how to assess verbal and non-verbal language skills that help children communicate better.

Their main responsibilities include:

• Assessing and diagnosing speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders
• Creating and carrying out treatment plans for these disorders
• Teaching families and caregivers about treatment methods
• Working together with teachers, physicians, psychologists, and occupational therapists

Pediatric SLPs do more than traditional speech therapy. They help children of all ages with feeding and swallowing, from newborns to teenagers. They also work on three key areas of communication: speech (articulation, fluency), receptive language (understanding information), and expressive language (using words and sentences to communicate needs).

Common disorders treated in children

Pediatric speech therapists help young patients with many communication challenges. Here are some common disorders they treat:

Speech disorders happen when children find it hard to make speech sounds correctly or speak fluently (like stuttering) or have voice or resonance issues. Language disorders show up when children have trouble understanding others (receptive language) or sharing their thoughts and ideas (expressive language).

Social communication disorders affect children’s ability to use verbal and nonverbal communication in social situations. Children with autism spectrum disorder or traumatic brain injury often face these challenges. Pediatric SLPs also treat swallowing disorders (dysphagia) that might come from illness, injury, or conditions present at birth.

These specialists also work with childhood apraxia of speech, phonological disorders, and reading problems linked to speech and language development.

Where they typically work

Pediatric speech therapists work in many places, which gives you options for your career. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) reports that most SLPs (56%) work in education, with 53% in schools and 3% in colleges and universities.

Healthcare settings employ about 39% of these professionals: 16% work in nonresidential healthcare facilities, 13% in hospitals, and 10% in residential healthcare facilities.

Each workplace offers something different. School-based SLPs usually see children in small groups and focus on social skills and academic communication. Hospital therapists often handle more serious conditions as part of larger medical teams. Private practice or outpatient clinic therapists typically provide one-on-one care and build strong bonds with children and their families.

Your choice of workplace should match your professional interests and personal strengths as you plan your education to become a pediatric speech therapist.

Step 1: Earn a Relevant Bachelor’s Degree

A bachelor’s degree marks the start of your journey to become a pediatric speech therapist. This first step builds the foundation you need for graduate studies and a future career helping children with communication challenges.

Recommended majors for speech pathologist education

Your choice of undergraduate major can set you up perfectly for advanced study in pediatric speech therapy. A bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) offers the most direct route and teaches you the core concepts of speech, language, and hearing. This major covers:

• Basic anatomy and physiology of speech mechanisms
• Introduction to phonetics and linguistics
• Overview of communication disorders
• Audiology fundamentals
• Language development across the lifespan

Speech and Hearing Sciences, Linguistics, Psychology, Education, or Human Development make excellent alternatives. These fields give you valuable knowledge that fits well with speech pathology practice. You might need some extra prerequisite courses before applying to graduate programs.

Whatever major you pick, try to get hands-on experience through volunteer work, research projects, or by watching practicing speech therapists. These activities will strengthen your graduate school applications and help you confirm your career choice.

What to do if your degree is in another field

You can still become a pediatric speech therapist even with a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field. Many Speech-Language Pathology master’s programs welcome students from different academic backgrounds if they complete the needed prerequisites.

Most graduate programs need specific courses completed before admission:

• Phonetics
• Language development
• Anatomy and physiology of speech mechanisms
• Introduction to communication disorders
• Audiology or hearing science
• Statistics or research methods

You have several ways to meet these requirements:

Post-baccalaureate programs offer a structured path for students switching to speech-language pathology. These programs take 1-2 years and cover all required prerequisites.

Community colleges and online programs let you take individual prerequisite courses. Universities often offer these classes as non-degree options so you can take just what you need.

Some master’s programs might let you finish missing prerequisites during your first year, though this could make your program longer.

Research your target graduate programs’ specific requirements since prerequisites vary by school. Your grades in prerequisite subjects matter a lot to graduate admissions committees.

Your unique background could become an advantage in your future practice as a pediatric speech therapist. Many successful speech therapists started in different fields like business, arts, sciences, and healthcare.

Step 2: Complete a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology

A master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology stands as your next significant milestone after getting your bachelor’s degree. This advanced degree opens doors to professional practice and serves as the minimum educational requirement to get licensure in all 50 states.

Speech therapist degree requirements

You need to meet several admission requirements before starting your master’s degree:

• A minimum GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate coursework
• Completion of prerequisite courses in communication sciences
• GRE scores (though some programs are waiving this requirement)
• Letters of recommendation from academic or professional references
• Personal statement that shows your interest in pediatric speech therapy

Speech-Language Pathology master’s programs usually take two years of full-time study. The curriculum includes advanced coursework in speech sound disorders, language development, research methods, swallowing disorders, and neurogenic communication disorders. Specialized pediatric courses teach early intervention strategies, developmental language disorders, and autism spectrum disorders.

The program helps you become skilled at assessment techniques, treatment planning, and evidence-based practice for pediatric populations. Many programs let you take elective courses in pediatric speech therapy. These courses help you learn more about childhood communication disorders.

Choosing an accredited program

The right graduate program shapes your future career path. The program must have accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Most states require this accreditation for licensure.

Here’s what matters when looking at programs:

Faculty expertise in pediatric speech therapy Clinical placement opportunities with children Program format (in-person, online, or hybrid options) PRAXIS examination pass rates Employment rates after graduation Geographic location and cost

Program websites, virtual information sessions, and conversations with current students or alumni give you a clear picture of program culture and strengths. The best program matches your learning style, career goals, and personal needs.

