As a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in New Hampshire, you’ll have the opportunity to effect real, positive change in your patients’ lives. There are many opportunities open to you—you might choose to work with a variety of populations, including children or adults with autism or with patients recovering from brain injuries.
- Emerson College - Master's in Speech-Language Pathology online - Prepare to become an SLP in as few as 20 months. No GRE required. Scholarships available.
- Arizona State University - Online - Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science - Designed to prepare graduates to work in behavioral health settings or transition to graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.
- NYU Steinhardt - NYU Steinhardt's Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders online - ASHA-accredited. Bachelor's degree required. Graduate prepared to pursue licensure.
- Pepperdine University - Embark on a transformative professional and personal journey in the online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program from Pepperdine University. Our program brings together rigorous academics, research-driven faculty teaching, and robust clinical experiences, all wrapped within our Christian mission to serve our communities and improve the lives of others.
For example, speech-language pathologists at Southern New Hampshire Health in Nashua provide a wide range of speech therapy therapies that address speech, language, voice, and swallowing problems. They offer tailored treatments to patients of all ages, from newborns to seniors. Their pediatric rehabilitation services address stroke, dysphagia, neurological disorders, stuttering, cluttering, brain injury, and more.
And at Concord Hospital’s Rehabilitation Services, speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat speech, language, voice, and swallowing disorders in adults and children. Their treatment programs include biofeedback training, the training of caregivers, exercises aimed at neuromuscular performance, direct training and instruction, biofeedback, and more.
Before you can begin providing SLP services in New Hampshire, you must earn licensure through the New Hampshire Speech-Language Pathology and Hearing Care Providers Governing Board.
Follow the steps below to begin your journey towards becoming a speech therapist in New Hampshire:
Step 1. Complete a Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology
You’ll need to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology that’s accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA),
There is one CAA-accredited program available in New Hampshire, but you may also consider enrolling in an accredited online program. Accredited programs, both online and traditional, are respected by employers due to their high standards of admission and rigorous coursework requirements.
To apply to most programs, you’ll need to have:
- At least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- Academic references
- GRE scores in the 30th percentile
You’ll need a bachelor’s degree to be eligible for a master’s program. If your bachelor’s degree is not in communicative sciences and disorders, you’ll need to complete prerequisites before beginning the graduate program.
Prerequisites usually include fundamentals such as:
- Science of Language
- Basics of Audiology
- Topics in Communication Disorders
- Anatomy and Physiology of Speech
- Normal Language Development
Next, you’ll complete core coursework, which will cover the fundamental biological, physiological, and linguistic sciences which relate to communicative disorders:
- Cued Speech
- Advanced Language Acquisition
- Ethical and Professional Issues in Communication Sciences
- Diagnosis of Speech and Language Disorders
- Advanced Audiology
- Applied Neurology
- Dysphagia
- Articulatory and Phonological Disorders
- Stuttering Therapy
Electives may include the following topics:
- Therapy Process
- Motor Speech Disorders
- Voice Disorders
- Aural Rehabilitation
- Disorders of Language and Literacy
- Language Disorders Birth to Five
- Cognitive Communication Disorders
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication
- Counseling Clients and Families
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
You’ll also need to complete a practicum within your graduate program. Usually completed in your last year of study, it will involve clinical experiences under the supervision of a New Hampshire-licensed SLP. You’ll begin by shadowing your supervisor and then assuming the role of an SLP through the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of speech patients. Your practicum will need to consist of at least 400 clock hours.
Step 2. Pass the National SLP Exam
You must pass the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) National Examination in Speech Language Pathology, which is administered by Praxis.
You’ll register online to take the Praxis exam any time after graduating from your master’s program. The Praxis website also has plenty of study and test preparation materials you can peruse to prepare for the exam.
The exam is made up of 132 questions; you’ll need a 162 on a 100-200 scale to pass the exam.
You’ll be tested over material that was covered in your graduate core courses and clinical procedures.
The exam covers the following topics:
- Foundations of professional practice
- Screening, assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis of patients
- Assessment procedures
- Etiology
- Treatment planning and evaluation
- Counseling within SLP
- Typical language development across the lifespan
- Factors that influence communication
- Ethics, legislation, and client advocacy
- Communication disorders
- Feeding and swallowing disorders
When you register for the exam, you’ll have the option of choosing a testing center that’s convenient for you. In New Hampshire, there are Praxis testing centers located in Concord, New London, and Portsmouth.
Step 3. Apply for a New Graduate License and Complete a Nine-Month Clinical Fellowship
After passing the Praxis exam, it’s time to apply for the Speech-Language Pathologist: New Graduate License and complete a clinical fellowship of at least nine months. You’ll need the following to apply for this license:
- Educational transcripts (to be sent directly to the board from the school – [email protected])
- Praxis exam results (to be sent directly to the board from Praxis – [email protected])
- Letter from the school indicating the completion of your clinical and fieldwork hours (to be sent directly to the board – [email protected])
- Completed Supervision Form indicating the qualified supervisor for your fellowship (the supervisor must be licensed for at least three years)
- FBI Criminal History Check (obtain a background check through the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification)
- $110 license fee
Many aspiring SLP candidates find a clinical fellowship provider through their university, but you may also look for opportunities here.
The clinical fellowship must be at least nine months long and total 1,260 hours.
Your clinical fellowship will allow you to gain hands-on professional experience in a clinical setting, serving the public under the supervision of a licensed SLP. You’ll continue gaining experience in the activities you completed during your practicum and also gain additional experience with varied patient populations. You’ll be able to work with children and adults with any number of developmental and neurological disorders that affect speech, swallowing, and the voice. You’ll also learn to counsel patients and patient families, fill out reports and patient files, and perform administrative work related to speech therapy treatment.
