Job Locations For Speech Pathologists

Written by: Nimra Khan / Treatment / March 2, 2022 / 8 minutes read

Are you an individual who is interested in working as an SLP? Aside from the education portion of becoming an SLP, it can be good to consider where you would like to practice as an SLP. This can be dependent not just on a physical location, but the types of clients you would meet and their main concerns. I would caution that for many people, their preferences change over time which is completely okay! Here is a non-exhaustive list of job types as an SLP based on location, and the pros and cons usually associated with each.

Firstly: working private vs. public

There are many private clinics which SLPs can work in, which can include working in-person or virtual. The public sector is usually focused on school boards and hospitals. It’s important to note that you don’t have to stick in one sector forever, you can change your path, should you so choose! There are also always exceptions to some of these expectations, but what I have found most common in my experience. 

Public

• Pros

  • Benefits such as insurance, vacation pay, etc. are usually included 

  • Can be more long-term, depending on what is available 

  • Often more stable for you 

• Cons

  • It can take a while to work into this permanently, if that is what you want. For example, I know people who have taken many part-time contracts to work in schools (while others have been on maternity leave), before being able to have a permanent position 

  • Less time to offer each client/patient 

Private 

• Pros

  • Flexible schedule – you can usually choose your hours much more easily

  • You usually have more time to spend with clients, allowing more 1-to-1 therapy regularly, rather than an assessment 

  • Can be paid more per hour than you would in the public sphere, but not always

  • Usually more job options, especially part-time, and in niche areas 

  • Can be with children or adults, sometimes at the same location 

• Cons 

  • Hours are not guaranteed, and you are often paid only per client, so not for the time you spend in-between with notes, prep etc. (Some exceptions) 

  • Usually little to no benefits, such as health or dental insurance, vacation pay or maternity leave 

Well Said is a company fitting within the private sphere but with specific areas of focus not often found in other settings, especially where it concerns professional communication for workplaces. Read more about the importance of strong social skills for work. In this flexible therapy world, we also offer online courses which you can complete at your own pace, learn more about the Leadership Communication Masterclass.

School and educational settings

This usually involves working with children who are in kindergarten until grade 12, depending on which schools you are assigned. There are lots of assessments involved for students identified as needing support, along with writing education plans and support for the classroom – a lot of paperwork! There many developmental conditions which you can also support, including Autism, Down Syndrome, etc. 

Pros

• The benefits associated with working in a public sector job, as mentioned above 

• Great for SLPs who enjoy working with kids

• Your day will be filled and you are paid even if you are not directly with a child for the whole time

• Usually supported by a team 

Cons

• Can often involving a lot of driving, especially between different schools within a school board 

• Schedule is not flexible 

• Can be difficult to get a full-time position immediately 

• Involves a lot of assessment, and less one-to-one therapy 🡪 important to consider which you prefer more!

Hospitals

These settings will be very medical-focused, working in a team of doctors, nurses, OTs, PTs, and many more, to support patients as needed. The work is fast-paced and very demanding, which can be stressful. However, many interesting conditions present here, including to do with aphasia, swallowing difficulties, neurological damage, post-surgery assistance with voice, and much more. In a pediatric hospital setting, there can be similar stressful situations for infants and young children, often related to pediatric swallowing difficulties or conditions from birth which are affecting growth and development at the medical level.

Pros

• The benefits associated with working in a public sector job, as mentioned above 

• Stable work

• Collaborative 

Cons

• Schedule is not flexible 

• Can be difficult to get a full-time position immediately 

• Especially since the start of COVID, consider there are further health risks are you are in a high-risk setting with many people with various illnesses, even if you are not directly working with them

• Stressful workplace 

Well Said is a company fitting within the private sphere but with specific areas of focus not often found in other settings, especially where it concerns professional communication for workplaces.

Nursing and long-term care homes

These settings involve working with elderly individuals, and many require end-of-life support. Many of these individuals are linked to a hospital, however others receive services through the community. Areas of concern can also include: swallowing difficulties (Dysphagia), and spoken language and comprehension difficulties due to a stroke (aphasia).

Pros

• This could be through being sent through a hospital, or through a private organization – flexibility in schedule will depend on this

• Variety of concerns, mainly focused on illnesses associated with ageing, if that is your main area of interest 

Cons

• Involves a lot of driving in-between locations 

• Can be mentally stressful to see many people at their end-of-life or in pain 

• Can feel isolating as an SLP, as you can often moving around independently and not meeting many other SLPs

Universities

SLPs work at universities are often those that have worked in the field for many years and are now teaching in Masters programs or providing consultations to these programs. This will likely not be where you start, unless you are interested solely in research – in which case, you can complete a Masters degree solely focused on research, and even continue to complete a PhD. 

Pros 

• Excellent pay

• Consistent work

• Benefits through your university 

• Easiest to enter after graduation is you are focusing on research only and not clinical work, will usually be working towards a PhD

Cons 

• Long hours between teaching and research

• Schedule is likely not flexible, many deadlines to meet

• Limited number of jobs after study

There are many options for SLPs, dependent on your interests and proficiency in working with children or adults. Read this other article more details about different areas of focus (not specifically locations). You can also learn more about how the speech pathology field is regulated with this other blog post. 

To speak with one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.