SLP salary and raises

amother

Camellia

Thu, May 19 2022, 5:39 am

I live OOT and make $35/hour as an SLP in a private school, with insurance, other benefits, 401k matching, paid CEUs, and nice co-workers. I previously worked in public schools and worked in a clinic. Public school districts were terrible. I worked in wealthy districts and my caseload was huge, parents’ demands were unreasonable, and I took home work every day. The clinic setting was intense (back to back sessions all day, not enough time to do documentation, had to stay until 7, and took lots of work home). Where I work now there’s good work-life balance and I really enjoy my job.

amother

Winterberry

Thu, May 19 2022, 8:25 am

amother [ Pearl ] wrote:

Many slps also work five hours a day, 4 days a week and not even 10 months a year. They have off every Jewish holiday, and many other days. Their job has flexibility so they take off for appointments, when their kids are sick etc....in reality they are working very part time. $62 an hour can make a decent salary if you put in enough hours. Yes I agree it stinks there is no raises, but if you work hourly you really need to calculate how many hours you are actually working before you complain. Office workers typically put in many more hours and aren't off every other minute. I don't know many office workers making $60 an hour. Other professionals with a masters also typically put in more hours than the part time speech therapist does and therefore brings home more money. Slp is a great job in terms of flexibility, but if you don't work enough you will obviously see it in your paycheck.

I'm an OOT SLP who works for a hourly agency rate in the public school setting.) There is just about no other choice in my city, the PS system hires only through agencies as do the medical establishments. Clinics pay the same rate unless you are the owner. I work 40 hours a week but only get paid for the hours I am able to work. Meaning zero paid time off, when school is closed I have no choice but to take off (like the three weeks off in December, a full week for Thanksgiving, the week of state testing in April followed by another week of spring break etc. It's nice to have all that time off but there is no money coming in then.) I work every day if the year that I can, even when sick like a dog. Go back two weeks post birth, etc.

I get $38 an hour (this includes paperwork time).
My total salary comes out about 50k for the 10 months of a 40 hour work week. And I get paid with a 1099 so a full 7.5% more of my salary goes to taxes than it would with a W2. I get zero benefits or paid anything.

That is NOT a good salary for a full time master's level job with 15 years experience.... I'm looking for other options but I can't seem to find something better, I feel very stuck at this pay rate.

(When I lived in NYC, 10 years ago, I was getting close to 80K on a W2, plus insurance and a retirement plan, but I digress...)

I do want to put it out there though that I am very grateful to be employed and I do feel like I have a good work life balance. Because those 40 hours includes paperwork, I do that in the evenings from home so I'm not out of the house a full 40 hours a week. We live very frugally and with my husband's salary are making ends meet so I am very thankful to HKBH! And to my parents for funding my schooling, so no student debt.
And my 50k a year job is much less demanding and physically taxing than my 80k job in NY was. I have a larger family now and wouldn't have been able to keep up that job and have a life. So overall I am satisfied.

amother

Babyblue

Thu, May 19 2022, 8:29 am

amother [ Winterberry ] wrote:

It sounds like you are much worse off then the SLPs from NY that are complaining. It’s really unfair that the PS manipulates the system and doesn’t hire you full time. So hard.

amother

Maroon

Thu, May 19 2022, 9:47 am

I read through all the responses, and I will admit that maybe I was a bit off when I said that 120k is not a decent salary for a master's level job If your read my post though- I said that 120k is only after working 30 yeare, and I don't even know if 120k is the correct number- PS ima's should clarify).

However, I challenge anyone to defend the agencies WITOUT replying "just work in PS." The agencies' behavior is so so wrong, and it isn't fair that they can get away with it because "you can just switch to PS."

Can anyone name one other master's level job that has zero raises ever, zero paid time off, forced unpaid lunch breaks, and zero benefits?

amother

Pearl

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:08 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

Independent contractors don't have these benefits. That is part of being an independent worker, having the flexibility, and not having a boss breathing down your back. You can't get the best of both worlds. Which job do you make $62 an hour and can come and go as you please?

And not to defend the agencies but if the doe hasn't raised their rates, how can the agencies afford to raise theirs? Would you rather start of at lower pay just so you can feel like you got raised?

amother

Nasturtium

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:21 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

I work as an RN on a per diem basis. I get no benefits, lunch break unpaid (this goes for all nurses), no PTO, BH I do get raises but many per diem jobs pay more initially and then you don't get raises.
The pro of this job is the flexibility which is everything to me at this stage of life.

It's a stable job with lots of opportunity. But no not this huge moneymaker. If I worked full time I would bring in a very decent salary as I'm sure an SLP would too. The thing is it's really not easy working full time and raising a family/being pregnant etc. Hopefully when kids are grown you can go back to work without worrying about drop offs and pick ups and the babysitter circus.

On the other hand with a master's degree in nursing you can potentially make a lot more. A full time job would start in the 6 figures and depending on specialty can go up to 150-250k. So I agree with you that not all masters level jobs are compensated equally.

amother

Maroon

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:27 am

amother [ Pearl ] wrote:

If by independent contractor you mean 1099, I am w2.

Agencies have many other sources of funding besides doe rates (for example, government grants).

