Career Opportunities
- Speech Language Pathology Assistant
- Special Education Paraprofessional
- Paraprofessional
Average Salary: $33,048
The average annual wage for career opportunities from this program. Salary typical for a 9-month contract.
100%* Job Placement Rate

If your busy life is keeping you from getting the degree you always wanted, Mitchell Tech has the answer! Enroll in our ONLINE Speech-Language Pathology Assistant program!
One in six Americans has a speech, hearing, or language disorder. These disorders affect infants, children, adults, and the elderly. A communication disorder may affect a person’s ability to pronounce sounds intelligibly, understand what is being said, process and remember spoken information, use appropriate vocabulary and grammar, speak fluently without stuttering, or use his or her voice appropriately. Accidents, illnesses, birth defects, and substance abuse can all contribute to communication disorders. These disorders isolate people from their friends, family, and the community and limit job and educational opportunities. Speech-Language Pathology Assistants help these individuals to recover their ability to speak, understand and interact with others.
This online program is offered for either a two-year or three-year plan, depending upon the student’s needs.

What do Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) do?
SLPAs work under the direct supervision of licensed or certified speech-language pathologists to provide clerical support, administer speech, language, and hearing screenings, assist in communication assessments, provide articulation and language therapy services, and assist with documentation of speech-language pathology services.
Requirements for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) vary from state-to-state. Mitchell Tech will attempt to determine whether our coursework will meet your state’s requirements, but this is not possible in all cases. Please contact program director Jennifer Schultz to discuss your state’s requirements. Mitchell Tech strongly encourages prospective students to verify that Mitchell Tech’s coursework will meet their state’s requirements. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website has information regarding state requirements on their website at http://www.asha.org/advocacy/state/info/.
Why are Speech-Language Pathology Assistants needed?
Nationwide there is a reported shortage of fully credentialed speech-language pathologists. SLPAs can work under the supervision of SLPs to meet the needs of people with communication disorders, thereby increasing the overall effectiveness of the speech-language pathologist.
Are you seeking a state credential as an SLPA?
If you hold a CSD Bachelor’s degree and you need a professional option, check out Mitchell Tech’s online service. Mitchell Tech’s award-winning program is affordable and is designed specifically for those who need clinical fieldwork hours required to practice as an SLPA. Just two classes and a supervised fieldwork** experience in your local area may allow you to obtain your state’s SLPA credential.***
Want to learn more? Download the brochure here. Email Mitchell Tech department head/instructor Jennifer Schultz or call (605) 995-7245.
**Must complete a minimum 25 hours of observation of speech-language pathology services prior to enrolling in Clinical Fieldwork. ***Requirements for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) vary from state-to-state. Mitchell Tech will attempt to determine whether our coursework will meet your state’s requirements, but this is not possiblein all cases. Please contact program director Jennifer Schultz to discuss your state’s requirements. Mitchell Tech strongly encourages prospective students to verify that Mitchell Tech’s coursework will meet their state’s requirements. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website has information regarding state requirements on their website at http://www.asha.org/advocacy/state/info/.
The Mitchell Tech SLPA program meets the requirements allowing a graduate to apply for SLPA Licensure from the South Dakota Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and SLPA Certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
This program is eligible for federal financial aid.
Additional Info
*Placement data is gathered through graduate surveys, faculty-collected data, and phone surveys started after six months of graduation. In 2021, 10 of the 10 graduates are represented in the data. Employment rate is figured by: (graduates employed)/(responding graduates who are seeking employment).

Mitchell Technical College has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.