Choosing a speech pathology degree is a high-stakes decision because North Carolina licensure, clinical education, debt, and job setting all affect its value. This guide supports prospective SLPs and career changers with practical comparisons of program formats, costs, admissions, and outcomes. It will feature the 2027 Most Valuable Speech Pathology Degree Programs Ranking in North Carolina, created by the Research.com team of data scientists to help students make an informed choice about which speech pathology degree programs are worth considering.
Key findings about speech pathology degrees in North Carolina
Practicing as a speech-language pathologist generally requires a graduate degree that meets North Carolina licensure expectations; a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders is usually preparation, not the terminal credential for independent SLP practice.
Nationally, speech-language pathologists had a median annual wage of $97,870 in May 2025, and BLS projects 17% employment growth from 2025 to 2035, making completion, clinical placement quality, and licensure readiness central to program value.
The strongest North Carolina choice is not automatically the lowest-tuition option: compare CAA accreditation, supervised clinical education, in-state residency pricing, time out of the workforce, aid, and the program's fit with your intended population or setting.
What can I expect from a speech pathology degree in North Carolina?
Speech pathology, more formally speech-language pathology (SLP), prepares clinicians to assess and treat speech, language, voice, fluency, swallowing, cognitive-communication, and social-communication disorders. For most people seeking clinical practice, the relevant degree is a master's in speech-language pathology after a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) or a completed set of leveling courses.
North Carolina students should distinguish an undergraduate CSD degree from a clinical master's degree. The undergraduate degree builds prerequisite knowledge and can lead to support roles or graduate study; the master's degree is the usual educational foundation for SLP licensure and national clinical certification pathways. A doctoral degree is generally most appropriate for research, university teaching, advanced leadership, or specialized scholarly work rather than entry-level clinical licensure.
Most residential master's programs combine academic coursework with campus and community clinical training. Students commonly work with children and adults under faculty supervision, then complete more advanced external placements in settings such as schools, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, or outpatient clinics. Placement location, scheduling, transportation, and whether the program helps arrange sites can materially affect the real cost and feasibility of enrollment.
Choose this path if you want direct clinical responsibility and are prepared for a demanding graduate schedule. Consider related fields such as special education, audiology, occupational therapy, counseling, or healthcare administration if you prefer a different client population, less medically focused work, or a role that does not require graduate-level clinical licensure.
Education path
Typical purpose
Key decision point
Bachelor's in CSD
Foundation for graduate SLP study and selected support roles
Does it include the prerequisites required by your target master's programs?
Master's in SLP
Clinical preparation for licensure-track practice
Is it accredited and structured to support North Carolina licensure requirements?
Clinical doctorate or PhD
Advanced practice, research, teaching, or leadership
Does your career goal require doctoral training beyond entry-level practice?
Where can I work with a speech pathology degree in North Carolina?
SLPs in North Carolina work across educational and healthcare systems. School districts employ clinicians to support students' communication access and individualized education programs, while hospitals and rehabilitation providers need SLPs for neurologic, swallowing, voice, and post-acute care. Private practices, early-intervention programs, skilled nursing facilities, home-health agencies, universities, and telepractice providers are additional options.
Setting choice affects more than pay. School-based positions may align with an academic calendar and pediatric caseloads, whereas medical settings can involve adult neurogenic disorders, dysphagia, documentation requirements, and schedules that include weekends or holidays. Readers exploring setting-specific compensation and responsibilities can compare highest paying speech pathology jobs and careers.
Location matters within the state. Larger labor markets around Charlotte, the Triangle, the Triad, Asheville, and coastal health systems may offer more setting variety, while rural and underserved communities can create strong demand but may require greater geographic flexibility. Ask programs where recent students complete externships; local placements can build relationships with employers, but they should not be treated as a guaranteed job pipeline.
Before selecting a program, identify the environments in which you would be comfortable training. A student targeting medical SLP work should look for adult-focused clinical opportunities, while a future school clinician should ask about pediatric, school-based, and augmentative and alternative communication experiences.
