Speech-Language Pathology in Chicago

With a population of 2.7 million,¹ Chicago is a diverse, urban area.² The healthcare industry is a major contributor to the Illinois economy – hospitals alone contributed $95.3 billion to the state economy and produced 466,000 jobs in 2017, with the majority located in the Chicago area.³

As part of Chicago’s large healthcare industry, SLPs are needed in a variety of capacities to help people of all ages address speech and swallowing disorders that affect their quality of life.

Chicago-based SLPs work with people of all ages, from pre-K–12 students to older adults. Here are some sample professional settings where you could pursue employment as an SLP in the Windy City:

The field of speech-language pathology requires highly specialized knowledge and skills, and aspiring practitioners must obtain an adequate license in their state before they can practice independently.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation oversees the state’s Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, which determines the criteria for SLP licensure in the state. One of the first steps toward becoming a licensed SLP in Chicago is to earn a speech-language pathology master’s degree from a program accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

To see how our master’s program aligns with Illinois requirements, visit our licensure website.

The NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development offers its ASHA-accredited speech-language pathology master’s program online. This program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Without having to relocate to New York City, you can earn an NYU Steinhardt graduate degree that prepares you to pursue professional licensure as an SLP in Chicago and areas across the country.

NYU Steinhardt helps you take the first step toward employment in SLP settings such as schools and medical facilities.

¹ United States Census Bureau, 2018 population estimate for Chicago city, Illinois arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

² WalletHub, Most and Least Ethnically Diverse Cities in the U.S. (accessed October 28, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

³ Health Care Council of Chicago, “2017–2018 State of the Chicago Health Care Industry” (accessed October 28, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

⁴ CareerOneStop, Projected Employment for Speech Language Pathologists in Illinois (accessed October 28, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

⁵ CareerOneStop, Wages for Speech-Language Pathologists in Chicago, IL (accessed June 18, 2020) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference