How to Become a Speech Therapist in Iowa

Iowans of all ages and backgrounds have needs for speech therapy, and the state is stepping up to the plate to make sure they get it.

For starters, the Iowa Department of Education has put a strong focus on helping students with communication disorders in the public school system. The department is all-in on facilitating assessments and treatment options conducted by resident speech-language pathologists working within the schools. The Department of Education also sponsors efforts with local districts to offer speech therapy services to students even beyond high school, all the way up to age 21.

Featured Programs:

These state-sponsored efforts, along with a growing need for SLP services in private practices, clinics and rehabilitation centers throughout the state, have been driving demand for licensed speech-language pathologists in Iowa. In fact, the number of SLP jobs in Iowa is projected to increase by 30% over the decade leading up to 2030, a far higher rate than the 19% forecast nationally.

Staying on the Right Path to Licensure to Become an SLP in Iowa

With such strong demand, as well as generous salaries and high job satisfaction, there’s a lot of interest in becoming a speech therapist in Iowa today.

To join their ranks, you’ll need to meet licensing requirements established by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology.

The Board issues licenses to qualified applicants that hold a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, who have completed a clinical fellowship, and demonstrated knowledge and expertise by passing a national exam.

The Board also recognizes the CCC-SLP (Certification of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) as meeting all requirements for licensure.

Either way, you’ll need to master these five steps to get there:

 

Complete a Qualifying Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology
Gain Nine Months of Professional Experience Through a Clinical Fellowship Program
Pass the SLP Praxis Examination and Consider Applying for the CCC-SLP Credential
Apply for Licensure and Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Iowa
Maintain SLP Licensure by Completing Continuing Education Requirements

 

 

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

Your first step is going to be to earn a master’s degree with a major in speech-language pathology from an accredited school. Specialty accreditation in speech pathology programs is granted through ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

CAA accredits both online master’s programs and traditional campus-based programs. As more working professionals find full-time traditional campus-based programs tough to match with their work schedules, online programs have become a popular way to go.

If you have an undergraduate background in the communicative sciences and disorders, you are at a great advantage when applying to graduate programs. If you don’t, many graduate programs simply require that you take some pre-professional courses before making the transition to graduate courses.

Foundational prerequisite courses often include

  • Introduction to Audiology
  • Clinical Phonetics
  • Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing Mechanism
  • Neuroanatomy & Communication
  • Science of Language

In addition to the CAA-accredited online programs that are now widely available, there are three accredited master’s programs available at campus based schools in Iowa.

  • Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at University of Iowa
  • Master of Speech-Language Pathology at St. Ambrose University
  • Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at University of Northern Iowa

Using the University of Iowa program as an example, you can expect your graduate program to cover 60-65 credits worth of material. Here is a short list of some of the courses you can expect to take at the graduate level:

  • Introduction to Hearing Science
  • Language Acquisition
  • Developmental Speech Disorders
  • Psychology of Language
  • Introduction to Stuttering
  • Rehabilitative Audiology
  • Swallowing Disorders
  • Phonological Development and Disorders

Outside of the classroom, you’ll be completing a 400-hour clinical practicum. This practicum is a requirement for Iowa licensure or the CCC-SLP and completion of your graduate program. You are required to work with a licensed speech-language pathologist in order for this clinical practicum to count towards an Iowa license.

 

 

Step 2. Gain Nine Months of Professional Experience Through a Clinical Fellowship Program

The State of Iowa requires at least 9 months of clinical experience supervised by a licensed speech-language pathologist after earning your master’s degree.

In general, students are responsible for lining up their own fellowship placements. However, there’s often a lot of support from schools in helping to make those connections. You’ll also find many fellowships advertised in the same places you will find regular SLP job listings.

After confirming your fellowship position with a state sanctioned SLP service provider, you a temporary clinical license to actually fill it. Like many states, Iowa is going online with license services, so you’ll need an account with the IDPH (Iowa Department of Public Health) Bureau of Professional Licensure online portal.

In addition to providing validation of your education, you’ll have to pay $120 and submit a Clinical Experience Plan outlining your fellowship process.

The purpose of your RPE is to gain hands on experience in a speech-language clinic before you apply for a permanent license. ASHA has drafted a Scope of Practice for SLPs that highlights the primary skills you’ll be practicing during your period of pre-professional experience.