The most reliable national benchmark is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook: speech-language pathologists had a median annual wage of $97,870, or $47.05 per hour, in May 2025. This is a national occupational median, not a promise for a new graduate, a North Carolina salary figure, or a measure of take-home pay.
Your actual earnings can differ by experience, employer type, work schedule, caseload, specialty, and location. Medical employers, school systems, contract providers, and private practices may use very different pay structures. Salary comparisons are useful only when they account for benefits, supervision, workload, commute, job stability, and whether the role is salaried or contract-based.
A degree's return on investment should be assessed over time. Compare net tuition after grants, borrowing costs, program length, lost earnings while enrolled, probability of finishing, baseline earnings, realistic post-degree earnings, and your expected time in the profession. A lower sticker price can still be less economical if a longer pathway delays licensure; conversely, a higher-cost program needs compelling evidence of fit, completion support, and manageable debt.
Compensation factor
Why it changes the comparison
What to verify
Work setting
Schools, hospitals, skilled nursing, and private practice can structure compensation differently
Salary, benefits, calendar, productivity expectations, and caseload
Experience and specialization
Early-career compensation may differ from experienced clinical pay
Supervision, mentoring, advancement, and specialty-training opportunities
Program debt
Loan payments reduce the value of a higher salary
Net price, loan terms, completion timeline, and likely borrowing
North Carolina's established public-university options differ most in their institutional setting, clinical network, and academic focus - not simply in the degree title. The differentiators below should help you frame questions for each department; confirm current curriculum, accreditation status, cohort policies, and clinical-placement requirements directly with the school before applying.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro: UNCG's Communication Sciences and Disorders unit places speech-language pathology alongside audiology and undergraduate CSD education within its Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. That broader disciplinary structure may suit students who want exposure to both communication-disorders professions and a clear undergraduate-to-graduate pathway, rather than a program housed primarily in a medical school.
Western Carolina University: Western Carolina's Communication Sciences and Disorders program gives students a western-North-Carolina option, a meaningful geographic distinction for applicants who need to reduce relocation or travel barriers outside the state's major metros. Its setting can be especially relevant for students interested in building clinical relationships with mountain-region schools, clinics, and communities.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: UNC-Chapel Hill locates speech-language pathology within the School of Medicine's Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences. This medical-school context is a concrete distinction among the listed programs and can be particularly valuable for students seeking an academically integrated environment connected to health sciences, adult rehabilitation, and clinical research.
Appalachian State University: Appalachian State offers a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology through its Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, linking SLP preparation with a rehabilitation-focused academic unit. Students who want an interdisciplinary lens on disability, functional communication, and rehabilitation may find that departmental home especially aligned with their professional interests.
North Carolina Central University: North Carolina Central University's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders offers a historically Black university environment within the Triangle region. For applicants who value culturally responsive preparation, proximity to the Triangle's education and healthcare employers, and a department centered specifically on communication disorders, this combination is an important factor to investigate alongside clinical-placement capacity.
Do not select a program solely because it appears in a value ranking or is close to home. Ask each department for its current student handbook, projected sequence of clinical experiences, typical weekly availability expectations, and the process used when an external placement is delayed or unavailable.
A full-time, entry-level master's in speech-language pathology commonly takes about two academic years, often including summer study and sequential clinical rotations. Students entering without a CSD background may need prerequisite or "leveling" coursework first, extending the timeline. Part-time options can reduce weekly intensity but may lengthen the period before licensure-track employment.
Accelerated language can be misleading in this profession. Clinical education, supervised experience, and competency requirements limit how much a program can compress without increasing weekly workload. Review fast track speech pathology programs only after confirming that their pace fits your work, caregiving, and placement availability.
The timeline below separates educational progression from professional authorization. Graduation alone does not automatically establish eligibility to practice independently.
Stage
Typical timing
Planning implication
CSD bachelor's degree
About four years full time
May satisfy many graduate prerequisites but does not usually qualify someone for SLP licensure.
