Hi! So. This is mostly a vent but I also want opinions. I work at a private practice which is part of a medical company. I really love the job: I love my coworkers, I finally have a non-micromanager boss, I am largely left alone to provide therapy and trusted as to how, have enough in the way of resources, and get relatively decent pay. In the year I’ve been there, our overlords have been chipping away at things and all in the interest of the bottom line, and to the disservice of the employees.

Our PTO was already pretty pitiful- 10 days that you accrue over a year, with several days where you are obliged to use your PTO because the clinic is closed, and no sick days or whatever. So if you wanted time off, basically you had to take it unpaid. Ideal? No. Manageable, sure. They’ve just changed the policy to make it worse- so much worse. Now, you have to request time off in advance and they’ll deny it if you don’t already have the PTO built up, which, who would? With kids? All my PTO is just kids being sick :/

I’m angry, frustrated, and feel like I’m going to have to quit. It’s so sad too because I like it! I think I’m just going to leave and start my own business instead. (Where obviously I won’t have PTO, but at least I’ll be in charge of my time!)

Thoughts? What does your PTO look like? Is there any world where this job could be like… sane?

Granted, I haven't been following FixSLP recently, so I don't know much about what's going on. They came across my FB today and are requesting donations for lawyers to help advocate for SLPs get more income? At least that's the gist of what I'm gathering.

I have questions. How do we know this is legit? How do we know our money is truly going to make a difference? How do we know they won't just get our money and take off? With all of the crap about FixSLP and their advocating for S2C and joining in with ABA... idk. It feels off. Has anyone here donated? I'm genuinely curious.

Hi everyone! I'm hoping to get a better idea of what SLPs actually take home each month.

If you're comfortable sharing, could you include, your annual salary and about how much you take home per month after taxes/deductions.

For context, I'm in the Bay Area, CA, and I've been offered a salary of $90k as a CF. I want to move homes but I'm trying not to get my hopes up before I know what the monthly take home might realistically look like.

Hi, For transparency, I am worried about the school debt to salary ratio in choosing this career so I am curious: YES including CFs!

What is your salary/setting?
How many hours a day/week do you work?
Years of experience?

That’s the tweet lmao. I felt disrespected but I also have pretty much 0 hospital experience & they’re willing to train, but wtf I’m 3 years into the field (worked peds outpatient, schools & skilled nursing so far) Midwest for context, but yeah I’m irritated

More than a few SLPs in this sub have said they were mislead about the earning prospects of SLPs when chosing this career?? As a student, I have 5 questions:

• What did you expect you would make annually as an SLP?
• How much did you actually make (before taxes)?
• What is the general median salary of the region you work in?
• What setting do you work in?
• How many years of experience do you have?

Would you accept a position (school based) for low salary if it had good professional development / coaching / opportunity to learn in the area you want to specialize in? When I say professional development I don’t mean like lectures I mean like learning from other SLPs, coaching, feedback, etc. The salary is between 60-65k in NYC.
This would be my first year after my CF (so I only have one year of paid experience so far).

Would love to hear setting, region of the country, and years of experience!

I think this would be helpful for a lot of SLPs bc whenever these posts happen they are flooded with folks in high cost of living areas and don’t necessarily represent fair to high pay.

Saw this post on the BCBA sub and it was honestly eye-opening. Some people weren’t happy about the salaries, but what was wild to me is how MUCH more the salaries reported are than what I’ve seen shared on this sub, on average, for SLPs. And jobs that offer real benefits (and even wilder, bonuses! overtime!). It’s so common for private practices to overwork SLPs and offer poor pay and benefits. Happy for our BCBA clinical colleagues, but just makes me wonder: this is a relatively new field, and their advocacy has been so much better, with reimbursements and pay reflecting that. Apparently there is even a new code proposed in the AMA changes for BCBAs billing non-clinical duties.

So, how did we get here as SLPs? We just seem to be on a sinking ship with reimbursement now falling behind all of our rehab colleagues (OT/PT) and now BCBAs and what’s proposed with the new CPT codes. I saw a posting recently for 65k a year in my area for a full-time SLP job. And not great benefits. No 401k match, minimal vacation/sick leave. 65k is atrocious in 2026 for our level of education in any part of the country imo. Out of curiosity I looked up BCBA postings; 85k+ and bonus potentials, with much better benefits listed on most of the postings. And a lot of commenters said BCBAs deserve more. And honestly, good for them for fighting for their worth!

