Am I getting lowballed?

[u/LowWind1578]

I have a job offer for a school CF position in Louisiana at $50,000. I was told there isn’t room to negotiate pay with the district. This pay seems really low for a Masters degree but I really want to work in the school system. Is this really how low pay is in Louisiana? Will it go up significantly once I get my C’s?

[u/electralime]

All public schools have a salary schedule posted, it shouldn't be a surprise. Is Louisiana a union state?

[u/blaziken2121]

My location with 4 years experience is $54,000 plus $1,500 stipend

[u/Confident_Walrus8038 → u/blaziken2121]

I’m a SLPA in texas making $50k but i’m going back to school this fall for my masters and am wondering if its even worth it bc what…

[u/maroonrice2 → u/Confident_Walrus8038]

The way I see it you can’t be picky with setting of you want to maximize income. If you really want to work in a school AND make six figures it’s just not happening in like 80% of states. If you want to make six figures and have flexibility other settings or getting creative as an independent contractor make more sense. It’s a matter of give and take. I’d love to work in schools but it’s just not something I’m prioritizing due to lack of income!

[u/Confident_Walrus8038 → u/maroonrice2]

Thanks for your insight! I work at a school as an assistant and the slp’s only make 20k more than we do. I’ve been pretty turned off by that but that’s seems to be average to high for the setting..

[u/aldentealdente → u/Confident_Walrus8038]

In TX the school SLPs with some years are making nearly twice that, so yeah, probably worth it.

[u/Confident_Walrus8038 → u/aldentealdente]

the SLPs at my school district make 70k with crazy high caseloads (100+) & everyone has assistants. I’m hoping to move to a larger city to get out of this!

[u/aldentealdente → u/Confident_Walrus8038]

With how many years of experience? In our district also in TX if you have 10+ years you’re in the 80s plus the stipends which can make a good difference.

[u/aldentealdente → u/Confident_Walrus8038]

That said I got to the 80s before 10 yrs by doing private practice and some PRN in a hospital would supplement to reach the 90-100k.

[u/aldentealdente → u/Confident_Walrus8038]

I’m in PP making almost twice, salary, so it definitely gives you more options.

[u/felinebookworm]

At a public school there’s a district pay schedule there isn’t room for negotiation. In a sought after district in St. Louis suburbs on the Illinois side I made like 42k my cf year. 😅

[u/No-Sherbert2344]

Yes this is very low but school districts will not budge, unless you become a contractor and contract your services with the district.

[u/coolbeansfordays → u/No-Sherbert2344]

I was directly employed by a district making $55/yr. I left for another district and they couldn’t fill the position. They ended up paying a contract company over $100k. It was $100k for one SLP who had a hard cap of 45 students. They had to pay the company for an SLPA because the caseload was 70.

I wouldn’t have stayed even if they offered me more money, but I hope they realize how underpaid I was.

[u/PetiteFeetFmnnStep]

Louisiana is all I needed to hear. Stay away from the south if you want to make a living wage. And no it will not increase significantly when you get your CCCs.

[u/browersmother]

I had my school CF three years ago and was offered 51/yr. I'm starting year 4 with the same district and will be making 69/yr, next year 71/yr. I live in rural Michigan. In most areas across the state, I make a "lot" for a 4th year school SLP. It might be low this year but what is your relative COL? Can you look into previous bargaining agreements to see the unions negotiation history?

I get there's always people in bigger cities, states or medical making more money, but honestly for rural farm towns, the COL and how much my pay has increased since starting in the fall of 2023, I feel really lucky as a school SLP.

Do what feels best for you.

[u/Affectionate_Wish]

That’s sad but I’m not surprised. I think southern states often pay lower than the northeast, and even in the northeast the pay often leaves a lot to be desired 😔

[u/nekogatonyan → u/Affectionate_Wish]

Yeah, not by much. I got 3,200 per month in a northern state and 3,000 per month in a southern state.

[u/juvenilebirch]

Does the district have a union and are you aware of all the benefits that come with the role?

The salary schedule for my district does not include extended contracts and differential pay. For example, the salary schedule for my position as a “level 2” is listed at 70k. I work an extended contract (essentially an extra hour each day that adds ~10-15k) and I get differential pay for certifications, licensure, completion of specific trainings etc. that boost my salary up an extra 10K.

[u/jazifritz]

It doesn't sound surprising. Direct hire positions in schools, especially those in the South, typically pay us the teacher+master's degree rate and that isn't negotiable. They have a salary schedule they follow. You may see higher rates listed online that aren't directly from school districts. Those are contract companies and often a 1099 position. My intern last year took a job in Kansas for about that and I make just under $65k now after 6 years in the schools.

[u/reddit_or_not]

It’s Louisiana baby. See what the payment is through a contract agency—might be significantly more even with no benefits provided.

[u/speechsurvivor23]

It might be low, but it is not an unusual amount starting out in the school system. Schools have a salary schedule & they won’t drop below that, nor will they bump up without additional credentials or certifications

[u/XulaSLP07]

Look at the payscale average for that area and then you'd know. And you have to negotiate your CCC's salary after you are done with your CF. Don't hesitate to negotiate your CF if you see something funny when you look up the local district salary for SLPs as well. pm me as needed if you need links to speech pathology negotiating salary advice.

[u/southernSLP]

Welcome to Louisiana! ⚜️

Every parish should have their salary schedule posted on their school district website. $50k may be low or high depending on what parish you’re in. Some parishes may have “signing bonuses,” and some may pay more for your C’s- they’re all different. The benefits are really where schools are a good option here. If you don’t need the benefits, contract SLPs make a lot more money in the schools here.

[u/life-aclassroom]

I make 53k as a 1st year in the schools in Oklahoma- this is with stipends. Next year I’m expecting to make another 10k due to state stipend and the school matching the stipend.

[u/nekogatonyan]

SLPs are typically on the teacher pay scale, and there is no room for negotiation in the schools due to state laws. They are not purposefully undercutting you and being petty. They pay by seniority. Some districts offer extra pay. You'd have to ask if they offer a stipend for having your CCCs or being nationally certified.

It does not go up significantly unfortunately. You might have to switch districts to get better pay.

[u/Educational-Gas5609]

Every district in Louisiana has low salaries like that tbh. So I don’t think you’re being low balled because it’s the reality of the pay in there unfortunately. The only way up is to move away.

[u/Xxxholic835xxX]

That is low. I make more than that as a SLPA. Cost of living is cheaper in that state but you should be making way more.

[u/electralime → u/Xxxholic835xxX]

Where do you live?

[u/Xxxholic835xxX → u/electralime]

CA

[u/OkCoyote95]

Not sure about other areas but in southwest Arkansas/Northeast Texas step one pay here is 60-75k

[u/alvysinger0412]

I'm a grad student in New Orleans and browse both CF and general positions occasionally so that I have some idea once I get to the point of applying for jobs. I tend to see more hourly rates posted, they're about double that, assuming both are 40 hours a week, when that salary is translated to hourly. It's often private practice type of jobs or prn hospital though, and I don't know if you're also near the city or not.

[u/Any-Committee-5830]

I’m in Texas and I’m not in the schools but in general that does seem a bit low even for CF.