Leveling coursework
Varies by prior coursework
Career changers should obtain a written prerequisite review before committing to a graduate application timeline.
SLP master's degree
Commonly about two years full time
Expect a structured course and clinical sequence that can limit outside employment.
Post-degree professional steps
Varies by licensure and certification route
Build time for required examinations, supervision, documentation, and board processing.
Online SLP degrees can deliver lectures and discussions remotely, but clinical skill development cannot be entirely virtual. Even distance programs generally require students to complete supervised practicum and external clinical experiences in person. An online format is therefore best understood as flexible academic delivery, not as a program that eliminates travel, placement scheduling, or daytime clinical obligations.
On-campus programs may make it easier to access university clinics, faculty mentoring, peers, and established local placement networks. They are often the better fit for students who learn best through face-to-face lab work or who can relocate. Online delivery may fit working professionals and students living far from campus, provided the program can support approved clinical placements where they live.
Use this comparison to identify which constraints are real rather than assumed. A broader review of online slp graduate programs can help applicants compare distance-learning structures, but state licensure alignment must still be verified independently.
Consideration
Online or hybrid model
On-campus model
Academic coursework
Often remote, with scheduled live or asynchronous components
Usually face-to-face on a regular campus schedule
Clinical education
In-person at approved local or regional sites
In-person through campus clinics and affiliated sites
Best fit
Students needing geographic flexibility who can meet placement demands
Students seeking direct campus access and local clinical-network immersion
Primary risk to check
Whether placement support and state eligibility work where you live
Relocation, commute, and limited ability to work during training
SECTION END: section-8
A single statewide "average cost" is not a dependable decision figure because published tuition varies by institution, residency, credit load, mandatory fees, delivery format, and program length. Public universities may offer lower tuition for qualifying North Carolina residents, while out-of-state students and students in programs with additional clinical or distance-learning costs should expect a different budget.
Focus on net cost, not tuition alone. Your budget should include fees, health insurance when required, books and assessment materials, background checks, immunizations, travel to practicum sites, professional memberships, examination expenses, and income lost if clinical scheduling limits work. Compare tuition and affordability factors through the cheapest speech pathology programs in North Carolina resource, then request each school's current graduate cost-of-attendance estimate.
The most useful comparison is the same one across every finalist: total estimated cost through graduation, less grants and scholarships, plus realistic borrowing and opportunity cost. Do not assume a private nonprofit institution is automatically unaffordable or that a public institution is always the least expensive after residency status and aid are considered.
Cost category
Why it matters for SLP students
Question to ask
Tuition and mandatory fees
Can differ substantially by residency and enrollment status
What is the current per-term cost for my residency category?
Clinical-placement expenses
Travel, parking, attire, screenings, and materials can recur across rotations
Which clinical expenses are not included in tuition?
Living and opportunity costs
Intensive clinical schedules may restrict paid work
How many daytime clinical hours should students expect in each term?
Borrowing cost
Interest and repayment affect long-term affordability
What is the typical borrowing plan for students with my circumstances?
Graduate SLP students commonly combine federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, institutional scholarships, graduate assistantships where available, external professional scholarships, employer tuition support, and personal savings. Eligibility, award amounts, and assistantship availability vary by institution and are not guaranteed, so applicants should submit the FAFSA early and review each school's graduate financial-aid calendar.
Graduate PLUS Loans may be available to eligible graduate or professional students enrolled at least half time in an eligible program who meet federal requirements, including a credit review; borrowers may also need to resolve adverse-credit issues or document eligibility under federal rules. Federal Student Aid describes Grad PLUS as a loan that can help cover education costs not met by other aid, up to the school's cost of attendance less other aid. Because federal loan terms and policy can change, confirm current eligibility with the financial-aid office and Federal Student Aid before relying on this option.
