Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Speech-Language Pathology Assistants
Occupation · SOC 31-9099.01
Assist speech-language pathologists in the assessment and treatment of speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. Implement speech and language programs or activities as planned and directed by speech-language pathologists. Monitor the use of alternative communication devices and systems.
Also called: Communication Assistant · Speech Pathologist Assistant · Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA) · Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) · Speech Assistant · Speech Paraeducator · Speech Therapy Assistant · Speech-Language Assistant · Speech-Language Pathologists Assistant (SLPA) · Speech-Language Technician · Anatomic Pathology Assistant · Certified Pathology Assistant
Job family: Healthcare Support Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-31-9099-01/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (+3.5% by 2034)
- 14,400 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $46,050/yr
- Can largely be done remotely (teleworkable)
46th-percentile task overlap — yet about 14,400 openings a year (+3.5% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 52nd | 0.2 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) High | 77th | 0.9 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 12th | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.3), with simple added tooling (β 0.6), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.9). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
Most of this job's tasks can be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman), which tends to track with higher digital and AI exposure.
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Prepare charts, graphs, or other visual displays to communicate clients' performance information. | 2.0% | |
| Select or prepare speech-language instructional materials. | 0.3% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · +3.5% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 14,400 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 109,700 → 113,500 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international 2 occupations below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Speech-Language Pathology Assistants sits at the 43rd percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure rose from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
23% mean task exposure (2025)
43rd percentile of 427 placed occupations
+3 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Health Associate Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified · 3259 | 30% | Minimal |
| Personal Care Workers in Health Services Not Elsewhere Classified · 5329 | 15% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 11 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Document clients' progress toward meeting established treatment objectives. Core · importance 4.9
- Implement treatment plans or protocols as directed by speech-language pathologists. Core · importance 4.9
- Collect and compile data to document clients' performance or assess program quality. Core · importance 4.8
- Perform support duties, such as preparing materials, keeping records, maintaining supplies, and scheduling activities. Core · importance 4.7
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the remediation or development of speech and language skills. Core · importance 4.7
- Select or prepare speech-language instructional materials. Core · importance 4.5
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the conduct of client screenings or assessments of language, voice, fluency, articulation, or hearing. Core · importance 3.8
- Prepare charts, graphs, or other visual displays to communicate clients' performance information. Core · importance 3.8
- Test or maintain equipment to ensure correct performance. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Conduct in-service training sessions, or family and community education programs. Supplemental · importance 3.4
- Assist speech-language pathologists in the conduct of speech-language research projects. Supplemental · importance 2.6
Work activities
- Administer screening tests to determine abilities or treatment needs.
- Implement therapeutic programs to improve patient functioning.
- Prepare medical reports or documents.
- Maintain medical records.
- Monitor medical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Collaborate on research activities with scientists or technical specialists.
- Assist engineers or scientists with research.
- Teach medical procedures to healthcare personnel.
- Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
- Perform clerical work in medical settings.
- Develop patient therapy programs.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| English Language | 4.5 | |
| Education and Training | 4.2 | |
| Therapy and Counseling | 3.7 | |
| Psychology | 3.6 | |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.4 | |
| Administrative | 3.4 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.8 |
Essential skills
| Active Listening | 4.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.8 | |
| Monitoring | 3.4 | |
| Writing | 3.1 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Oral Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Oral Expression | 4.0 | |
| Speech Recognition | 4.0 | |
| Speech Clarity | 4.0 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.9 | |
| Written Expression | 3.9 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.6 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.6 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.5 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.5 | |
| Near Vision | 3.5 | |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 3.3 | |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.0 | |
| Originality | 3.0 | |
| Time Sharing | 3.0 | |
| Auditory Attention | 3.0 | |
| Category Flexibility | 2.9 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.9 |
Transferable skills
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.5 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.4 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | |
| Instructing | 3.0 | |
| Coordination | 2.9 | |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Health Professions and Related Programs . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Bachelor's Degree | 23.3% | |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 14.1% | |
| Master's Degree | 4.8% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Work styles
| Dependability | 7.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 6.0 | |
| Integrity | 5.0 | |
| Cooperation | 4.0 | |
| Social Orientation | 3.0 | |
| Empathy | 2.5 |
Interest areas
| Health Care Service | 5.8 | |
| Social Service | 5.5 | |
| Teaching/Education | 4.7 | |
| Social Science | 3.2 | |
| Medical Science | 2.9 | |
| Professional Advising | 2.6 |
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Social | 5.5 | |
| Conventional | 5.0 | |
| Investigative | 4.4 | |
| Artistic | 2.6 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $32,450 |
| 25th percentile | $37,570 |
| Median (50th) | $46,050 |
| 75th percentile | $57,650 |
| 90th percentile | $68,180 |
| People employed | 103,650 |
Wages and employment are reported by BLS for the broader occupation group this specialty belongs to (SOC 31-9099), not for the specialty alone.
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 60,630 | $43,200 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 13,000 | $48,000 |
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists · National industry | 4,610 | $50,120 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 3,850 | $42,020 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 2,880 | $46,960 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 1,490 | $50,460 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 1,150 | $31,170 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities · National industry | 1,050 | $38,080 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities · National industry | 930 | $52,000 |
| Finance and Insurance · Sector | 740 | $59,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 740 | $60,210 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 740 | $37,640 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists · National industry | 14.39× | 4,610 |
| Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities · National industry | 6.04× | 1,050 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector | 3.9× | 60,630 |
| Offices of Chiropractors · National industry | 3.47× | 340 |
| Offices of Optometrists · National industry | 2.05× | 210 |
| Temporary Help Services · National industry | 1.62× | 2,880 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 1.42× | 13,000 |
| Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers · National industry | 1.36× | 410 |
Related occupations
Part of the Healthcare & Human Services career cluster.
- Speech-Language Pathologists · 29-1127.00 Compare →
- Occupational Therapy Aides · 31-2012.00 Compare →
- Occupational Therapy Assistants · 31-2011.00 Compare →
- Audiologists · 29-1181.00 Compare →
- Psychiatric Technicians · 29-2053.00 Compare →
- Occupational Therapists · 29-1122.00 Compare →
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists · 29-1122.01 Compare →
- Physical Therapist Aides · 31-2022.00 Compare →
- Physical Therapist Assistants · 31-2021.00 Compare →
- Medical Assistants · 31-9092.00 Compare →
- Clinical Nurse Specialists · 29-1141.04 Compare →
- Rehabilitation Counselors · 21-1015.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Health Professions and Related Programs · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 43rd percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Speech-Language Pathology Assistants show 46th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 14,400 annual U.S. openings
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistants rank in the 46th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 14,400 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (+3.5%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $46,050, across about 103,650 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Speech-Language Pathology Assistants show 46th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 14,400 annual U.S. openings • Speech-Language Pathology Assistants rank in the 46th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 14,400 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (+3.5%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $46,050, across about 103,650 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Speech-Language Pathology Assistants". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-31-9099-01 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Speech-Language Pathology Assistants." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-31-9099-01
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Speech-Language Pathology Assistants. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-31-9099-01
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-31-9099-01,
title = {Speech-Language Pathology Assistants},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-31-9099-01}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.