Many SLPs get direct experience during their pre-professional experience period with:

  • Leadership and research skills
  • Screening, assessment, and training procedures
  • Advocacy and outreach programs

If you plan to qualify for licensure by earning the CCC-SLP (Certification of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), you will need to fill out the Clinical Fellowship Reporting form. Otherwise, you’ll submit proof of your experience directly to IDPH.

 

 

Step 3. Pass the SLP Praxis Examination and Consider Applying for the CCC-SLP Credential

The Praxis-administered Speech-Language Pathology Exam is the gold standard for knowledge and expertise in the world of SLPs. You’ll register after your fellowship by following the instructions on the registration page. You’ll be able to select from test centers across the state, typically located at major universities, or choose an online option with remote proctoring if you prefer to take the test at home.

The exam has a 150-minute time limit and consists of 132 multiple-choice questions divided over three focus areas:

  • Foundations and Professional Practice – 1/3 of the exam
    • Practical ethics
    • Legislation and client advocacy
    • Wellness and prevention
    • Development and performance across a lifespan
  • Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis – 1/3 of the exam
    • Genetic and developmental disorders
    • Disease processes
    • Communication disorders
    • Assessment of disorders
    • Augmentative and alternative communication
  • Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Treatment – 1/3 of the exam
    • Evaluating factors that can affect treatment
    • Determining treatment details
    • Monitoring treatment
    • Treatment methods

To pass the exam, you need to score 162 on a scale of 100 to 200. That works for both IDPH and the CCC-SLP. Either way, it’s not an easy number to hit, so you’ll want to hit the books to study up by using Praxis’s study materials.

Qualifying for Licensure with the CCC-SLP Credential

When you’ve completed your degree, your clinical fellowship, and passed the Praxis exam, you will also qualify for the CCC-SLP (Certification of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). This gives you another option for qualifying for the Iowa SLP license.

The CCC-SLP credential is not required for licensure in Iowa but is one method of demonstrating to the Iowa Board that you have met all licensing requirements.

If you hold the credential, the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology will recognize that you have satisfied all qualifications without the need to review your education, practicum, post-professional experience or exam score.

If you are interested in offering specialized services, you can also earn specialty certification through ASHA that stacks up on your CCC-SLP:

 

 

Step 4. Apply for Licensure and Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Iowa

To apply for full permanent licensure, you’ll be on your way back to the IDPH portal to complete the process. The fee remains $120 for the application, which is non-refundable.

Along with your application, you must submit:

  • Official copy of Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

OR

  • Official transcripts from your master’s program
  • Official verification that you completed a 400-hour supervised clinical practicum
  • Official verification of nine months of full-time clinical experience
  • Praxis Examination Scores

If you have previously been licensed in another state and meet all the basic legal requirements for Iowa licensure, you can also have exam requirements waived for your permanent license. You’ll need to submit verification that you currently hold a license in another state in good standing, and that you have held a license for a minimum of five years in one or more states.

After becoming licensed, many SLPs secure full time employment with the clinic or hospital where they completed their fellowship. You can also search the job listings board on the Iowa Speech-Language-Hearing Association website.

You can also look into jobs in the public school system, a major employer here for SLPs due to the strong emphasis on providing services for students. The Iowa Department of Education has a Speech-Language Services page with resources for local education related services and positions.

 

 

Step 5. Maintain SLP Licensure by Completing Continuing Education Requirements

You must renew your license every two years through the IDPH Bureau of Professional Licensing System. You will also need to complete 30 hours of continuing education during each renewal cycle in order to stay qualified.

That’s a bit ahead of the pace for CCC-SLP renewals, which also require 30 hours, but only need to be renewed every three years.

Getting in the hours from qualified providers is always on the radar of SLPs. Many work with ASHA to find CE opportunities. The Iowa Speech-Language-Hearing Association also offers continuing education hours in the form of a yearly convention. Other member benefits include professional support in the form of professional networking, legislative support, and extensive online resources to help support your practice.

 

 

Speech-Language Pathology Salary in Iowa

Iowa’s average SLP salary of $82,210 per year is very respectable both regionally and nationally. That works out to nearly $40 an hour. Iowa’s most experienced SLPs, in the top ten percent of the salary spectrum, earn an annual salary starting at $111,220, or $53.47 an hour.