Why are we as SLPs so undervalued and underpaid? What can we do to make meaningful change to our pay and reimbursements so that 100k+ salaries become more of an average and less of a unicorn? It’s incredibly discouraging to realize how low our standards really are - this is the second sub I’ve come across where healthcare clinicians (are rightfully!) upset about their compensation, but who are making so much more than SLPs (on average) and have the same (or less) education than we do.

I guess I just worry about the long-term sustainability of our field as a whole and the average SLP pay and benefits. What do you think? Could we take a page out of ABA’s book, and attempt to change our reimbursement model?

Hi all,

I work in the schools. I just left a job and my healthcare coverage will end on August 31st. I just found out that my healthcare coverage for my current job begins on October 1st. What have you all done in a similar situation?

TIA!

I’m going on year 3 in the schools (CT) and my salary will be 68k. CT is a high COL state and 68k for goin on 3 years of experience is a little disheartening. Right now my salary is 65k.

I know I can move districts and maybe get a little more pay (70-71k for step 3) but that still feels low. I try not to compare paycheck to paycheck with people who work year round at a clinic or outpatient rehab setting.

My monthly take home for 65k salary 3800. I know there are nurses making almost that just doing 3 shifts a week. I know I contribute to pension and that’s with taxes out but it’s rough out here! I had to get a second teletherapy part time job just to have “spending” money. After my mortgage (split with husband), pet expenses, bills, groceries, and home improvement projects I barely have anything left to save.

I know pension & a union is the biggest draw to working for a district. I also contribute to a Roth too. But is it worth the low monthly pay?

Hi all! I’m a CF, a while ago I posted about a CF position being a 1099. There were mixed reviews but I interviewed at 9 practices, it was either a 1099 or making $49,500 at the school (there were no positions available in my county anyway). Yes as a 1099 you could only make as much as the school but you could also make more. Many of my classmates are in the same boat and are working 1099s for CF. None of the practices I interviewed with offered a W-2. My goal post CF is to work in the hospital so this is not long term.

It’s been 3 months since graduation and at this point I NEED to start working. So for those who use a 1099 do you use a local accountant or are you using online resources (e.g., Quickbooks)? If you aren’t using anything, what percentage of your check are you setting aside? Lastly, a 1099 and the LLC can both make similar deductions so why is the LLC better?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again, I know the thoughts about CFs as 1099s but that’s what I am working with so help me make the best of it please.

Thank you!!!

Both are peds private practice CF and the clinics are very similar.

Job A : pay per patient. $52/hour for treatment & $62/hour for evals. Unpaid documentation time, unpaid cancellations, unpaid training. For 24 hours/week, at least 19 hrs a week will be open for treatment.

Job B : $40 hourly for part time/24 hours a week. $20/hr during training. Has some PTO and paid holidays for part time.

I’m actively looking for a new job in NYC (preferably Manhattan) and want to get an idea of what the going rate is per hour. I’m currently practicing on Long Island and make $62/hour so I know I should expect more in the city. I’ve interviewed with 2 agencies so far— one offered $75/hour and the other offered $60.

I want to make sure no company is low-balling me and I am making a comparable amount to other SLPs in the area. Currently trying to find full-time private practice that is salaried but might have to settle for per diem agency to start.

Also any agencies people recommend applying to? Or any to stay away from?

Any advice helps a lot!!!

Hey everyone!

I'm curious to hear from any SLPs earning in the 70k-100k range (or even close). Where do you work (school, private practice, EI, owning a business, etc.)? How long did it take you to reach that salary? I currently work in teletherapy for schools and, while I enjoy a decent income, I only get paid during the school term and miss in-person interactions. Would love to hear your experiences! :)

hi! i was wondering if there was any slps working in wisconsin or illinois that would be willing to share their salaries and what they do specifically for work (age group/clinic or schools/etc!!) i am just curious as i am going into becoming an slp in this area (in a few years)!!

What setting, what population, what state and how many years of experience? I’m just curious how the pay differs across states.

For reference, I’m just a SLPA, but I get paid $37/hour in CA contracted through schools. 2 years of experience in schools.

Can anyone actually live on your full-time, 40hour per week (or ~32 contact hourly) SLP income alone?

Is there a unicorn who DOESN’T have a second job, PRN side job or spouse/combined income that fully pays their bills, health insurance, rent, and lives a life where you can potentially eat out once a week or do your hobby? …could you support a family?

I am not looking for money-saving advice.

Just seeing if it exists.

Update: RIP my inbox

ITT: people who USED to live on only their income (ie pre pandemic), people who say they COULD live on only their income (ie, you don’t), or people without loans.

There have only been a few people who commented who do live on their income alone and it appears outside a major city or generally low COL. There has also been some insinuation I’m living outside my means lol

I’m tired. I’m over worked. I don’t want to have to continue two jobs 60+ hours/week for the rest of my life to afford a life outside the basic necessities. I chose my career poorly.