North Carolina residents should also ask whether their institution administers state-supported scholarships or service-related funding and whether aid is portable across program formats. A school-based award may not apply to every clinical term, summer enrollment period, or distance-learning arrangement.
Use a written comparison before accepting admission. The following questions help reveal whether an aid package is truly renewable and sufficient for the full clinical sequence:
Is the scholarship guaranteed for every year and summer term of the program, or must I reapply?
Does an assistantship conflict with daytime clinic requirements, and is tuition remission included?
What borrowing estimate does the school use for tuition, fees, living costs, and clinical travel?
Will a change from full-time coursework to an externship term alter my aid eligibility?
View the chart data as a table
Annual wage by percentile for Speech-Language Pathologists (North Carolina) (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025))
Category
Value
10th
60,800
25th
71,160
50th (median)
86,460
75th
103,020
90th
121,040
Admission requirements vary, but clinical master's programs typically require a completed bachelor's degree, prerequisite coursework in communication sciences and disorders or an approved leveling sequence, transcripts, recommendations, a statement of purpose, and evidence that you can succeed in graduate-level science and clinical study. Programs may also require interviews, observation exposure, or specific coursework in areas such as phonetics, language development, anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing, audiology, and speech science.
Career changers should not assume that a strong GPA in an unrelated major removes prerequisite requirements. Some schools admit non-CSD applicants through a defined leveling pathway; others expect prerequisites before admission. Applicants evaluating selectivity should use easiest SLP grad schools to get into as a starting point for research, not as a substitute for checking fit, accreditation, and clinical readiness.
Before applying, request a course-by-course review from each target program. That step can prevent the common mistake of spending money on applications before learning that several prerequisites, observation documentation, or a particular science requirement is missing.
Applicants should verify these details directly because they can vary even among public institutions in the same state:
Whether a CSD major is required or a post-baccalaureate leveling plan is accepted.
Which prerequisite courses must be completed before enrollment and which may be in progress.
Whether minimum GPA standards apply overall, in prerequisite coursework, or both.
Whether the program requires an interview, writing sample, observation record, or specific recommendation format.
Whether admitted students must complete health, background-check, vaccination, and clinical-site compliance requirements.
A master's curriculum builds from communication-disorders science into evidence-based diagnosis and intervention. Course titles differ by institution, but students typically study language disorders across the lifespan, speech sound disorders, fluency, voice, motor speech disorders, swallowing disorders, augmentative and alternative communication, research methods, and professional ethics.
Clinical practicum is as important as lecture coursework. Students apply assessment and treatment methods with supervised clients, document services, receive feedback, and progressively manage more complex cases. Programs may place clinical experiences in a university clinic, schools, medical environments, and community sites; the order and availability of those settings should be part of your comparison.
Technology is also becoming more visible in clinical preparation. Telepractice platforms, digital assessment tools, electronic documentation, and augmentative communication systems can support access and care delivery, but technology does not replace supervised clinical judgment. Ask how a program teaches ethical use, privacy, accessibility, and evidence-based decision-making with these tools.
Curriculum area
What students learn
Why it matters
Speech and language disorders
Assessment and intervention across child and adult populations
Forms the clinical core for many school and healthcare roles.
Swallowing and motor speech
Medical and neurologic communication-related conditions
Especially relevant for students considering hospitals and rehabilitation settings.
Research and evidence-based practice
How to interpret research and apply it to client decisions
Helps clinicians adapt treatment rather than relying only on fixed protocols.
Clinical practicum
Supervised assessment, intervention, documentation, and counseling
Builds competencies required for professional practice preparation.
Most entry-level SLP master's programs prepare students as generalists because licensure-track practice requires competence across ages and disorder types. Formal graduate concentrations are less universal than in some fields, but programs may offer electives, clinic assignments, research opportunities, and externships that allow students to develop an interest area.
Common focus areas include pediatric language and literacy, school-based practice, autism and social communication, bilingual and multicultural practice, augmentative and alternative communication, adult neurogenic communication disorders, voice, fluency, dysphagia, and medically complex care. Availability can change with faculty expertise and clinical-site capacity, so an advertised interest area is not the same as a guaranteed placement.