Iowa salaries for SLPs vary significantly by region.

In general you’ll find higher average salaries in larger cities than you will in rural areas. Rural Northwest Iowa bucks that trend, however, coming in better than many cities in the state. The same holds true for Iowa’s top-earning SLPs, but in this case it’s rural Southwest Iowa that’s an exception.

You can compare the following cities and rural areas by low (10th percentile), average, and high (90th percentile) SLP salaries. They’re listed according to highest average salary:

Des Moines:

  • Average: $87,350 annually, $42.00 hourly
  • Low: $64,630 annually, $31.07 hourly
  • High: $121,620 annually, $58.47 hourly

Dubuque:

  • Average: $86,320 annually, $41.50 hourly
  • Low: $72,540 annually, $34.88 hourly
  • High: $110,560 annually, $53.16

Iowa City:

  • Average: $84,240 annually, $40.50 hourly
  • Low: $60,960 annually, $29.31 hourly
  • High: $116,340 annually, $55.94 hourly

Ames:

  • Average: $83,730 annually, $40.25 hourly
  • Low: $61,590 annually, $29.61 hourly
  • High: $116,390 annually, $55.96 hourly

Sioux City:

  • Average: $80,880 annually, $38.89 hourly
  • Low: $60,180 annually, $28.93 hourly
  • High: $111,740 annually, $53.72 hourly

Cedar Rapids:

  • Average: $80,710 annually, $38.81 hourly
  • Low: $64,930 annually, $31.22 hourly
  • High: $111,220 annually, $53.47 hourly

Rural Northwest Iowa:

  • Average: $80,620 annually, $38.76 hourly
  • Low: $59,450 annually, $28.58 hourly
  • High: $103,950 annually, $49.97 hourly

Davenport:

  • Average: $80,510 annually, $38.71 hourly
  • Low: $54,650 annually, $26.28 hourly
  • High: $113,420 annually, $54.53 hourly

Waterloo-Cedar Falls:

  • Average: $80,200 annually, $38.56 hourly
  • Low: $62,040 annually, $29.83 hourly
  • High: $109,700 annually, $52.74 hourly

Metro Council Bluffs:

  • Average: $78,600 annually, $37.79 hourly
  • Low: $53,910 annually, $25.92 hourly
  • High: $109,580 annually, $52.68 hourly

Rural Southeast Iowa:

  • Average: $78,210 annually, $37.60 hourly
  • Low: $51,220 annually, $24.63 hourly
  • High: $104,510 annually, $50.25

Rural Southwest Iowa:

  • Average: $78,200 annually, $37.59 hourly
  • Low: $56,200 annually, $27.02 hourly
  • High: $115,140 annually, $78,200 hourly

Rural Northeast Iowa:

  • Average: $75,980 annually, $36.53 hourly
  • Low: $59,540 annually, $28.63 hourly
  • High: $103,940 annually, $49.97 hourly

A Satisfying Career with a High Level of Job Growth

The number of jobs for speech-language pathologists in the state is forecast to increase by 30% between 2020 and 2030. This level of growth should generate an average of 130 jobs each year statewide over this period.

Currently the largest numbers of SLPs are concentrated in the following urban areas:

  • Metro Council Bluffs – 630 professionals, a 13% increase from 2019
  • Des Moines – 340 professionals, a 6% increase from 2019
  • Davenport – 210 professionals, a 133% increase from 2019

US News & World Report rated the SLP profession as the 3rd best job in healthcare based on survey responses that showed an exceptionally high degree of job satisfaction.

In addition, Forbes recently reported on a survey by a national compensation specialty company. This company surveyed 2 million workers to find out whether they thought that their work made the world a better place. The results placed speech-language pathology among the top 15 most meaningful jobs with high salaries.

It’s easy to see how they get those results when you consider where SLPs do their work. Licensed professionals find ready employment in schools and university audiology and communicative disorder clinics, helping kids understand and overcome a range of speech disorders. Iowa also has a thriving environment of private clinics, hospitals, and rehab facilities where SLPs assist patients of all ages in recovering communication and feeding ability.

When you’re bringing independence and connection to people, it’s pretty easy to see why you will feel good about yourself on the job as an SLP.

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.

Back to Top