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25 Best Master's in Speech Pathology Schools 2020

By the GradReports team | Updated 4/1/2020

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.

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Salary and debt data reported by the U.S. Department of Education
Salary and debt data reported by the U.S. Department of Education
Rank School Location Annual Tuition Median Debt Median Salary
#5 #5 San Diego (CA) San Diego (CA) $19,074 $35,761 $67,700
#6 #6 Long Beach (CA) Long Beach (CA) $17,784 $41,000 $67,400
#7 #7 Loma Linda (CA) Loma Linda (CA) $31,058 $55,410 $67,100
#9 #9 Brookville (NY) Brookville (NY) $23,044 $77,750 $65,800
#10 #10 Bronx (NY) Bronx (NY) $21,000 $29,260 $65,600
#11 #11 Redlands (CA) Redlands (CA) $23,532 $51,250 $65,300
#12 #12 Northridge (CA) Northridge (CA) $17,981 $53,985 $65,200
#14 #14 Chico (CA) Chico (CA) $18,802 $30,000 $64,900
#16 #16 El Paso (TX) El Paso (TX) $16,621 $29,664 $64,400
#18 #18 New York (NY) New York (NY) $35,054 $108,349 $64,100
#19 #19 Denton (TX) Denton (TX) $15,600 $36,543 $63,400
#20 #20 Nacogdoches (TX) Nacogdoches (TX) $15,695 $36,138 $63,300
#21 #21 Washington D.C. Washington D.C. $32,904 $86,000 $62,900
#22 #22 Pomona (NJ) (and 1 other) Pomona (NJ) (and 1 other) $22,247 $41,000 $62,400
#24 #24 New York (NY) New York (NY) $20,828 Not Reported $62,000
#25 #25 Storrs (CT) Storrs (CT) $42,237 $40,723 $61,900

2020 Best Colleges Highlights

#5
San Diego (CA)
Median Salary $67,700
Median Debt $35,761
Annual Tuition $19,074

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.

Visit San Diego State University's website.