Choose a program with broad foundational training first. Specialization is most valuable when it is supported by relevant faculty, coursework, and supervised clinical exposure - not merely a list of elective topics. Students uncertain about a specialty should prioritize programs that provide diverse clients and settings rather than narrowing too early.
The best program is the one that can credibly move you toward your specific licensure and career goal at a manageable total cost. Rankings can help create a shortlist, but no ranking can determine whether a program accepts your prerequisites, supports placements in your area, or fits your financial and family circumstances. If you are comparing affordability across states, the cheapest slp master's programs in arizona resource can also illustrate why tuition, residency, and clinical-travel costs should be compared separately.
Use a structured selection process rather than making a decision from tuition or reputation alone:
Confirm that the degree is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) or otherwise meets the requirements relevant to your planned credential and state.
Obtain a written prerequisite review and confirm your realistic admissions timeline.
Compare each program's full cost of attendance, grant aid, loan need, program length, and expected limits on paid employment.
Ask how the program assigns, monitors, and supports clinical placements, including placements in your intended setting.
Review completion, Praxis, employment, and licensure-related outcome information when the program publishes it, including the reporting period and cohort size.
Speak with admissions staff about transfer-credit rules, leave policies, remediation support, and what happens if a clinical placement changes.
Common mistakes include assuming every online degree is licensure-compatible in every state, treating published tuition as total cost, and assuming graduation automatically confers a license. Avoid these errors by getting answers in writing and checking current requirements with the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.
A master's degree in SLP can support work with communication and swallowing needs across the lifespan. The most direct career path is licensed speech-language pathologist, but the day-to-day role can look very different depending on setting, population, and employer requirements.
The following paths show how degree preparation can connect to different professional environments. They are not separate licenses; most require the same foundational graduate preparation plus applicable state and employer requirements.
School-based SLP: Works with children and adolescents on speech, language, literacy-related communication, social communication, and educational access, often as part of special-education teams.
Medical or acute-care SLP: Assesses communication, cognition, voice, and swallowing needs in hospitals and may work closely with physicians, nurses, dietitians, and rehabilitation professionals.
Rehabilitation SLP: Supports adults recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, progressive neurologic conditions, or other impairments in inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation settings.
Early-intervention clinician: Works with young children and caregivers, often emphasizing family coaching, language development, feeding, and functional communication.
Private-practice or outpatient clinician: Provides therapy across pediatric or adult populations and may develop a focused caseload such as fluency, voice, autism, or language disorders.
Research, teaching, or clinical leadership professional: May pursue advanced study or additional experience to contribute to higher education, research, supervision, administration, or program development.
Match your program search to the work you want to do. A future medical SLP should investigate adult and swallowing-related placements, while a future school clinician should prioritize pediatric caseload experience and familiarity with educational service delivery.
View the chart data as a table
Total tuition + mandatory fees (resident, this ranking) (Source: Research.com SLP dataset)
Category
Value
20,000-25,000 USD
2
25,000-30,000 USD
1
30,000-35,000 USD
1
35,000-40,000 USD
0
40,000-45,000 USD
0
45,000-50,000 USD
0
50,000-55,000 USD
1
The national outlook for SLPs is strong: BLS projects employment growth of 17% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 12,500 openings projected each year on average over the decade. These are national projections, published for the 2025-2035 period, so they should guide broad career planning rather than be read as a guarantee of openings in a particular North Carolina county.
In North Carolina, demand is shaped by school systems, health systems, rehabilitation providers, long-term care, early-intervention services, and population needs across urban and rural communities. Students who can complete placements and later work outside the largest metropolitan areas may find a broader range of community needs, while applicants seeking highly specialized medical roles may benefit from proximity to larger hospitals and rehabilitation networks.
