Employment in Speech and Hearing Sciences

Speech-language pathology and audiology will be among the hottest professions in the country in the next decade, according to recent employment growth projections in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) 2004-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook. The professions ranked among the top 30—out of 700—fastest growing occupations over the next decade, with the number of audiology positions expected to climb 45% and the number of speech-language pathology positions to grow by 39% from 2000-2010, according to the BLS November 2001 Monthly Labor Review.

The BLS pointed to key trends that will contribute to growth:

	As America ages and the population over age 55 increases rapidly, the number of people with hearing loss will continue to climb because hearing loss is strongly associated with aging.
	Baby boomers are now approaching middle age, a time when the possibility of neurological disorders—and associated speech, language, and hearing disorders—increases.
	Medical advances have improved the survival rate of premature infants, trauma, and stroke victims, bringing the need for speech, language, and hearing assessment and treatment.
	Greater awareness of the importance of early identification of speech, language, and hearing disorders also will increase employment.