At the end of your clinical fellowship, you’ll need to complete a Clinical Fellowship (SLPCF) Report and Rating form and return it to the Board before applying for full licensure.
CCC-SLP Certification
You might choose to pursue the Certificate in Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) after completing your fellowship. The certification, offered through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, is not required for licensure in New Hampshire, but is still a valuable credential to add to your resume.
If you choose to pursue the CCC-SLP, you’ll apply directly through ASHA.
Step 4. Apply for Full Licensure and Begin Practicing as a Speech-Language Pathologist
Upon the successful completion of your fellowship, you’ll apply for full licensure as a speech-language pathologist and pay the $110 license fee.
Once you receive your license, you’ll be able to pursue job opportunities in the state. You might consider the following options:
Joining the Clinic that Provided your Clinical Fellowship
It’s always a good idea to consider pursuing employment at the same clinic where you completed your clinical fellowship experience. Your clinical fellowship supervisor may be interested in providing you will a full-time employment opportunity. If the clinic doesn’t have any available positions, your supervisor may also be able to connect you with other job leads in the area.
Opening an Independent Practice
You may consider opening an independent practice or a partnership with another SLP once you’re licensed as an SLP in New Hampshire. There are plenty of benefits to being your own boss, including being able to set your own schedule and working with desired populations.
Pursuing Job Openings in New Hampshire
You might also be interested in working in the school system or in clinics, rehab centers, or hospitals throughout the state. A few SLP employers in New Hampshire include:
- Swing for the Stars Pediatric Therapy
- Home Health VNA
- Speech Therapy Solutions
- Clearly Speaking
- Joseph Hospital
- Dysphagia Management Systems
- Northeast Rehab
- Catholic Medical Center
- Fox Rehabilitation
- Heritage Healthcare
- Gateways Community Services
- Mascenic Regional
- PPR Education Services
Step 5. Renew Your License and Complete Continuing Education Requirements
In New Hampshire, you’ll need to renew your license every two years. You’ll be sent a renewal notice with an application packet at least a month before you’re due to renew your license.
You’ll also be required to complete 30 hours of continuing education every two years.
Your continuing education must come from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s conferences, seminars, workshops, and webinars. You can browse ASHA’s continuing education opportunities here.
OPLC has partnered with CE Broker for all continuing education requirements. Through the CE Broker system, you can upload your continuing education hours as you earn them for easy tracking.
Speech-Language Pathology Salary in New Hampshire
The average salary for SLPs in New Hampshire is $84,430, or $40.59 per hour. At the top end of the salary scale (90th percentile), SLPs in the state earn about $107,640, or $51.75 an hour.
You can compare the areas throughout New Hampshire by their salary statistics. They’re listed below sorted by the highest average salary, and include a salary range between the entry-level (10th percentile) and high-end (90th percentile):
Metro Boston:
- Average: $98,520 annually, $47.36 hourly
- Entry-level to high-end range: $62,850 – $126,380 annually, $30.22 to $60.76 hourly
Portsmouth:
- Average: $90,280 annually, $43.40 hourly
- $58,860 – $114,810 annually, $28.30 – $55.20 hourly
Manchester:
- Average: $85,600 annually, $41.15 hourly
- $56,830 – $111,800 annually, $27.32 – $53.75 hourly
Rural Central New Hampshire:
- Average: $85,520 annually, $41.12 hourly
- $62,240 – $102,040 annually, $29.92 – $49.06 hourly
Rural Northern New Hampshire:
- Average: $84,760 annually, $40.75 hourly
- $56,600 – $108,930 annually, $27.21 – $52.37 hourly
Rural West Central – Southwest New Hampshire:
- Average: $78,980 annually, $37.97 hourly
- $58,170 – $105,150 annually, $27.97 – $50.55 hourly
Dover:
- Average: $78,440 annually, $37.71 hourly
- $52,360 – $102,830 annually, $25.17 – $49.44 hourly
SLP jobs in New Hampshire are expected to increase by 28% over the decade leading up to 2030. That’s well above the national average growth rate of 19% for this profession over that period of time.
During this time, the state should see 110 SLP annual job openings due to new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.
Exciting Opportunities in Speech-Language Pathology Abound
While around half of New Hampshire’s speech-language pathologists work in schools, the health care industry employed around one-third of the state’s professionals. Clinics that specializing in speech-language pathology are found throughout the state:
- Bedford: Milestones Pediatric Therapy Center
- Concord: KidSpeak Therapies, LLC
- Hampton Falls: Clearly Speaking Pediatric Speech & Language Therapy
- Hampton Falls: Miracle Farm Speech Therapy, LLC
- Londonderry: Little Bites Feeding and Speech Therapy, LLC
- Londonderry: Premier Speech Therapy, LLC
- Nashua: SNH Speech Therapy & Learning Center, LLC
- Salem: Irene E. Cohen, MS
As you seek new career opportunities, you might also choose to connect with other speech-language pathology professionals in the state through organizations such as the New Hampshire Speech, Language & Hearing Association (NHSLHA). The NHSLHA is a helpful resource through which SLP professionals may pursue continuing education and learn about new legislation that affects the SLP practice. Through the NHSLHA’s workshops, you may learn about using video modeling with autistic patients, how to treat childhood apraxia of speech, and how to treat patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders.
If you choose to work with specialized patients, such as those who are suffering from communication orders due to brain injury, you might also connect with organizations in the state such as The Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire. The organization helps to provide advocacy and support both for patients suffering brain injuries and for those who provide healthcare for this population.
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.