Licensure is the critical bridge between degree and employability. North Carolina requirements are set by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, not by BLS or by a university alone. Prospective students should verify the current requirements for graduate education, supervised experience, examinations, application documentation, and any rules affecting telepractice before enrolling.
The job-market signal supports careful investment, not automatic enrollment. A program is more likely to be worthwhile when it supports timely completion, approved clinical education, licensure planning, and a setting-specific career strategy that fits where you are willing to live and work.
2027 Most Valuable Speech Pathology Degree Programs Ranking in North Carolina
Research.com recognizes that investing in graduate education can affect a student's finances, career timeline, and professional eligibility for years. The ranking was created to make comparisons more transparent by evaluating programs with consistent evidence rather than relying on reputation alone. Research.com scores programs on academic and research strength, cost, graduate outcomes, student profile, and institutional quality, then ranks programs according to the dimension named in the ranking.
On-campus rankings use data-driven, entropy-based weights that are set for the ranking. Online programs are evaluated through a distance-learning-adapted methodology: campus-related indicators are excluded, while program structure and student support receive greater emphasis. Online rankings use fixed weights of 30% graduation rate, 25% research, 15% institutional profile, and 10% each for students, cost, and course factors.
The ranking draws on the following sources to support a credible, comparable view of institutional and program-level value:
IPEDS database, for institutional enrollment, completions, tuition, and student-outcome context.
Peterson's database, for program and admissions information where available.
Reading the ranking can help you identify programs that merit deeper investigation, compare cost and outcomes alongside academic quality, and narrow a shortlist before requesting program-specific clinical, admissions, and financial-aid details. Review Research.com's methodology for further information on how rankings are developed and interpreted.
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA
Status AccreditedID b118a9d9-0706-4bdd-b64e-96c7fa9940abValid 2022-2030
Last known review scheduled for August 2029
Verify accreditation
University of North Carolina at Greensboro earned a Research.com Value Score of 78.36/100, supported by $22,113 total tuition + mandatory fees and 92% Praxis pass rate. Its Speech-Language Pathology, M.A. (On-Campus) is listed by ASHA EdFind as CAA-accredited through 2030, with the most recently listed accreditation review scheduled for 2029.
Admissions data from
ASHA EdFind
(updated 10/21/2025)
Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (speech-language pathology)
76.12
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Traditional Track: 5 semesters full-time; Leveler Track: 7 semesters full-time. Total 63 semester hours.
Required credits
63
Acceptance rate
80% (98 of 123 applications)
GPA range
3.00 - 4.00
Offers with funding
~71% (70 of 98 offers)
Application deadline
Fall admission: February 1
Class size
30
Degrees granted
33
Application process
University online application
Prerequisites
Undergraduate prerequisites required: No; prerequisite courses offered; available online
Additional requirements
Capstone
Accreditation
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA
Status AccreditedID 2a47127e-cc9c-4070-8354-ba38b038f7e5Valid 2021-2029
Last known review scheduled for August 2028
Verify accreditation
Western Carolina University earned a Research.com Value Score of 76.12/100, supported by $21,121 total tuition + mandatory fees and 91% Praxis pass rate. Its Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (speech-language pathology) is listed by ASHA EdFind as CAA-accredited through 2029, with the most recently listed accreditation review scheduled for 2028.
Admissions data from
ASHA EdFind
(updated 09/11/2025)
Master of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences (MS-SLP)
72.25
/ 100
Final score
Program length
60-semester-hour program (clinical track), typically 2 years full-time
Acceptance rate
15% (61 of 399 applications)
GPA range
2.95 - 4.00
Offers with funding
~28% (17 of 61 offers)
Class size
24
Degrees granted
37
Application process
CSDCAS University online application
Prerequisites
Undergraduate prerequisites required: Yes
Additional requirements
Comprehensive exam
Accreditation
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA
Status AccreditedID be6dcdc7-4f79-4a3f-a5c7-06cfa9171eb3Valid 2025-2032
Last known review scheduled for February 2031
Verify accreditation
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earned a Research.com Value Score of 72.25/100, supported by $26,910 total tuition + mandatory fees and 100% Praxis pass rate. Its Master of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences (MS-SLP) is listed by ASHA EdFind as CAA-accredited through 2032, with the most recently listed accreditation review scheduled for 2031.
