25 Best Master's in Speech Pathology Schools 2020
These are the best 25 schools that offer a master's degree in speech pathology, based on median salary one year after graduation. University of the Pacific is ranked #1 with a median starting salary of $69,800. Graduates of the speech-language pathology program at California State University-Fresno had the lowest median debt, amounting to $28,071. Median salaries for the top 25 schools range from $61,900-$69,800.
Tuition, median salaries, and median debt were reported by the U.S. Department of Education in November 2019. View our methodology for more details about these rankings or read more about the top-ranked schools.
| School | Annual Tuition | Median Debt | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University - Fullerton | $17,945 | $30,000 | $68,100 |
| San Diego State University | $19,112 | $35,761 | $67,700 |
| California State University-Long Beach | $17,822 | $41,000 | $67,400 |
| Loma Linda University | $31,780 | $55,410 | $67,100 |
| Long Island University | $25,018 | $77,750 | $65,800 |
| CUNY Lehman College | $21,000 | $29,260 | $65,600 |
| University of Redlands | $24,232 | $51,250 | $65,300 |
| California State University - Northridge | $18,007 | $53,985 | $65,200 |
| California State University - Chico | $18,910 | $30,000 | $64,900 |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | $16,621 | $29,664 | $64,400 |
| Teachers College at Columbia University | $35,430 | $108,349 | $64,100 |
| University of North Texas | $15,596 | $36,543 | $63,400 |
| Stephen F. Austin State University | $14,777 | $36,138 | $63,300 |
| The George Washington University | $33,984 | $86,000 | $62,900 |
| Stockton University | $22,698 | $41,000 | $62,400 |
| CUNY Hunter College | $20,828 | Not Reported | $62,000 |
| University of Connecticut | $43,174 | $40,723 | $61,900 |
2020 Best Colleges Highlights
California State University, Fullerton’s Master of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program provides the foundation for a career as a speech-language pathologist. The program offers a curriculum in all areas of communication disorders, such as multicultural issues, autism, augmentative and alternative communication, in addition to elective courses such as communication and aging, counseling skills in communication disorders, and advanced neurological and cognitive disorders.
The CSD program consists of 30 credits total, which combines 24 required credits and 6 elective credits. Examples of required courses are Research in Communication Sciences and Disorders; Neurologic and Clinical Aspects of Speech, Language, and Cognition; and Seminar in Child Language Disorders. Comprehensive exams are required for 10 areas throughout the course of the program.
The program distinguishes itself by highlighting its community-based professional connections. In addition to the campus' Speech and Hearing Clinic, there is an off-campus clinical program for graduate students that offers opportunities for teaching, service, and research experiences in over thirty hospitals, clinics, rehabilitative agencies, schools, and private practices. Campus-based clinics offer the following areas in which students can complete supervised practicum: child, adult, audiology, aural rehabilitation, multicultural, school, and medical setting.
California State University, Fullerton’s main campus is 241 acres and is surrounded by suburban neighborhoods and other educational institutions. It was founded in 1957, and incorporated into the California State University system in 1972.
San Diego State University offers a Master of Arts in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences with one concentration: clinical Speech-Language Pathology. The program begins each Fall term, and the curriculum is completed over five semesters. The clinical Speech-Language Pathology concentration is full-time and intensive, taking two academic years to complete. Students must complete a minimum of 45 academic credits and 19 clinical practicum credits, in addition to either a thesis or a written comprehensive examination.
The M.A. in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences has a clinical focus and may be used to satisfy preparation for the following credentials: the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Speech-Language Pathology Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing; and licensure from the State of California.
This concentration is designed to provide students with the opportunity to complete coursework in all of the following areas: articulation, fluency, voice and resonance, receptive and expressive language, hearing, swallowing, cognitive and social aspects of communication, and augmentative and alternative communication modalities. The curriculum includes courses like Research Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Voice, Resonance, and Fluency Disorders, Diagnostic Methods in Speech-Language Pathology, Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology, and Clinical Practice in Public Schools.
This program also offers the option to specialize in bilingualism for students able to pass a language proficiency test in a language other than English. Students accepted to this specialization are eligible for the Certificate in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology, designed for graduates planning to work with bilingual Spanish-English speakers.
San Diego State University was founded in 1897 as a training school for elementary school teachers. It expanded through the 1900s and was integrated into the California State University system in 1960. The school’s main campus is located within 15 minutes of downtown San Diego, California.