In 2022, Rhode Island’s speech-language pathology community and the children they serve scored a major victory with the passage of 2022-S 2570 – legislation that ensures speech-language pathology services are included as part of special education for students. More specifically, the act includes speech-language pathology services under the special education umbrella.
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Thanks to the passage of this act, speech-language pathology services must be available to children beyond nine years of age. (Previously, SLP services for children in Rhode Island ended for children nine years of age and older.) It received strong support from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Major milestones like 2022-S 2570 ensure that children of Rhode Island have full access to life-changing SLP services in the school system while also providing the state’s SLPs with new and exciting opportunities to make a difference.
As you explore the rewarding field of speech-language pathology, you’ll wantto learn about the steps required to earn licensure through the Rhode Island Board of Examiners of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, part of the Rhode Island Department of Health.
Follow this guide to learn more about becoming an SLP in Rhode Island:
Step 1. Earn a Master’s Degree in Speech-Language from an ASHA-Accredited Program
Becoming a speech-language pathologist in Rhode Island means first earning a master’s degree in speech-language pathology that’s accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), part of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
In Rhode Island, there is just one CAA-accredited program. However, the CAA accredits many online programs, making it easier and more convenient than ever to earn your SLP degree. Online master’s degree features interactive problem modules, filmed lectures, and instructor-led discussions. You’ll complete your clinical experiences at sites close to home.
Whether online or traditional, speech-language pathology graduate programs only admit students who have proven their dedication to the field of speech-language pathology. Admission departments usually look for:
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
- GRE scores in the 30th percentile
- Academic references
If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree related to communicative science and disorders, you’ll need to complete prerequisite courses that include:
- Intro to Clinical Methods
- Neuroanatomy of Speech
- Intro to Audiology
- Language Development Across the Lifespan
- Speech Science
- Anatomy & Physiology of Speech
Some graduate programs offer bridge courses that can be taken prior to graduate-level coursework.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree in the field, you’ll be able to start core coursework directly. You’ll study the following topics:
- Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Communicative Disorders
- Research in Communicative Disorders
- Audiology for Speech-Language Pathologists
- Voice Disorders
- Phonological Disorders
- Language Disorders in School-Aged Children
- Tests and Measurement in Speech Pathology
- Dysphagia
- Disorders of Fluency
- Language Disorders in Developmentally Young Children
You’ll also need to complete elective courses through your program. Topics might include:
- Special Problems in SLP
- Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders
- Language Disorders in Infants and Toddlers
- Medical Speech-Language Pathology
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication
- Multisensory Instruction in Language and Literacy
- Counseling in Communicative Disorders
- Instrumentation and Computer Use in Communicative Disorders
In your last year of study, you’ll complete a clinical practicum of at least 400 clock hours. You’ll begin by completing 25 hours of shadowing and clinical observation, while the rest of the practicum will be spent in direct client contact under supervision.
Through your practicum, you’ll:
- Screen and assess clients
- Diagnose and treat clients
- Gain experience working with a variety of patient populations
- Complete administrative tasks such as developing case histories
Step 2. Pass the National SLP Exam
Upon graduation from your SLP master’s degree, you’ll take the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s National Examination in Speech and Language Pathology.
You’ll apply directly through Praxis to take the SLP exam (Praxis exam 5331), the exam administrator. You’ll be able to choose a testing center located near you where you will take the exam. In Rhode Island, there are testing centers located in:
- Cumberland
- Providence
- Warwick
You can prepare for this exam by perusing study materials, which show a breakdown of the test’s topics and practice questions.
You’ll need to score a 162 on a 100-200 scale to pass.
The exam is split into three sections:
- Foundations and Professional Practice
- Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis
- Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Treatment
Within these sections, you’ll answer questions on the following topics:
- Speech sound production
- Fluency
- Voice, resonance, and motor speech
- Receptive and expressive language
- Social aspects of communication, including pragmatics
- Cognitive aspects of communication
- Augmentative and alternative communication
- Hearing
- Feeding and swallowing
Step 3. Obtain a Provisional License and Complete a Clinical Internship
After graduating, you’ll need to obtain a provisional license through the Board before you begin your clinical internship period. You’ll need to print and fill out the provisional license application. Along with your application, you’ll include:
- $65 application fee
- Official graduate transcript
- Documentation of practicum hours
- Praxis exam score (sent directly from the ETS)
You’ll mail the application to:
Rhode Island Department of Health
Board of Examiners of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Room 104
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908-5097
It usually takes one-two weeks to hear back from the board, at which time you may begin your clinical internship. Your provisional license will need to be renewed annually and will expire 90 days after your clinical internship.
You may seek a clinical internship through your university’s program director or look for opportunities online.
During your clinical internship, you’ll gain experience working with children, adults, and special needs patients who suffer from a variety of disorders. You’ll complete supervised activities assessing, screening, evaluating, diagnosing, rehabilitating and habilitating patients using treatment plans you develop with your supervisor.
Step 4. Earn the CCC-SLP Credential
Once you’ve passed the Praxis exam and completed your clinical fellowship, you’ll need to earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
You must apply for the CCC-SLP directly through ASHA.
It usually takes about six weeks to hear back from ASHA about your application. Once certified, you can move on to the next step.
Step 5. Apply for Licensing and Begin Practicing as a Speech-Language Pathologist
You’re eligible to apply for licensing after passing the Praxis exam and receiving your CCC-SLP credential.
You’ll need to fill out the application and include:
- $145 fee
- Recent passport photograph
- Official transcript sent from your university
- CCC-SLP certificate (sent directly from ASHA)
You can mail the application to the board at:
Rhode Island Department of Health
Board of Examiners of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Room 104
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908-5097
Now that you’re licensed, you may begin your career. There are several ways to do so:
Join the Clinic Where You Completed Your Clinical Internship
The clinic where you completed your clinical internship may be interested in hiring you to fill a full-time role. This is a great option when beginning your career because the clinic already has experience with your work.
Consider Starting an Independent Practice or Partnership
You may also open an independent practice if you’re interested in going into business for yourself and reaping the benefits of a flexible schedule. You might also consider partnering with another SLP to start a small practice.
Pursue Job Opportunities
From schools to clinics to hospitals, Rhode Island is full of opportunities for SLPs. A few employers include:
- CBS Therapy
- Barrington Public Schools
- Evergreen Rehabilitation
- Westerly Public Schools
- Lifespan
- Elderwood
- Fusion Therapy Solutions
- Pioneer Healthcare Services
- Heritage Healthcare
- Perspectives Corporation
- Arthur Trudeau Memorial Center
- Jamestown School Department
- Meeting Street
- Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island
- Host Healthcare
Step 6. Renew Your License Every Two Years and Complete Continuing Education Requirements
You’ll need to renew your license online every two years upon the completion of 30 clock hours of continuing education.
The Rhode Island SLP board accepts continuing education credits approved by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in the form of conferences, conventions, seminars, academic courses, and webinars.
You also might connect with other speech-language pathologists through the Rhode Island Speech-Language-Hearing Association (RISHA). The RISHA hosts continuing education opportunities, offering workshops, seminars, and annual conferences that feature new approaches to the treatment and assessment of dysphagia, the evaluation of adults with traumatic brain injuries, treating phonological disorders in children, and treatment strategies for preschoolers who stutter.
You’ll need to document your continuing education hours by obtaining a letter or certificate of completion signed by the instructor of the course for each credit you participate in.
Speech-Language Pathology Salary in Rhode Island
The average SLP salary in Rhode Island is an impressive $91,310, or $43.90 hourly. The top-paid SLPs in the state (90th percentile) earn about $110,650, or $53.20 an hour. Between 2019 and 2023 alone, salaries for Rhode Island’s SLPs grew by 7%.
A Growing Field in Rhode Island
The number of SLP jobs in Rhode Island is projected to increase by 21% in the decade leading up to 2030. During this time, the state should see about 40 annual job openings in this profession due to a blend of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.
SLPs in Rhode Island have a number of career options available to them ranging from schools to healthcare providers. Outpatient clinics are also a major employer of SLPs in the state. A sampling of clinics that provide SLP services include:
- Cranston: CBS Therapy
- Cranston: ChatterMatters Speech and Language Services, LLC
- East Greenwich: Sargent Rehabilitation Center
- Lincoln: Laurie J. Mckinnon, MS
- Middletown: Crystal Sargent Speech
- Providence: Jennifer E. Lobley
- Providence: Michele Fava
- Providnece: Paul W. Austin
- Providence: Small Steps Therapy
Skilled nursing facilities also require SLPs to provide care for older adults with speech and/or swallowing problems:
- Cumberland: Seven Hills Rhode Island
- Johnston: Briarcliffe Manor Nursing Home
- Pascoag: Jolly Rest Home
- Pawtucket: A Better Day Assisted Living
- Pawtucket: Darltington Assisted Living Center
- Providence: Berkshire Place Nursing Home
- Warwick: Pawtuxet Village Care & Rehab
- Woonsocket: Wyndemere Woods
Salaries for SLPs in Rhode Island and Its Major Cities
Within Rhode Island, the metro Westerly area offers the best salary prospects for SLPs. It has the highest average SLP salary and one of the highest salaries for top-paid SLPs.
The full range of salaries for SLPs throughout Rhode Island are listed here – average, entry level (10th percentile), and high-end (90th percentile):
Statewide:
- Average: $91,310 annually, $43.90 hourly
- Entry level: $65,260 annually, $31.38
- High-end: $110,650 annually, $53.20
Metro Westerly:
- Average: $96,470 annually, $46.38 hourly
- Entry level: $61,890 annually, $29.76 hourly
- High-end: $142,910 annually, $68.71 hourly
Metro Providence:
- Average: $90,900 annually, $43.70 hourly
- Entry level: $65,260 annually, $31.37 hourly
- High-end: $111,000 annually, $53.37 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.