Admissions data from
ASHA EdFind
(updated 10/31/2024)
Undergraduate prerequisites required: Yes; prerequisite courses offered; available online
Additional requirements
Comprehensive exam
Accreditation
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA
Status AccreditedID e3f14289-e869-419c-9a4b-fadb1232f5a1Valid 2023-2031
Last known review scheduled for August 2030
Verify accreditation
Appalachian State University earned a Research.com Value Score of 65.76/100, supported by $30,590 total tuition + mandatory fees and 100% Praxis pass rate. Its Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology is listed by ASHA EdFind as CAA-accredited through 2031, with the most recently listed accreditation review scheduled for 2030.
Admissions data from
ASHA EdFind
(updated 08/27/2025)
Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) / Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S.
52.15
/ 100
Final score
Program length
Two-year sequence (5-6 semesters incl. summer) for those with prerequisites; three-year sequence (7-8 semesters) for those without.
Required credits
60
Acceptance rate
77% (110 of 143 applications)
GPA range
3.01 - 4.00
Offers with funding
~9% (10 of 110 offers)
Application deadline
Fall admission: January 15th
Class size
49
Degrees granted
57
Application process
CSDCAS University online application
Prerequisites
Undergraduate prerequisites required: No; prerequisite courses offered; available online
Additional requirements
Comprehensive exam; Capstone
Accreditation
Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of ASHA
Status AccreditedID 0897a048-47ea-4168-b7b3-e2736a152396Valid 2019-2027
Verify accreditation
North Carolina Central University earned a Research.com Value Score of 52.15/100, supported by $54,144 total tuition + mandatory fees and 90% Praxis pass rate. Its Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) / Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S. is listed by ASHA EdFind as CAA-accredited through 2027, with the most recently listed accreditation review scheduled for 2026 (in process).
Admissions data from
ASHA EdFind
(updated 10/14/2025)
Frequently asked questions about speech pathology degree in North Carolina
Do I need a master's degree to become an SLP in North Carolina?
In most cases, yes. A bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders is usually not sufficient for independent SLP practice. Verify current graduate-degree, examination, supervised-experience, and application requirements with the state licensing board.
Should I choose a CAA-accredited speech pathology program?
For students pursuing clinical SLP practice, CAA accreditation is a major safeguard because it is closely tied to professional credentialing expectations. Confirm the program's current accreditation status and ask how its curriculum supports eligibility for the state where you intend to practice.
Can I enter an SLP master's program with a non-CSD bachelor's degree?
Possibly. Some programs accept applicants from other majors who complete required leveling coursework. Requirements differ, so obtain a written prerequisite review from each program before applying.
Can I complete an SLP degree fully online?
Coursework may be online, but clinical practicum and external placements generally require in-person supervised experiences. Confirm whether the program can support approved placements in your area and whether it meets North Carolina licensure expectations.
How long does an SLP master's degree take?
Many full-time programs take about two years, often with summer coursework and clinical rotations. Leveling courses, part-time enrollment, and post-degree professional requirements can extend the overall timeline.
Is speech pathology a good career investment?
It can be for students who want clinical work and can complete an accredited, licensure-aligned program without unmanageable debt. Evaluate net cost, time out of the workforce, clinical-placement quality, local job preferences, and realistic repayment plans rather than relying on salary figures alone.
See What Experts Have To Say About Studying Speech Pathology
ASHA EdFind - Accredited Speech-Language Pathology Programs Used to verify CAA accreditation or candidacy status for graduate SLP programs. https://find.asha.org/ed/
North Carolina Central University - Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) / Communication Sciences and Disorders, M.S. Official program page (curriculum, tuition, and admissions). https://www.nccu.edu/chas/communication-sciences
