Choosing between a career as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and an audiologist can be challenging. Both roles focus on communication and hearing health but diverge significantly in terms of scope, responsibilities, education, and patient care. Understanding the differences between careers in speech-language pathology vs. audiology is key to determining your best path forward.

What Is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

A speech-language pathologist evaluates, diagnoses, and treats individuals with a variety of communication and swallowing disorders. Their work supports people across the lifespan, from infants with feeding challenges to adults recovering speech after a stroke.

Core Responsibilities of SLPs

SLPs address various needs related to oral communication and function. Their responsibilities often include:

  • Diagnosing and treating communication disordersManaging patients with aphasia, traumatic brain injury, stuttering, voice and other disorders
  • Supporting patients with swallowing issues
  • Providing therapy for children speech, language and literacy disorders
  • Developing treatment plans for social communication skills and autism

Common Patient Populations

SLPs work with diverse groups, including:

  • Children with speech or language developmental delays
  • Adults with neurological conditions like stroke or traumatic brain injury
  • Individuals with cognitive communication disorders
  • Patients requiring AAC devices to communicate

What Is an Audiologist?

An audiologist specializes in identifying, diagnosing, and treating hearing and balance disorders. While they may collaborate with SLPs for some patient populations, their expertise uniquely centers on auditory and vestibular health.

Key Duties and Diagnostic Tools

  • Audiologists assess and manage hearing and balance challenges. Typical responsibilities include:
  • Comprehensive assessments of hearing and auditory processing  
  • Diagnose hearing loss and other auditory disorders
  • Fitting and management of hearing aids and cochlear implants
  • Diagnosing  balance disorders and collaborating with healthcare partners for treatment  
  • Implementing hearing conservation programs
  • Providing aural hearing rehabilitation

Types of Hearing and Balance Disorders Treated

  • Hearing disorders arising in the outer, middle, and inner ears
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Dizziness and vertigo caused by vestibular dysfunction
  • Auditory processing disorders

Common Patient Populations  

Audiologists work with diverse groups, including:

  • Infants and children who are diagnosed with, or are at risk for, hearing loss.  
  • Adults with age-related or other acquired hearing loss
  • Individuals with tinnitus  
  • Patients with balance disorders
  • Patients at risk for hearing loss during medical treatment  
  • Individuals exposed to loud noise  

Education & Licensure Requirements

While both careers require post-graduate degrees and credentials, their academic pathways differ significantly.

SLP Degree and Certification Requirements

A career in speech-language pathology typically requires:

  • Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders or a related field
  • Master’s degree (e.g., speech-language pathologist education) in speech-language pathology
  • Completion of a supervised clinical fellowship
  • Passing the National Praxis exam in speech-language pathology
  • State licensure in speech-language pathology (requirements may vary)

MGH Institute of Health Professions offers a well-respected Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and a post-professional Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology program, preparing graduates with strong clinical, academic, and interprofessional skills.

Audiologist Degree and Certification Requirements

A career in clinical audiology requires:  

  • Bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and disorders  
  • Doctoral degree in Audiology (AuD)  
  • Supervised clinical practicum experience during doctoral education
  • Passig the National Praxis exam in audiology
  • State licensure in audiology  

Which Career Path Is Right for You?

When deciding between speech-language pathologist vs. audiologist, consider your interests in communication vs hearing disorders. SLPs often enjoy working with their clients over a period of weeks to address their language, voice, cognition, and swallowing challenges.  

Audiologists enjoy the quantitative diagnostic and technical tools that allow them to more immediately address a patient’s hearing or balance challenges.  

If you are passionate about:

  • Helping patients find their voice and improve communication, speech-language pathology may be your path.
  • Using technology to enhance hearing and reduce the negative impacts of hearing loss, such as social isolation, audiology may offer the right fit for you.

Additionally, consider work environments:

  • SLPs work in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, and private practices.
  • Audiologists often work in hospitals, including Veteran’s Administration (VA) hospitals, ENT clinics, private audiology practices, research settings, and hearing aid centers. Some also work in the military and in public schools.  

Career Growth and Outlook

Both fields are experiencing steady demand:

SLP job outlook: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19% job growth for SLPs from 2022 to 2032, much faster than average.

Audiologist career path: Audiologists are expected to see a 10% job growth in the same timeframe, driven by an aging population and increased awareness of hearing health.

Conclusion

Both speech-language pathology and audiology are rewarding careers that improve patients’ quality of life. Whether your passion lies in addressing language delays and voice and resonance disorders or focusing on intervention for hearing loss and balance disorders, each path offers unique challenges. By carefully considering the scope of practice, education, work settings, and long-term opportunities, you can choose the path that aligns with your interests and goals.