16 percent
Expected SLP job growth in California, 2016–20263
Speech-Language Pathology in Los Angeles
Los Angeles has one of the largest populations of any city in the United States at approximately 4 million residents,1 and the city employs thousands of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to treat speech and swallowing disorders in residents of all ages.2
As an SLP in Los Angeles, you can help ensure that children, adults, and seniors receive the proper treatment for communicative challenges related to bilingualism, traumatic brain injury, and gender identity, among others.
Speech-Language Pathology Jobs in California
$93,060
2019 Median SLP annual wage in California4
SLP Opportunities in Los Angeles
The city presents a range of opportunities for SLPs to serve those in need. Here are a few ways SLPs can pursue employment and make a lasting difference in Los Angeles:
- More than one million pre-K–12 students in California speak more than one language,5 and bilingual SLPs are needed in Los Angeles and other cities to treat English language learners (ELLs) who have communicative challenges.
- There are a number of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in Los Angeles each year – in 2014, nearly 8,500 cases of TBI were reported in Los Angeles County.6 SLPs can help survivors regain the ability to speak and swallow.
- Los Angeles has a vibrant transgender community – in fact, California has the second highest population of adults who identify as transgender in the United States, according to a 2016 report by the Williams Institute. SLPs can help transgender individuals achieve more authentic voices.
How to Become a Licensed SLP in Los Angeles
There are myriad speech and swallowing disorders, and each client requires individually tailored treatment, making speech-language pathology a highly regulated field. To provide SLP services in Los Angeles, you must meet the licensure requirements set by the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board, which is part of California’s Department of Consumer Affairs.
If you plan to work as an SLP in a school setting, you will also need to meet the requirements set by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.7
The state ensures that its SLPs are adequately educated by requiring them to graduate from an accredited speech-language pathology master’s program. To see how our master’s program aligns with California requirements, visit our licensure website.
Why Speech@NYU?
The Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has accredited NYU Steinhardt’s online speech-language pathology master’s program. Offered through the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Speech@NYU gives you the knowledge and skills to pursue licensure and employment in a variety of SLP settings in Los Angeles, including hospitals, schools, and private practices.
Earn Your Master’s through Speech@NYU
Learn how NYU Steinhardt’s online program prepares you to advance your SLP career in Los Angeles.
1 United States Census Bureau, 2018 population estimate for Los Angeles city, California arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics (accessed October 24, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
3 CareerOneStop, Projected Employment for Speech Language Pathologists in California (accessed January 6, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
4 CareerOneStop, Wages for Speech-Language Pathologists in Los Angeles, CA (accessed June 18, 2020) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
5 California Department of Education, “Facts About English Learners in California” (accessed October 24, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
6 California Department of Public Health, EpiCenter California Injury Data Center Online, 2014 non-fatal hospitalizations in Los Angeles County, all races, all ages, TBI as principal diagnosis or any secondary diagnosis, all injury types. arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
7 California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential (accessed May 28, 2020) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference