How to Become a Speech Therapist in Indiana

Online speech-language pathology graduate programs have allowed more people in Indiana than ever to pursue advanced education in communication sciences and disorders. This is ideal, given that the growing demand for therapeutic interventions to address speech, language and swallowing disorders is creating tremendous opportunities for SLPs in schools, clinical practice, telepractice and home health services. The ten-year job growth projection for SLPs in the state is an impressive 31% through 2030.

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The wide array of speech-language service providers in Indiana are working hard to meet the growing demand, opening up internship opportunities for grad students and creating new jobs.

Some of the top employers of SLPs in Indiana include research, education, and services institutions. Public health programs like the United Health Services – Hearing and Speech Center through the Indiana State Department of Health are also major employers.

To qualify for licensure and become a speech therapist in Indiana, you must meet the requirements set forth by the Speech-Language Pathology Audiology Board, which include earning a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, completing a nine-month clinical fellowship, and passing the national SLP Praxis exam.

Follow these steps to become a licensed speech therapist in Indiana:

Complete a Qualifying Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology
Earn Post-Graduate Experience Through the Completion of a Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY)
Pass the Speech-Language Pathologist Praxis Examination
Become Licensed and Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist
Maintain SLP Licensure and Complete Continuing Education Requirements

 

 

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

To meet Board requirements for licensure, you must earn a master’s degree in speech-language pathology or its equivalent from an institution recognized by the Board with a program that holds accreditation through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

The CAA accredits many online SLP master’s degree programs across the nation. Working professionals with demanding schedules prefer online speech-language pathology graduate programs thanks to the flexibility they offer.

As of 2016, there were also 5 CAA-accredited speech-language pathology master’s degree programs in Indiana:

  • Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at Ball State University
  • Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana State University
  • Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at Indiana University, Bloomington
  • Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at Purdue University
  • Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at St. Mary’s College

Admission and Undergraduate Requirements

Many graduate programs offer a pre-professional program or an expanded master’s curriculum for students that haven’t completed a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology or communicative sciences and disorders. If you have an undergraduate degree in another field, you may need to complete a number of prerequisites before commencing your graduate coursework:

  • Speech Science
  • Language Development
  • Introduction to Communication Disorders
  • Phonetics

Graduate Courses and Clinical Practicum

Master’s degree programs in SLP consist of between 45-60 credits and take between 2-3 years to complete.

You can expect to complete coursework that includes:

  • Neurological and Physiological Foundations of Speech-Language Pathology
  • Phonological Disorders
  • Voice Disorders
  • Methods in Speech & Hearing Therapy
  • Motor Speech Disorders
  • Cognitive-Communication Disorders in Brain Injury and Disease

You’ll also complete a clinical practicum as a part of your graduate program requirements. The State of Indiana requires the clinical practicum to consist of at least 400 hours of clinical experience supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist.

 

 

Step 2. Earn Post-Graduate Experience Through the Completion of a Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY)

After graduating from your master’s program, you would begin a Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist in order to qualify for an Indiana SLP license.

The CFY must be at least 9 months, at 30 hours a week. You may also complete your CFY on a part-time basis, provided you finish it within 18 months.

Before you begin work on your CFY, you will need to apply for a temporary license, referred to as an initial license. This license lasts for 18 months or until you earn your permanent SLP license. To apply for your license, download the application for a Clinical Fellowship Year. Refer to the instructions for specific rules and processes.

Once you begin your CFY, you’ll receive unparalleled real world experience as a full-time professional SLP. Each practice has different clients and requirements, but the way you determine the specific needs of your patients is universally based on a framework outlined in the Scope of Practice for SLPs, drafted by ASHA. SLPs in training practice a wide variety of skills, including prevention methods and wellness, screening and assessment, and leadership and research skills.

 

 

Step 3. Pass the Speech-Language Pathologist Praxis Examination

You may take the national SLP exam, developed by ASHA and administered by Praxis at any time during or after your clinical fellowship year. This is the last major requirement for earning your license.

Start by registering for the exam. You’ll be able to select from test centers in the following Indiana cities:

  • Bloomington
  • Evansville
  • Fort Wayne
  • Indianapolis
  • Lafayette
  • Merrillville
  • Mishawaka
  • Muncie
  • New Albany
  • Terre Haute

After registering for the exam, you can start studying. Praxis has provided a study companion and other test preparation materials. The exam has a time limit of 150 minutes and is 132 questions long. There are three main categories to the exam:

  • Foundations and Professional Practice – 1/3 of the exam
    • Factors that influence communication, feeding, and swallowing
    • Counseling, collaboration, and teaming
    • Legislation and client advocacy
  • Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis – 1/3 of the exam
    • Screening for disorders
    • Developing case histories
    • Assessing communication, feeding, and swallowing
    • Causes of genetic and developmental disorders
  • Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Treatment – 1/3 of the exam
    • Determining appropriate treatment details
    • Communicating recommendations and follow-ups
    • Treatment of fluency disorders
    • Hearing and aural rehabilitation

To pass the exam, you need to score 162 on a scale of 100 to 200.

Optional CCC-SLP Certification

Once you pass the exam, you can apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) credential through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), if desired. Although the CCC-SLP is not a requirement for licensure in Indiana, it the gold standard for professionalism in the field and can be helpful when seeking employment or starting an independent practice.