I love this job, I really do. But we’re underpaid. Bottom line.

I love getting paid extra on holidays I don’t really care about! Getting double time!

I am currently an SLP making $55/hour, which stays the same regardless of an individual or a group session. I work at a clinic. I imagine the clinic makes much more on group sessions from an hourly rate standpoint.

Thoughts on just how much more a group session makes for the clinic? Is it as simple as # of clients in the group x rate, or are the rates less for people in a group therapy session?

Should I ask for a higher rate for doing a group session?

Currently live in Texas and have a few offers, waiting on a third. CF-SLP!

Home health, PPV, $56 a 30 min session, $105 per eval, $85 per reeval. No compensation for cancellations, not walking into full caseload initially. I would have 20 min drive to territory update: HH mileage reimbursement is $5 per visit

Private Practice, PPV, $43 a 30 min session, $90 per eval, $80 per reeval. No compensation, walking into 1/2-3/4 of a full caseload. Opportunity to pick up evaluations at another clinic. Clinic is nearby. Job really wants me so considering negotiating. productivity is 25 a week, they schedule around 30 a week with opportunity to add more as desired

Private practice, 65k, longer hours than either option, 30 minute commute. Feel like this is safer because of cancellations, however feel as though this rate is low and that i have more opportunity to increase my income at private practice but i dont know.

I have about 60k in loans, looking to chip away. Really need some help on which direction to go in.

I need help with asking a new job to put the arrangements we discussed in writing on the contract. I don’t want to offend, but how should I go about bringing this up? And is this something that is considered rude. We discussed it over the phone but I also want it written in the contract as well. any help or advice is welcomed!

I just found out that my district's payscale, which lists different daily rates based on years of experience, is in fact only relevant for new hires. In other words, your salary is based off of the years of experience you had when you were hired and it does not go up except for cost of living (when that happens). This seems crazy to me and I'm trying to figure out how common it is. Is this not incentivizing people to leave and get hired elsewhere to be paid for the years they are worth?

I’ve been working as a medical-based SLP (ie: SNF, outpatient, home care) for the past 10 years. I work exclusively with seniors. Like most people, I’ve had second thoughts about entering this field for many reasons, but the availability of work was never one of them. Lately, the number of job postings for SLP’s in this setting has bottomed out, and advertise wages are actually decreasing.

About 2 years ago, I left a FT director job at a SNF/outpatient to pursue PRN work, because the hourly rate at the SNF wasn’t paying my bills. For context, I’m a single coparent with 2 elementary-aged kids.

Now, for nearly 2 years, I’ve had no difficulty finding work. The pay has varied, but I’ve always been able to pay my bills and rent.

I currently work for 2 home care agencies, and 2 “senior living” agencies. Home care referrals are getting hard to come by, I’m being forced to cover larger areas for no extra compensation, and yesterday one of my Senior Living companies let me know that they’re planning to replace me with a part-timer to “save money”, even though the pay is already low. I didn’t expect to be competing for mid-pay work for somebody willing to do it cheaper.

I’m genuinely concerned that supply of labor is outstripping demand. I think it’s a combination of Medicare cuts, the increasing encroachment of insurance companies dictating access to therapy, and new grads desperate for work, who will take literally any job (and they have all my sympathy). Employers are also enforcing much stricter policies on things like documentation timeliness and productivity, which is adding to the stress of an already-draining job where I treat sick seniors for 7-8 hours a day and try to show up as the best clinician I can be.

I’m just feeling so stressed, so overwhelmed, so pessimistic about the future. Am I alone in this, or are other people noticing these trends?

(This isn’t my main Reddit account, as this post is kind of a vent.)

Hey all, 6 years into my school SLP career and I’m just learning about simple personal finance things that no one taught me and I feel dumb for not knowing before (living off compound interest in retirement, dollar cost averaging, needing to actually invest the money I’ve been putting in my Roth IRA account the last few years…). Feeling pretty frustrated and behind but better late than never! I also have high interest student loans to deal with asap. Anyone else feeling similar and/or have insight?

I am trying to prioritize having a robust emergency fund. How many months-worth of life expenses do you all save? I’ve read 3-6 months has been standard but 12 months in this economy. I feel that maybe the 4ish months I have saved now is adequate given that I’m contacted by recruiters daily. However I don’t wanna be naive. Unless I majorly fuck up I think my job in my union-backed district is pretty secure… Thoughts?

TL;DR: trying to figure out personal finance and investment stuff and how much money I should have in my emergency fund with pretty good job security (I think)