High $ amount per/h but low monthly income-speech therapist

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Oct 27 2024, 11:52 pm

I'm a speech therapist practicing in Lakewood and am employed at a private clinic.
I am currently being compensated at the rate of $60 but an hour only for direct contact. I am on a W-2 with no other benefits such as PTO, insurance, etc. Although I am an hourly employee, I'm expected to work many hours off the clock, preparing, making parent phone calls, researching, and insurance billing, which results in significantly lower compensation.

I'm curious about the standard compensation for professionals in my position. I end up making in the mid 40k . I have been working about 3 years.

amother

Linen ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 12:23 am

amother OP wrote:

You went through all that schooling for 40K after 3 years? 🤦‍♀️

Get a job in public school. Speech therapists get paid on the same scale as teachers. With a masters degree you’ll start in the upper 60Ks and in 7-8 years you’ll be making close to 90K. All the prep and research gets done at work, no taking home work and no insurance billing. Oh and you get PTO and health insurance. It’s not free but it’s an insanely good plan and you only pay a small part of it.

I wish more people would do it.

amother

Sunflower

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 12:40 am

amother Linen wrote:

This

All the speech therapists I know who actually need the money are working in public schools. Most try to not work in Lakewood because its not the greatest district, but Brick, Toms River, Jackson, Freehold (depending on where you live it makes sense to try different districts because of commute time).

Don't count on the PTO though because you end up using it for the times PS is not on a frum schedule. And Friday you need to work regular so you can end up coming home a 3 when shabbos is at four.

But you get health insurance and good 401k contributions, better pay, and no take home work.

amother

↑ Linen

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 12:43 am

I just want to add that once your kids are a little older you can do speech privately in the evenings, to supplement your income. I’m home by 3:30 and do private for 2-3 hrs per night at $85/hr for private pay.

But that’s for when you have older kids and greater expenses.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 9:21 am

amother Linen wrote:

85$ an hour or per session 45 min?

mha3484 ↓

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 9:37 am

I second not doing fee for service unless your in private practice but 60 an hour is a joke. I live OOT most speech therapists with little specialty just willing to see your kid in yeshiva/school charge $100 for a 45 minute session when I was looking into this so for all I know could be more now.

Most therapists I know making good salaries work in public schools, therapeutic schools, hospitals, one worked in a reading clinic, childrens hospital. Places that pay a steady salary even if its out of your comfort zone.

amother

Bottlebrush

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 9:38 am

amother Linen wrote:

The hours vary greatly. My relatives who work for private practices in Lakewood work 5 hours a week twice a week. Not comparable to public school hours…and they are so mad they don’t get paid a lot

amother

Brickred

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 9:41 am

mha3484 wrote:

If they work for an agency the agency takes a cut of the $100. The therapist doesn’t see that.

↑ mha3484

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 9:46 am

Correct the speech therapists I know seeing kids privately don't work for an agency. Who can afford to give up $40 bucks to someone else? You advertise and network and get clients. Most are cash or maybe BCBS so little billing and paperwork.

amother

↑ OP

Mon, Oct 28 2024, 9:47 am

amother Brickred wrote:

If they work for an agency the agency takes a cut of the $100. The therapist doesn’t see that.

my company charges the Parents 175$ for a 45-minute session and I got paid by the hour so it comes out that I get 45$ for the session and they keep the rest 130$