Also, they can offer small raises and still be making a profit off of us. They keey a very nice portion of the DOE rate for themselves.

Agencies have to realize that in and of themselves they are not a profitable entity. They are just a middleman between govt and providers. They desperately need us and should treat us as such, because without us they would be nothing.

I remember during covid, when many providers either stopped working entirely or cut down. The agencies were desperate and sent all kinds of threatening emails how we MUST start working the next day, and threatened certain punishments if we did not etc. We all just laughed it off and ignored them. It was SO NICE to finally have the upper hand and watch them suffer. And of course none of their threats came to fruition because they don't really have power over us.

amother

SandyBrown

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:32 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

Working for an agency is a choice. There are lots of other settings an SLP can work. Any per diem job has a similar set up.

amother

Pearl

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:33 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

If you really think the agencies desperately need you then why don't all the therapists band together and do something? There are so many people constantly complaining here, why don't you do something about it? Start a petition. Strike. Quit.

amother

Winterberry

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:36 am

amother [ Pearl ] wrote:

Doesn't sound like you ever worked as an SLP for an agency. We aren't really independent contractors. It's by title only. The agencies I've worked for have always breathed down our backs. We do have bosses and supervisors. I get observed a few times a year, people look over my notes, I have billing deadlines, I have to attend professional development meetings, I have had to submit lesson plans (with one agency), I have to take jobs in neighborhoods or clientele type I don't like, etc. I've had to add students to my groups without getting paid more. I've had students I worked well with pulled from me Bec they decided it was more convinient to give to someone else.
There is some flexibility involved, but overall I definitely feel the onus of someone on top of me calling the shots. It's not the same at all as having your own businesses.

amother

Jean

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:40 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

Let's say all the agency speech therapists would take the advice on this thread and switch to PS. You think there would even be enough jobs for all of them?

That's why I think is so important to stop brainwashing girls that therapy is the best job for Jewish moms. The reality is that most of them will end up in agencies, which isn't great employment. And there wouldn't even be enough jobs for all of them to go to PS.

I really don't think there is all that much brainwashing happening. I mean, while in school for speech, do you not learn about all the different settings SLPs can work in?

I don't get it. Can't people take some responsibility for their career choices?

amother

Pearl

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:52 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

What do you mean by brainwashed? You were at least 18. You chose this field and can switch if you want.

Which profession do you think is a better fit for a Jewish mom who wants flexibility?

amother

Maroon

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:56 am

amother [ Jean ] wrote:

If you don't know what I am talking about, then consider yourself blessed.

I was 18, young and dumb, and my parents desperately wanted me to get a master's degree. I often asked about other fields, like accounting (I'm great with math and numbers) but was told, nope you don't want to work in an office! You only want a school based job! You're gonna be great at speech! It's such a good fit for you!

I was a good compliant girl, so I believed them and I started speech school. I honestly had no idea what speech therapist do, except that they take kids out of class and maybe work on a lisp or stutter.
As I progressed through my schooling, I learned more and more about it obviously, but at that point there was no turning back. My parents would have been devastated if I dropped out. And I didn't want to drop out either, because I wasn't working yet. Being in school is very different than work. I did well in school, and never realized what the real job reality is.

I think speech (and all therapies) is the right field for the right person. The girls need to understand what the differences between public school and agencies are BEFORE they start school, so they can name an informed decision. They need to understand what working in a nursing home means. They will be feeding patients, cleaning mouths with q tips, dealing with traches/vents. Can they handle that? Personally, I pass out just standing in the lobby of a nursing home. I cannot take the sights and smells.
Working in a hospital means dealing with patients immediately post stroke, with Alzheimer's patients. That is very stressful. Do they have the emotional and mental strength to do that? It isn't easy

amother

Maroon

Thu, May 19 2022, 11:02 am

Oh, and before anyone says that this is just my personal experience-

I work in a very large school that has a lot of therapists. Every year, we get 1 or 2 new graduates. It is interesting (and sad) to watch the same thing play out each year. They start out all eager and bright eyed and passionate. Literally within 3 months they are burnt out and miserable. They have to manage huge caseloads, have huge amount of prep/paperwork at home, have to do session after session back to back, and with all that they are not even coming home with a great salary at all

amother

Pearl

Thu, May 19 2022, 11:02 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

You are choosing to stay in your agency job. Can you go to school at night for accounting? Can you get a more administrative type of slp job such as a case manager or even a professor? I don't understand why you feel like you are locked into working at an agency if you feel so miserable and like you aren't being compensated fairly.

stillnewlywed

Thu, May 19 2022, 11:07 am

amother [ Maroon ] wrote:

So I think the issue here is with your parents, honestly.
When I chose my degree I did a ton of research and called a bunch of people working in the field to find out about the field, job options, salary, long term goals etc. I was also 18. I spent a few months looking into it before signing up for school and taking out loans. I feel bad that you didn't know what you were getting yourself into, but it seems like if you would've just made a couple of phone calls you could have found this all out beforehand. And I'm also not sure why you didn't do your own research into accounting if you had an interest. You were 18 after all - you don't have to take everything everyone says at face value. It's your career, your life, your choice.