How to Become a Speech Therapist in Hawaii

Just like its famously multicultural population, Hawaii boasts a large and vibrant community of speech-language pathologists. There are over 30 different clinics operating in Hawaii, many of which are run by members of the Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association (HSHA).

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HSHA is a growing professional association that provides continuing education for its members and runs the Hawaii Speech Language Hearing Foundation, a non-profit foundation that funds an annual HSHA conference and additional professional services.

You don’t have to be an HSHA member (although you will probably want to be for many other reasons) to become a speech-language therapist (SLP) in Hawaii, but you do have to have a license. Speech-language pathology practitioner licenses are granted only to qualified professionals with the right education, on-the-job training, and proof of solid knowledge and competency in the field to make the grade.

Here you will find all the information you need on how to become a speech therapist by earning your SLP license through the Hawaii Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology.

 

Complete a Qualifying Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology
Gain Required Professional Experience (RPE) Through a Clinical Fellowship Program
Pass the National Examination and Consider Earning the CCC-SLP Credential
Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Hawaii
Keep Your SLP License Current

 

 

Step 1. Complete a Qualifying Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology

To qualify for an SLP license in Hawaii, you need to complete a master’s degree in a speech-language pathology related field. A Master of Science in SLP is most common, but some programs with titles like Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders will also qualify. These have to be accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council on Academic Accreditation.

Master’s degree equivalency may also be met with a bachelor’s degree and at least 75 semester hours of graduate level classes to include:

  • At least 27 credits need to cover basic science coursework. This includes biological, physical, social, and behavioral sciences, and mathematics and human communication processes.
  • Another 36 credits need to be in professional coursework relevant to speech-language pathology. 30 credits need to be at the graduate level.
    • 21 credits need to be in speech-language pathology
    • 6 credits need to be in audiology
    • A maximum of 6 credits of clinical practicum can count toward the 30 graduate level credits
  • You will also need to complete at least 375 hours of clinical practicum work in your program. Since accreditation calls for 400 hours, this should be no problem at qualifying colleges.

Often, communicative sciences and disorders graduate students have earned a bachelor’s degree in the same field before starting their master’s program. However, most graduate programs do not require that for admission. If you don’t have a bachelor’s in communicative disorders and sciences, however, you may have to take prerequisite courses before beginning the graduate level classes.

The Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at the University of Hawaii offers a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology that meets the Board’s requirements. The program takes 2 years and about 75 credits of classes. During your program, you will study the following topics:

  • Disorders of Phonology and Articulation
  • Child Language Disorders
  • Neuroscience in Communicative Sciences and Disorders
  • Aphasia and the Dementias
  • Dysphagia
  • Audiological Foundation for Speech-Language Pathology
  • Disorders of Fluency
  • Voice Disorders

Without a lot of local options, and quite a commute to the next closest university offering SLP master’s degrees, many Hawaiians look for online degrees in the field of communicative sciences and disorders. Online options offer a greater level of flexibility, both in terms of being free to access course materials from anywhere, and in terms of the pace you set for completing the program. Online programs provide an excellent alternative to campus-based programs if you are working full time.

 

 

Step 2. Gain Required Professional Experience (RPE) Through a Clinical Fellowship Program

After you graduate from your master’s program, you need to complete a period of Required Professional Experience, also known as a clinical fellowship, to qualify for a Speech-Language Pathology practitioner’s license.

The Board requires the clinical fellowship to take place after completing your master’s degree program and initial clinical practicum. Your post-master’s professional experience will involve working under a licensed speech-language pathologist for no less than 36 weeks to complete a fellowship that meets the Board’s requirements. You can find licensed independent SLPs and clinics through the Hawaii Licensing Search page.

During your fellowship, you’ll be primarily doing clinical work with actual patients. This means learning the practical application of skills outlined in ASHA’s SLP Scope of Practice, including education of patients and their caretakers, screening, assessment and treatment of patients of all kinds, and innovative research.

You’ll need to begin your application process with the Board by getting a provisional license before beginning your clinical fellowship. This has all the same educational standards as a full license, but you need not have yet passed the national examination or, obviously, completed your fellowship hours. You will, however, need to have your fellowship lined up and verified by your supervisor first.

 

 

Step 3. Pass the National Examination and Consider Earning the CCC-SLP Credential

After completing your RPE, you are ready to take the national exam in Speech-Language Pathology offered by Praxis. Exam centers are typically found at universities and other educational centers. Currently, you’ll find options on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. There’s also an online option available that can come in handy in Hawaii, overseen by remote proctors but taken at home.

The speech-language pathology exam must be completed in 150 minutes long and has 132 questions. You can review the study materials provided by Praxis before going in for your exam. The exam covers three main categories:

  • Foundations and Professional Practice – 1/3 of the exam
    • Development and Performance
    • Common communication and swallowing disorders
    • Counseling and collaboration
    • Ethics
    • Client advocacy
  • Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis – 1/3 of the exam
    • Screening for disorders
    • Developing case histories
    • Speech sound production
    • Fluency
    • Disease processes
  • Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Treatment – 1/3 of the exam
    • Monitoring treatment progress
    • Follow-up processes
    • Social aspects of communication
    • Communication impairments
    • Hearing and aural rehabilitation

You need to pass this exam with a score of 162 (on a scale of 100-200) to qualify for a Hawaii SLP license.