You can also submit your CCC-SLP certification in lieu of documentation when applying for your Indiana license if you elect to earn the credential.

Fill out the application and submit it with a completed Clinical Fellowship Report and Rating Form, your Praxis test scores, and an official transcript from your graduate program.

 

 

Step 4. Become Licensed and Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist

You can now apply for your SLP license in Indiana. Start by downloading the application. Send in your application with your graduate program transcripts, proof of your 400-hour clinical practicum during your graduate program, proof of your CFY, and proof of your passing score on the Praxis exam.

After your SLP license is approved, the Board will notify you of the approval, at which time you must take and pass the Indiana Jurisprudence Exam with a score of at least 75 percent. The jurisprudence exam covers the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Statute, Administrative Rules, and the Health Professions Standards of Practice, all of which are detailed in the examination packet.

After passing the jurisprudence exam and receiving your Indiana SLP license, you can ready to begin your career:

  • Many SLPs land a job with the employer that facilitated their CFY. You can also look for job postings listed by the Indiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association. They have a dedicated page, updated frequently with new job postings in Indiana.
  • The State of Indiana hires a large number of SLPs in the public school system. There are additional licensure requirements for SLPs working in public schools. ASHA has summarized Indiana’s public school requirements for easy reference.
  • Armed with your SLP license, you may consider starting an independent practice. You can travel to your clients or provide telepractice services from the comfort of your home.

 

 

Step 5. Maintain SLP Licensure and Complete Continuing Education Requirements

After earning your license, you must keep it up to date by renewing it every two years. You’ll receive an alert in the mail 90 days before the deadline. You can renew online or with paper documents. View the Renewal Information page for more information.

You also need to complete 36 hours of continuing education every two years to qualify for renewal. The Indiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ISHA) offers continuing education credits in the form of annual conventions and classes.

ISHA also accepts applications for membership in the association. Membership brings many professional benefits, including a statewide professional network, public education opportunities, and legislative support.

Speech-Language Pathology Salary in Indiana

Indiana boasts some enviable statistics when it comes to its SLP salaries. On average, SLPs in the state earn $85,700 per year, which works out to $41.20 an hour.

Moving towards the top end of that salary spectrum, the wage increases to a level starting at $114,990 annually, $55.28 hourly.

Indiana’s projected SLP job increase rate of 31% over the decade leading up to 2030 is one of the highest in the nation, well above the national average of 19%. During this time an average of 260 SLP job openings are forecast to open across the state every year.

Job Satisfaction and Retention of School SLPs in Indiana

US News & World Report ranks the SLP profession as the third-best type of health care job to have. Salary growth bolsters this: between 2015 and 2023 the median SLP salary in Indiana increased by 14%.

Salary survey company PayScale.com tracks the wages of more than 50 million workers and surveyed 2 million of them about whether they thought that their work made the world a better place. Based on these responses, the company ranked the SLP profession as the 14th most meaningful job that offers a good salary.

A master’s thesis by Elizabeth Buck of Indiana University provided a detailed examination of the job satisfaction for speech-language pathologists in Indiana’s K-12 schools by conducting a survey of 269 of these professionals.

High caseloads were a significant negative factor for many of the state’s SLPs employed in schools. However, the respondents to her survey looked favorably upon a number of aspects of their jobs:

  • Working with children: all but one of the respondents
  • Ten-month contract: 95.3%
  • Educational setting: 92.9%
  • Variety within their caseload: 80.9%
  • Collaboration with other professionals: 78.7%
  • Benefits: 72.6%
  • Access to technology: 63.9%
  • Variety of daily activities: 63.4%
  • Workspace and facilities: 63.1%

Salaries and Hourly Wages of Speech-Language Pathologists Throughout Indiana

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a detailed analysis of the salaries for speech-language pathologists in Indiana’s cities (10th to 90th percentile salaries):

Bloomington:

  • Annual: $61,880 – $108,910
  • Hourly: $29.75 – $52.36

Metro Chicago:

  • Annual: $59,160 – $122,740
  • Hourly: $28.44 – $59.01

Metro Cincinnati:

  • Annual: $60,650 – $126,110
  • Hourly: $29.16 – $60.63

Columbus:

  • Annual: $59,810 – $112,760
  • Hourly: $28.76 – $54.21

Elkhart:

  • Annual: $50,150 – $107,640
  • Hourly: $24.11 – $51.75

Evansville:

  • Annual: $57,970 – $106,690
  • Hourly: $27.87 – $51.29

Fort Wayne:

  • Annual: $56,780 – $110,610
  • Hourly: $27.30 – $53.18

Indianapolis:

  • Annual: $59,840 – $116,980
  • Hourly: $28.77 – $56.24

Kokomo:

  • Annual: $55,680 – $110,560
  • Hourly: $26.77 – $53.16

Lafayette:

  • Annual: $56,030 – $114,590
  • Hourly: $26.94 – $55.09

Metro Louisville:

  • Annual: $64,180 – $136,110
  • Hourly: $30.85 – $65.44

Muncie:

  • Annual: $52,330 – $109,570
  • Hourly: $25.16 – $52.68

South Bend:

  • Annual: $52,880 – $106,750
  • Hourly: $25.42 – $51.32

Terre Haute:

  • Annual: $48,970 – $100,500
  • Hourly: $23.54 – $48.32

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 September 2024.

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