Speech-Language Pathology in Orlando

Orlando’s healthcare infrastructure serves 2.5 million residents in the Orlando metro area.¹ Among the many services offered, providers assist Floridians who need speech-language therapy.

As a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in Orlando or the nearby areas of Daytona Beach and Melbourne, you can treat people of all ages in this sunny locale.

In Orlando, SLPs can contribute to the profession by conducting ongoing research and working directly with people struggling to speak, understand speech, and/or swallow. Here are a few ways SLPs can make a difference in Orlando, Daytona Beach, and Melbourne.

Annually, thousands of Floridians suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBI). In 2014, more than 176,000 cases were reported in the state.⁴ Complications from these injuries may affect individuals’ ability to vocalize or swallow.

As an Orlando-based SLP, you can pursue positions working with children and adults in TBI therapy centers or other outpatient settings.

Orlando has an aging population – 10 percent of the city’s residents are 65 years or older.⁵ The city has a great demand for services that benefit seniors. SLPs are needed to help older adults address speech and swallowing difficulties that develop as they age.

Orlando residents present a range of speech-language pathology disorders that require careful diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. To serve residents of Orlando and neighboring areas such as Daytona Beach and Melbourne, Florida requires aspiring SLPs to meet various requirements for licensure before they can practice independently.

The Florida Board of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology requires a master’s degree in the field as the minimum educational requirement for licensure. Various cities have different opportunities for employment in the field. To see how our master’s program aligns with Florida requirements, visit our licensure website.

The online master’s program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from NYU Steinhardt has a unique curriculum that prepares you to pursue employment as an SLP. Accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council for Academic Accreditation, the program offers an esteemed master of science degree.

¹ United States Census Bureau, 2018 population estimates for Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Lake Counties, Florida arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

² CareerOneStop, Projected Employment for Speech Language Pathologists in Florida (accessed October 24, 2019) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

³ CareerOneStop, Wages for Speech-Language Pathologists in Orlando, FL (accessed June 18, 2020) arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

⁴ Florida Department of Health, “Special Emphasis Report: Traumatic Brain Injury 2014” arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

⁵ United States Census Bureau, “Quick Facts: Orlando City, Florida,” July 2018 population estimate for persons 65 years and older arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference