How to Become a Speech Therapist in South Carolina

The speech-language pathology professional community in South Carolina has been growing steadily over the past decade, with the South Carolina Speech-Language-Hearing Association (SCSHA) serving as a touchpoint for all SLP professionals in the state.

SCSHA’s Sharonda Coleman-Singleton Memorial Scholarship Fund stands as an example of the strength and cohesion within the SLP community here. Coleman-Singleton worked as a speech-language pathologist and track-and-field coach. Though her life was tragically cut short, the SCSHA keeps her memory alive through the scholarship that bears her name as a way to offer opportunities to the next generation of SLPs here in South Carolina.

The scholarship is awarded to undergraduate and graduate students who exemplify Coleman-Singleton’s greatest qualities, from leadership to community involvement.

Even beyond the Coleman-Singleton fund, the Association supports local professionals in a wide variety of ways.

Over the decade leading up to 2030, the number of SLP jobs in South Carolina is projected to increase by 34%. That’s nearly twice the national job growth rate for SLPs!

To become a speech therapist in South Carolina, you’ll need to become familiar with Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Meeting state licensing requirements involves earning a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from an ASHA-accredited program, completing 9 months of supervised professional employment, and passing the national SLP exam.

Follow these steps to become a licensed speech-language pathologist in South Carolina:

	Earn a Speech Therapy Degree: Complete a Qualifying Master’s Degree Program in Speech-Language Pathology
	Complete a Clinical Fellowship Through Supervised Professional Employment (SPE)
	Pass the Praxis SLP Exam
	Become Licensed and Begin Your Career as a Speech-Language Pathologist in South Carolina
	Maintain SLP Licensure and Complete Continuing Education Requirements

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

The Board requires candidates for SLP licensure to hold a master’s degree at minimum in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders from a university accredited by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA).

In addition to traditional, campus-based programs, the CAA accredits many online SLP programs, which are a great option for adults with family commitments, full-time professional schedules, or other scheduling conflicts.

Undergraduate Requirements

Many graduate programs do not require incoming students to have a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology or communicate sciences and disorders. If you hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, you would be given the opportunity to take prerequisite courses online at the beginning of your program to give you the proper foundation for graduate work in the SLP field of study.

Undergraduate requirements that must be met before going on to graduate courses often include 14-18 credits in:

• Phonetics
• Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
• Language Acquisition
• Introduction to Communication Disorders
• Diagnostic Audiology
• Aural Rehabilitation

Graduate Courses and Clinical Practicum

Some of the topics you can expect to cover in an SLP master’s degree program include:

• Articulation Disorders
• Child Language Disorders
• Disorders of Phonation
• Stuttering
• Speech and Hearing Science
• Communication Problems in Aging

Part of your master’s program will involve completing a clinical practicum of at least 400 hours under the supervision of a speech-language pathologist.

There are three CAA-accredited master’s programs in speech-language pathology located in South Carolina for that prefer a campus-based learning experience:

• Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology at South Carolina State University
• Master of Speech Pathology at University of South Carolina
• Master of Communication Disorders in Speech-Language Pathology at University of South Carolina

Step 2. Complete a Clinical Fellowship Through Supervised Professional Employment (SPE)

You must complete at least 9 months of supervised professional employment (SPE)—clinical fellowship—following graduation from a master’s degree program. You will work under a licensed speech-language pathologist during this time, meeting one of the following work requirements:

• 30 hours a week for 9 months
• 25-29 hours a week for 12 months
• 20-24 hours a week for 15 months
• 15-19 hours a week for 18 months
• Working less than 15 hours a week will not count towards the total

A clinical fellowship is a paid period designed to give you an immersive clinical experience in the kind of practice setting and area of specialized focus that is of most interest to you. Take your time finding a sponsor, as this opportunity could lead to full time employment after you become licensed.

Among the many employers in South Carolina that may sponsor a clinical fellowship include:

• Carolina Speech and Language, Summerville
• Palmetto Speech and Language Services, Ridgeland
• Bright Start South Carolina, Greenville and Columbia
• Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg

Before beginning your SPE, you must first apply for an intern license with the Board by filling out the Application for Speech Intern License and submitting proof of the completion of your graduate program. The intern license is valid for 12 months, and you can renew it once.

During your SPE, you’ll be getting hands-on experience as a speech-language pathologist. ASHA has written an SLP Scope of Practice that outlines the tasks of an SLP and the decision-making process they go through. You’ll be practicing administration and leadership skills, prevention and wellness recommendations, and treatment procedures.

At the end of your SPE, be sure to fill out the SLP Clinical Fellowship Report and Rating Form.

Step 3. Pass the Praxis SLP Exam

After completing your clinical fellowship, you can take the national SLP exam, administered by Praxis. Passing the SLP exam is the last step in the licensing process to become an SLP in South Carolina.

To take the exam, you first need to register. Follow the instructions on the registration page. You can find test centers in:

• Beaufort
• Charleston
• Columbia
• Conway
• Florence
• Gaffney
• Greenville
• Rock Hill

The exam is 132 questions long, and there’s a 150-minute limit. You can review the study materials Praxis has developed for this exam. Here are some of the topics covered on the exam:

• Foundations and Professional Practice – 1/3 of the exam
  • Typical development and performance across the lifespan
  • Factors that influence communication, feeding, and swallowing
  • Characteristics of common communication and swallowing disorders
  • Culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery
• Screening, Assessment, Evaluation, and Diagnosis – 1/3 of the exam
  • Screening for communication, feeding, and swallowing disorders
  • Developing case histories
  • Assessing factors that influence communication and swallowing disorders
  • Assessing speech sound production and fluency issues
  • Social aspects of communication
• Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation of Treatment – 1/3 of the exam
  • Evaluating factors that can affect treatment
  • Determining appropriate treatment details
  • Establishing methods for monitoring treatment progress
  • Treatment of communication, feeding, and swallowing disorders

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

Optional CCC-SLP National Certification

With a passing score, you can also apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), a voluntary national certification. You must complete the Application for the CCC-SLP and submit it with a transcript from your graduate program, your passing test scores, and the Clinical Fellowship Report form you filled out after your clinical fellowship.

