You can build a successful career in speech and language pathology. It is a career that can open doors for a bright future for yourself and your prospective patients. On average, the annual salary for a master’s graduate of speech and language program is about $75,000.

Here are some of the career options available to graduates of speech and language pathology online degree:

1. Education
Speech-language pathologists can carve out a career path working with children with special needs in the school setting. As much as many of these kids are already diagnosed waiting for a treatment plan, some of the children with special needs in poor neighborhoods will still need diagnosis. This service can greatly benefit children with autism, motor problems, cleft palate, weak oral muscles, or hearing impairment. For instance, children suffering from autism may have difficulties communicating and interacting with other kids. Additionally, children with speech impairment (i.e., studder) or with hearing loss can also benefit from regular speech and language pathology.

2. Hospitals
Your speech and language pathology online degree is applicable in hospitals for varied purposes. You specialty can be on either adults or children who require continued diagnosis. Additionally, they can work with people who have sustained a catastrophic injury impairing their communication capabilities. Car accidents, brain tumors, and falls are some of the causes of catastrophic injuries that can impair proper use of language to communicate. It is the job of a speech and language pathologist to help these people through their diagnosis and treatment to enable live more satisfying lives and more productive lives.

3. Residential care
Speech and language pathologists are needed in residential care facilities the most to work with elderly patients or individuals suffering from various conditions and diseases (i.e., multiple sclerosis). Your services will be needed for dementia patients and stroke patients. You will also tasked to take care of people who have been involved in horrific accidents that affect speech. Most of these injuries need long-term rehabilitation to allow for the body and the brain to heal properly. Some of the people who will need your services the most in these facilities are stroke victims. The recovery process involves restoring the ability to communicate.

4. Social work
Social workers carry out a variety of tasks. A speech and language pathology degree many compliment this profession when helping different people in the community, for instance children or adults who have been neglected or abused, children with delayed development, and new arrivals where english is a second language.

5. Occupational therapy
Although occupational therapists are different from speech-language pathologists, they can work together to better treat their patients. Speech and vocalization are important pillars of daily life, so these professions can collaborate to help patients lead a more fulfilling life. Speech-language pathologist in this area will train patients to use speech as well as communication effectively to progress through life.