Last Updated
April 15, 2025Written By
Alexandra Turner, M.A., CCC‑SLPHawaii offers a unique path for those seeking a Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) degree. Hawaii doesn’t offer a full undergraduate speech pathology degree but students can get a related bachelor’s degree and then get the online SPAPP sequence at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa to meet all the prerequisite requirements in about one year.
The main attraction for students who want to be SLPs in Hawaii is UH Mānoa’s ASHA-accredited master’s program in Communication Sciences and Disorders. This is an in-person program in Honolulu and should take about two years to graduate and ready you for state licensure. You will receive challenging education and real world clinical practice in a culturally rich environment that emulates Hawaii’s ethnic demographics.
After graduation, one needs to do a 36 week clinical fellowship and pass the Praxis exam. The job outlook in Hawaii is strong due to an increasing elderly population, and more recognition of communication disorders. Salaries for speech pathologists in Hawaii are also very good, frequently surpassing $100,000 a year, with employment opportunities in schools, clinics, and businesses. All of these – quality education, a friendly community, and a healthy employment outlook – make the pursuit of an SLP degree in Hawaii a good choice.
Choosing the right speech pathology program in Hawaii just got easier. Our rankings focus on what truly matters—outcomes, clinical training, and academic quality. speechpathology.org helps SLP students in Hawaii compare the best schools. Find out how we rank them at speechpathology.org/rankings-methology.
Honolulu, HI - Public 4-Year - manoa.hawaii.edu
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At the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the Speech Pathology and Audiology master's program is ASHA accredited, focusing on preparing students to diagnose and treat communication disorders. This two-year program requires 77-84 credits, including 400 clinical practicum hours, and offers a choice between a thesis or research project. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and are prepared for the Praxis exam. The program emphasizes evidence-based practice and comprehensive patient care, training graduates to work in various settings like schools and hospitals. Requires GRE.
Campus Based - Visit Website
The University of Hawaii at Manoa's Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders is a two-year, full-time program designed to equip students with the skills needed for a career in speech-language pathology. Offering both thesis and non-thesis options, the program requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and includes 25 hours of clinical observation. Admission prerequisites include a bachelor's degree, GRE scores, and specific coursework. The program, which admits students only in the fall, meets CCC-SLP certification requirements and emphasizes evidence-based practices. Online prerequisite courses are available for convenience. Requires GRE.
In Hawaii, the choice between an SLP bachelor’s and master’s degree depends on one’s career aspirations and the length of time. There are currently no full bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology offered in Hawaii. If you want to stay in Hawaii for your undergraduate degree, you can do a related major in-person at a college or university. You could also complete an online program. Graduate programs have specific course requirements that you must complete during your undergraduate degree. One way that you can make sure that you have taken the appropriate classes is to complete the online Speech Pathology and Audiology Prerequisite Program (SPAPP) offered by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
The main graduate program in Hawaii is the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders (MS CSD). It is a two-year ASHA-accredited program that includes classroom instruction and a clinical practicum. Students need to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field (with specified courses), maintain a certain GPA (usually between 3.0 and 3.5). At some universities you may need to submit GRE scores, while others may be No-GRE Master’s degrees. Completing an undergraduate degree in a field related to speech pathology can prepare you for a job as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) which pays less than a licensed SLP, about $50,000 annually. However, the Master’s degree allows for an SLP license and better career positions that come with a higher salary, often more than $100,000 a year. Notably, UH Mānoa’s program is quite affordable for residents, totaling $48,000–$50,000 in two years’ tuition. Other options, including online Master’s programs from the mainland schools, may be more costly but can be attended from the comfort of Hawai’i, the public programs of which are cheaper. For people who want to work for a shorter amount of time and make more money, the Master’s program is the best choice in Hawaii.