Clinical practicum during graduate school

Clinical practicum stands as the most valuable part of your graduate education. ASHA certification requires at least 400 supervised clinical hours, with 325 at the graduate level. These hours must cover different age groups and disorders, including pediatric populations.

Your clinical training starts with simulated cases and moves to direct client interaction under supervision. You’ll watch experienced clinicians first, then slowly take on more responsibility in assessment and treatment. Clinical supervisors guide you and provide feedback throughout this process.

Programs often include rotations in settings where pediatric speech therapists work—schools, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and early intervention programs. These experiences help you find your preferred pediatric setting and build a complete clinical skill set.

Clinical practica serve as hands-on training opportunities. They let you use theoretical knowledge from coursework in ground clinical situations with children. This combination of theory and practice prepares you for independent work after graduation.

Step 3: Pass the Praxis Exam and Complete Clinical Fellowship

You’ve completed your graduate coursework, and now you need to focus on two key requirements to become a certified pediatric speech therapist.

What is the Praxis exam and when to take it

The Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology (5331) is the national assessment that speech-language pathologists must pass to get certified. This detailed test looks at your knowledge in all aspects of speech-language pathology practice, including how you assess and treat patients. The passing score for ASHA certification is 162 on a 100-200 scale.

The right timing makes a big difference for this exam. ASHA suggests you should register and take the Praxis exam after you finish your graduate coursework and clinical practicum, or during your first year of clinical practice. This helps make sure you’ve learned enough and developed good clinical judgment before taking the test.

Educational Testing Service (ETS) test centers give this exam, which serves multiple purposes. You’ll need it to get ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) and state licenses in most places. After applying for certification, you have two years to complete everything, including passing this exam.

Overview of the 1,260-hour clinical fellowship

The Clinical Fellowship (CF) helps you move from being a student to becoming an independent practitioner. Your supervised professional experience starts after you complete your academic coursework and clinical practicum. You’ll need:

• A minimum of 1,260 hours and 36 weeks of full-time experience
• At least 5 hours per week to count toward requirements
• Three segments, each with specific observations and supervisory activities

You must spend at least 80% of your time working directly with patients who have communication disorders. The other 20% can include activities like attending in-services or giving trainings.

Your CF mentor should have current CCC-SLP certification, at least 9 months of full-time clinical experience after certification, and 2 hours of professional development in supervision.

Tips for finding a good fellowship placement

Your fellowship position choice will shape your professional growth. Here’s what you can do:

Know what matters most to you about patient groups, work settings, and supervision styles. Some fellows want lots of hands-on support from an on-site supervisor, while others prefer more independence with guidance as needed.

Before interviews, make a list of questions about supervisor availability, patient numbers, work expectations, and available resources. You should also learn what counts toward CF hours and whether you’ll get benefits like health insurance or license fee coverage.

Stay open-minded during your search. Many pediatric speech therapists found their perfect match in unexpected places. Your fellowship can teach you things you never saw in graduate school.

Step 4: Get Licensed and Certified

A pediatric speech therapist’s journey to professional practice ends with getting proper credentials through state licensure and national certification.

State licensure process

Each state issues its own speech-language pathology licenses and has unique requirements and regulatory boards. Most states share these common requirements:

• A master’s degree from an accredited program
• A completed supervised clinical fellowship
• Passing scores on the national Praxis examination
• Official transcripts and reference letters
• Payment of application fees (typically $85-100)

Your state’s speech-language pathology licensing board will review your application materials. You’ll usually receive a temporary license that lets you practice under supervision while they process your full application.

ASHA CCC-SLP certification

Most pediatric speech therapists go for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) along with their state license. This respected national credential shows professional excellence and often meets state licensing standards.

The CCC-SLP shows you have:

• Finished a CAA-accredited master’s program
• Completed 400 supervised clinical practicum hours
• Finished a 36-week clinical fellowship
• Passed the national Praxis examination
• Met ASHA’s knowledge and skills requirements

Many states speed up their licensing process by accepting ASHA certification as proof of meeting their requirements.

Keeping your license with continuing education

Most states match their continuing education rules with ASHA standards. You need these things to keep both your license and certification:

• Complete 30 professional development hours every three years
• Take at least 1 hour in ethics (starting 2020)
• Complete at least 2 hours in cultural competency (starting 2023)
• Pay yearly fees to your state board and ASHA
• Follow the ASHA Code of Ethics

These ongoing professional development activities help you stay up-to-date with the latest evidence-based practices throughout your career in pediatric speech therapy.

Getting Started

A career as a pediatric speech therapist is a rewarding path that offers great growth potential and financial stability. This piece has shown you the key steps to join this profession – from getting your bachelor’s degree to finishing graduate studies, completing clinical fellowship, and getting your license and certification.

This experience needs dedication and perseverance. All the same, helping children overcome their communication challenges makes it worth the effort. Your work will directly help young lives by teaching them significant skills they need for academic success and social interaction.

You have many options in this career path. Pediatric speech therapists can work in schools, hospitals, private practices, or outpatient clinics. Even if your undergraduate degree is in another field, you can still find ways to switch to this profession.

Pediatric speech therapy is growing faster than ever, with thousands of new jobs opening each year. Your career outlook stays strong, particularly as you build experience and focus on specific treatment areas or disorders.

The best pediatric speech therapists blend their clinical expertise with real compassion for children and families. This role needs both professional abilities and personal traits – patience, creativity, and empathy are the foundations of good therapy.

Starting your journey as a pediatric speech therapist might look challenging at first. Each step builds knowledge and skills that you’ll use throughout your career. The education, certification, and licensing process will prepare you to make real changes in children’s lives while building a stable and fulfilling career.