Applying for an SLP License Through the Hawaii Board

Assuming you passed the exam, you can apply for your Hawaii SLP license by filling out the SLP application form. For licensure by examination, you’ll simply be using the same form as for your provisional license, only you will need to need to submit a verification of coursework and of your clinical fellowship completion along with them. You’ll pay $76 in licensing fees and $50 for the application, plus additional processing fees.

It’s also possible to register temporary services with the Board if you will be practicing in Hawaii for only a short period of time, less than a month. The cost of a temporary registration is only $30.

Applying for National Certification Through ASHA

With your combined experience and education, you also qualify for the CCC-SLP (Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) after passing the Praxis exam.

The CCC-SLP is a national certification, not a license to practice. However, earning the CCC-SLP satisfies all licensing requirements in Hawaii and can also be used to demonstrate that you meet Board requirements for licensure. This process may be used more often by people who are already licensed in other states and want to get an SLP license in Hawaii, as it can consolidate some of the steps and because Hawaii doesn’t have formal reciprocity.

If you are interested in more specific areas of practice, you can pursue specialty certification through ASHA in one of the following areas:

You can learn more about these certifications at ASHA’s specialty certification page.

 

 

Step 4. Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Hawaii

After earning your Hawaii SLP License, you can practice as a professional speech-language pathologist. There are multiple paths you can take to enter the field as a professional SLP in Hawaii.

Pursue Job Openings With Your RPE Provider or Other Organizations

Frequently, SLPs that have just earned their licenses go back to work with the clinic or hospital where they completed their clinical fellowship. Alternatively, you can look through recent job openings for unique opportunities at places like rehab clinics, hospitals, or specialty therapy practices.

The Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association has a Career Center page that often lists local opportunities. One of the largest providers on that list is Easter Seals Hawaii. Easter Seals is a national organization that provides services and support to children and adults with many kinds of disabilities, including speech and communicative disorders.

Practice Independently As An SLP

If you would rather strike out on your own, you always have the option of starting your own independent practice. This is an excellent option if you have a vision for the kind of clinic you would like to operate.

As an independent provider, you’ll be able to create the perfect experience for your patients and their caretakers, hire qualified and skilled professionals, and train new speech-language pathologists in your clinic. You’ll also have to meet payroll, file taxes, and oversee marketing and other general business operations. But many SLPs are willing to take the trade-off to be their own boss.

 

Step 5. Keep Your SLP License Current

You’ll need to keep your license up to date by renewing it before December 31 of odd-numbered years. The Hawaii Board of SPA will send out reminder postcards in early November. You can renew your Hawaii license online.

Hawaii does not require any continuing education for SLPs. If you hold a CCC-SLP, however, you’ll be on the hook for ten hours per year during each three-year renewal period.

Either way, it’s a good idea to become a member of the Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association (HSHA) and take their continuing education courses or attend events to stay current in the field. HSHA offers varying levels of membership at the student level, associate level, and professional level.

 

 

Speech-Language Pathology Salary in Hawaii

Of all states in the nation, Hawaii ranks third for offering the highest average SLP salary at $106,790 annually or $51.34 hourly. Of course, that comes with the relatively higher cost of living in the islands, too, so you’ll need to factor that in.

As you gain more experience and skills, you’ll be happy to learn that Hawaii’s SLP professionals at the upper end of the salary spectrum earn upwards of $126,350 annually, or $60.75 hourly.

Around 85% of Hawaii’s speech-language pathologists—110 professionals in total—work in urban Honolulu. The average salary here is an impressive $108,620 yearly ($52.22 hourly), over $2,000 higher annually than Hawaii’s statewide average.

The other 15% of Hawaii’s SLPs work throughout the rest of the islands and earn an average salary of $96,725 annually or $46.50 hourly. While it may seem low compared with urban Honolulu, that figure is still higher than the national average.

Speech-Language Pathology is One of the Fastest Growing Professions in Hawaii

Over the decade leading up to 2030 the number of SLP jobs is forecast to increase by 24% here, well above the national average of 19%. That works out to 30 job openings every year.

US News and World Report ranks SLP as the third-best healthcare job in the nation, and among the top 10 best jobs overall. The salary aggregator and job board site PayScale rates speech-language pathology among the 15 most meaningful jobs that pay well in a survey of 2 million workers.

In addition to the opportunities for careers in schools and academic centers, private speech clinics offer avenues for employment. No matter what practice area or specialty you land in, you’ll have a shot to make a solid career as an SLP anywhere in Hawaii.

Speech-Language Pathology Salaries in Honolulu and Rural Hawaii

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides further breakdown on the salaries for speech-language pathologists in Hawaii based on region. You’re well aware that salaries can be hyper-local to each island. With the way that SLP jobs are distributed, however, there’s basically two categories you’re likely to be interested in:

Statewide:

  • Entry-level 10th percentile: $81,260 annually, $39.07 hourly
  • Median (50th percentile): $103,890 annually, $49.95 hourly
  • Average: $106,790 annually, $51.34 hourly
  • Top-level (90th percentile): $126,350 annually, $60.75 hourly

Urban Honolulu:

  • Entry-level 10th percentile: $81,260 annually, $39.07 hourly
  • Median (50th percentile): $104,040 annually, $50.02 hourly
  • Average: $108,620 annually, $52.22 hourly
  • Top-level (90th percentile): $141,630 annually, $68.09 hourly

2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures shown here for Speech-Language Pathologists. Job growth projections are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, CareerOneStop. Figures are based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed March 2025.

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