Hawaii does not offer specific doctorate degrees in speech-language pathology as PhD or SLPD. This means that those who wish to pursue this career must often seek their education from out of state institutions. A PhD in speech-language pathology is a research oriented degree and is most suitable for those who wish to work in academic or research institutions. Typical admissions require a good master’s degree, research experience, moderate GRE scores, and recommendation letters. They become university faculty, researchers or policymakers in the field of speech and language pathology. On the other hand, SLPD is a clinical doctorate which focuses on the improvement of clinical skills and leadership abilities. SLPD programs admissions generally require a master’s degree, Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from ASHA, clinical experience and good academic standing. The career paths for SLPD holders include; high level clinical positions, own private practice or management and administration of health care organizations. The tuition for these out of state programs is usually quite high and the time spent in school is usually longer than that of a SLP master’s program. However, both degrees are worth the extra cost as doctoral graduates earn more than those with speech pathology master’s degree and have more career options. For those who want to study advanced level courses while remaining associated with Hawaii, it may be useful to consider online or partial online doctoral degrees from the mainland universities.
In Hawaii, becoming a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist requires completing a master’s degree in speech pathology from an ASHA-accredited program. You will need to do at least 375 hours of supervised clinical practicum while working on your graduate degree. Graduating means you have to continue with a clinical fellowship of 36 weeks full time (or the equivalent in parts) under the supervision of a licensed SLP who holds the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). You also need to pass the national Praxis exam in speech-language pathology. The process of applying for the license comprises the submission of three letters of recommendation, official transcripts and Praxis scores along with the application fee. First, you get a provisional license that enables you to practice while waiting for the fellowship to be over. After fulfilling all the conditions, you are eligible for a full state license. The SLP license is good for two years and then it will need to be renewed. There are currently not Continuing Education (CE) credits required to renew for that renewal. However, it is always a good idea to engage in CE activities to ensure that you are staying up on the latest research and findings. These guidelines ensure that you meet Hawaii’s very high standards and be of the greatest benefit to your community.
In Hawaii, the fastest route to becoming a speech-language pathologist is a little different from other states. Here, there is no dedicated bachelor’s degree in SLP, but students complete a related bachelor’s degree and then take the online SPAPP sequence at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This is an eight-course series that can be completed in about one year to prepare for graduate study, thus meeting all the prerequisites.
The only SLP program in Hawaii is the master’s at UH Mānoa. This ASHA accredited master’s program is offered in person over two years. It condenses all the required coursework and clinical training into six semesters which include summer sessions. This makes it one of the shortest Speech Pathology master’s programs available locally.
There are no combined bachelor’s/master’s or integrated master’s/doctorate programs offered in Hawaii for speech-language pathology, but the streamlined pathway—related bachelor’s, SPAPP prerequisites completed quickly, and two year master’s—continues to be a good option for those who want to work in the field. For students who have a bachelor’s degree in another field related to speech pathology, the process can be as short as three years from the time of starting prerequisites to graduating from the master’s program, which is a strong incentive for many Speech Pathology aspirants in Hawaii.
Hawaii is a reasonably priced way for people who want to become speech-language pathologists. Despite the fact that there is no specific bachelor’s degree in speech pathology here, many students get a bachelor’s degree in a related field from the local colleges at relatively cheap rates. Hawaii community college SLP Degrees are very cheap and many students prepare for their study through programs like UH Mānoa SPAPP which is offered online. The courses can be completed in about a year and are currently charging residents $471 per credit hour, which is a good deal to start with graduate study. The only ASHA accredited professional speech-language pathology program in Hawaii is the SLP master’s program at UH Mānoa, which is the most affordable. For residents, tuition is about $7,800 per semester, which is much lower than many private or out-of-state schools. This is a two-year, six semesters (including summers) in-person program that offers comprehensive coursework and clinical training. Hawaii doesn’t have doctoral SLP programs, but students interested in advanced studies, like a PhD or SLPD, will have to pursue them out of state, where the cost is significantly higher. In general, for Hawaii residents, the undergraduate paths and the UH Mānoa master’s program make speech-language pathology a financially sound profession
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