Although the CCC-SLP designation is not required for state licensure, many SLPs in South Carolina find it helpful when applying for jobs or advancing in their careers.

You may consider ASHA’s specialty certification options, which highlight your skills in a particular area of speech-language pathology. The certifications currently offered are:

• Child language and language disorders
• Fluency and fluency disorders
• Swallowing and swallowing disorders

You can read more about these certifications on ASHA’s Clinical Specialty Certification page.

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

To earn your SLP license, you must fill out the Application for Initial License and submit it with a transcript from your graduate program, your exam score, and proof of your clinical fellowship.

Once you receive your license, you have several options for where you can take your career. Here are some of the most common options SLPs pursue.

• Many SLPs have a job waiting for them in the clinic or hospital where they completed their clinical fellowship. Returning to a familiar workplace is an ideal way to enter the profession as a licensed SLP. You can also begin your search beyond your clinical fellowship.

• Starting a speech-language therapy practice in South Carolina is the dream of many SLPs, as it allows you to take control of your schedule and be your own boss. A popular option for SLPs in South Carolina who want to pursue this path is telepractice, which allows them to provide speech and language services via the Internet. You can read more about starting a private practice through ASHA’s website.

Step 5. Maintain SLP Licensure and Complete Continuing Education Requirements

After earning your license, you must maintain it by renew it every two years and complete 16 hours of continuing education during each two-year period. Contact the Board to renew your license.

You can find continuing education opportunities through the South Carolina Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The Association also hosts an annual conference that counts towards continuing education. You can read about the specific requirements for continuing education on the Board’s website.

Speech-Language Pathology Salary in South Carolina

The average SLP salary in South Carolina is $85,670 yearly, or $41.19 an hour. That’s up 19% over just four years between 2019 and 2023.

And it gets better: the high-end salary for SLPs in South Carolina starts at $112,780 annually, which works out to $54.22 an hour!

Rapid Job Growth for South Carolina’s Speech-Language Pathologists

South Carolina should see an average of 180 SLP job openings every year over the decade leading up to 2030.

2,250 SLPs work throughout South Carolina. In-state and metro-area statistics show:

• 1,150 SLPs work in metro Charlotte
• 450 SLPs work in Greenville
• 400 SLPs work in Charleston
• 370 SLPs work in Columbia
• 230 SLPs work in metro Augusta

While many SLPs work in schools and hospitals, private outpatient clinics offer additional employment opportunities. Some of the state’s many outpatient clinics that use speech-language pathologists include:

• Aiken: Hitchcock Healthcare
• Asheville: Carolina Pediatric Therapy
• Blufton: Lowcountry Therapy Center
• Charlotte: Speech Matters
• Charlotte: TerrificTalkers
• Charlotte: The Brain Trainer
• Goose Creek: aspire
• Greenville: John I Smith Scottish Rite Center
• Greenville: Kidnetics
• Greenville: Therapy360 – Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapy
• Lexington: Midlands Therapy Services, LLC
• Mauldin: Upstate Pediatric Speech Therapy Services, Inc.
• Spartanburg: Pediatrics Unlimited Inc.
• West Columbia: Columbia Speaks In-Home Speech Therapy & Clinic

Salaries for SLPs in South Carolina and Its Regions

Within the state, the highest average SLP salaries are located in metro Charlotte, followed by Florence, Spartanburg, and Charleston.

The cities where you’ll find the best opportunities for high-end SLP salaries –the cities offering the highest 90^th percentile salaries– are Florence, metro Charlotte, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach.

You can compare the salaries across all of South Carolina’s major cities listed below. They’re sorted by highest average salary, and include data about the range between entry-level (10^th percentile) and high-end salaries:

Metro Charlotte:

• Average: $90,250 annually, $43.39 hourly
• Entry-level to high-end range: $62,470 – $119,410 annually, $30.04 – $57.41 hourly

Florence:

• Average: $89,380 annually, $42.97 hourly
• $50,300 – $121,620 annually, $24.19 – $58.47 hourly

Spartanburg:

• Average: $89,020 annually, $42.80 hourly
• $60,690 – $108,820 annually, $29.18 – $52.32 hourly

Charleston:

• Average: $87,060 annually, $41.85 hourly
• $53,600 – $112,780 annually, $25.77 – $54.22 hourly

Metro Hilton Head Island:

• Average: $87,000 annually, $41.83 hourly
• $62,850 – $114,460 annually, $30.22 – $55.03 hourly

Columbia:

• Average: $85,370 annually, $41.05 hourly
• $58,740 – $109,020 annually, $28.24 – $52.41 hourly

Greenville:

• Average: $83,730 annually, $40.26 hourly
• $34,040 – $118,520 annually, $16.37 – $56.98 hourly

Myrtle Beach:

• Average: $83,410 annually, $40.10 hourly
• $60,510 – $117,610 annually, $29.09 – $56.54 hourly

Augusta:

• Average: $82,870 annually, $39.84 hourly
• $56,680 – $106,780 annually, $27.25 – $51.34 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 September 2024.

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