If you are an experienced Speech Language Pathologist looking to increase your earning power, consider SLP continuing education to take your paycheck up a notch.
As you know, continuing education is part of any medical professional’s career. Before we dive into this article, it’s important to note that CEU stands for Continuing Education Unit. They may also be known as Continuing Education Credits.
SLP CEUs are earned throughout your career and are used by your superiors to measure your participation in learning activities such as online courses or labs for example.
Beyond the fact that SLP continuing education courses help you to stay up-to-date on your industry’s medical advancements, they are a surefire way to make you more valuable to an employer.
BONUS: Organize your continuing education with this resource checklist of online courses, conferences, and convention SLP CEUs. ⇨ Download Our Checklist!And the best part about spending the time to acquire CEUs? You’re in great shape to out-earn many of your peers in the medical field thanks to a high demand for SLPs.
This article will outline three easy steps for earning more money with SLP CEUs.
Let’s get started!
3 Easy Steps for Earning More Money with SLP CEUs
1. Find CEUs for Speech Language Pathologists
Speech Pathology CEUs focus on a variety of areas to help you stay on the cutting edge of your profession.
Finding the right courses for your professional growth doesn’t have to be a chore! In fact, continuing education for SLP providers can be obtained in a number of ways.
Online Courses
With a busy professional life and little time to spare, online courses are often the best option for those leading an on-the-go lifestyle. Thanks to advancements in technology and software, there are endless ways to earn your CEUs online.
Did you know that online learning offers many perks above and beyond the convenience of taking a course on your laptop? Here are a few of our favorite perks:
- Online CEUs often cost less than other options.
- Online learning provides you with a distraction-free way to learn at your own pace.
- The number of courses offered is highly varied compared to what you can learn in-person.
- You get to choose your learning environment. Awesome!
- Earning SLP CEUs becomes something that fits into your life, not something you have to work your life around.
- If you are a shy person, online courses offer you a way to engage with your peers without having to meet up face-to-face.
- Save time and gas money by removing the need to commute to and from a classroom setting.
The key to finding quality online learning is to search for accredited courses only. Some of the accredited websites you can visit are:
Perhaps the best part about conducting your SLP continuing education online is the endless variety of courses from which you can choose. While the agenda for in-person and conference learning is set ahead of time, learning online means you get to pick and choose the exact courses that make sense for your growing career.
Conferences, Events, and Convention
Between the requirement for continuing education and the fact that they boost your earning potential, the business of providing CEUs has become competitive. This works to your benefit as providers seek to make the process simple and fun.
And what’s more fun than meeting up with your peers for some in-person training and networking?
Instead of taking courses in a classroom or online, you can attend conferences, events or even conventions and count certain parts of that time towards your CEUs.
With a hectic work schedule as your everyday norm, you know spending time with colleagues in a beautiful hotel is a win-win situation! You can spend the day absorbing valuable new information while you reconnect with old friends and maybe make some new ones! Then, you can enjoy a fun night in a new city or treat yourself to room service. And the best part? All the while you will be earning SLP CEUs!
There’s something to be said about learning alongside your peers. There is collaboration, thought-sharing and it always feels like fun instead of work.
Depending on where you work, it is possible that your company might event cover part some of the attendance costs – what could be better?
There are many Speech-Language Pathology conferences offered throughout the country and world. Depending on your industry, you can have anywhere from 1-5 per month to choose from! We recommend searching for conferences by specialty since there is such an abundance.
We share our favorite resource for finding these conferences next!
2. Attend a Conference for ASHA Continuing Education Units
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is an amazing resource for continuing education.
In fact, ASHA CEUs set the standard when it comes to continuing education since they are the only service that awards and tracks your ASHA CEUs.
ASHA Professional Development courses feature the most current research and industry-leading professors. They offer online courses, webinars, and in-person learning. ASHA also coordinates a number of conferences, events, and conventions.
The CEUs you earn with ASHA can be used for a variety of things:
- Earn Your Award for Continuing Education (ACE)
- Certification Maintenance
- Specialty Certification
- State Licensure Renewal
As mentioned in the previous section, ASHA is one of the top conference providers in America. Their website offers a number of ways to find the perfect conference(s) for you, no matter what stage you are in your SLP career. If you’re interested in attending an ASHA Event, check this out!
3. Negotiate Higher Pay After SLP Continuing Education
Staying ahead of the curve when it comes to CEUs is the best way to land the highest paying SLP jobs. As you likely know, your profession is set up for your success with an abundance of jobs and more on the way in coming years.
According to the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Statistics, Speech-Language Pathologists pay can vary greatly depending on where they work. Below is the median income for SLPs based on industry:
- Nursing and residential care facilities: $93,110
- Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists: $83,800
- Hospitals; state, local, and private: $82,830
- Educational services; state, local, and private: $66,960
Regardless of your desired industry, the goal is to make your way to the top of the pay pyramid. Since the numbers above reflect the median, you know there is room to grow!
In addition to continuing education, you can take advantage of this in-demand profession by working with a recruiter to maximize your earning potential.
SEE ALSO: How a Recruiter Improves Your Speech Pathology Job Outlook
Recruiters have a large network of contacts that know about high paying open positions. Plus, they get to know you personally so they can offer support and guidance on how to land the job of your dreams. Finally, they can save you time by finding the right job openings based on your experience, so you don’t have to do the searching.
Making yourself attractive to the best recruiters has a lot to do with continuing education. And since you will inevitably be getting more interviews, you will want to prepare for them and give yourself the best chance of getting the job.
SEE ALSO: 19 Common Speech Language Pathology Interview Questions
If your goal is to utilize your SLP continuing education to earn more money in your career, we must emphasize the value of “staying ready”. That means you are always prepared to ace an interview when an opportunity for the next position arrives. You never know when something might happen, so stay ready by being up on your CEUs and regularly brushing up on your interview skills.
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Conclusion
We hope you found this article valuable when it comes to racking up those hours. Make the most of your career when you invest in speech language pathology continuing education. Not only will it help you become a better SLP, but it will help you earn a better living over time.
Use these resources to find the best online and in-person accredited speech pathology CEUs:
Plus, you can join an SLP Facebook Group or another online forum to discuss CEUs with your peers to find the best options for you!
What SLP continuing education courses interest you the most?
Share with us in the comments below!
BONUS: Organize your continuing education with this resource checklist of online courses, conferences, and convention SLP CEUs. ⇨ Download Our Checklist!
