Salary Terminology for School-Based SLPs
You've decided to practice professionally within a school setting. Here are some terms for you to review before interviewing or accepting a position with a school district or contractual company.
- Benefits
- Types of non-wage compensation that employers provide in addition to your salary.
- Career Ladder
- A progression or series of positions that include more pay, responsibility or authority that you may attain during your working career.
- Hourly Rate
- Amount of money that you as an employee earn for every hour you work.
- Noncompete Clause
- A binding statement within an employment contract that restricts you from working for a competing entity, or from starting your own competing business, within a certain geographic area and/or period of time after your employment ends.
- Pay Per Visit
- Rate that your employer pays for each client, patient, or student visit.
- Per Diem
- Latin for "per day" or "by the day", this is the amount of money that you earn per day. Per diem also refers to the daily allowance that an employer pays to an employee to cover daily business trip expenses.
- PRN
- An abbreviation for the Latin phrase "pro re nata," which means "as needed." For example, as an SLP, you may work PRN and receive hourly or per visit payments.
- Salary
- A fixed regular payment, typically monthly or biweekly but often expressed as an annual sum, that your employer makes to you as an employee, in exchange for the professional services.
- Salary Scale
- A pre-determined pay structure that reflects a range of salaries, from minimum to maximum. Your salary is based on your educational degree and years of experience.
- Salary Step
- An incremental increase awarded to you as an employee based on your professional qualifying experience.
- Salary Supplement
- Additional monies that the employer awards for certification, professional expertise, or extra duties that surpass what is typically expected of someone in your role.
- Sign-On Bonus
- A lump sum that an employer might give as an incentive to attract the most highly qualified professionals. Your bonus may be subject to terms and conditions—such as agreeing to remain with your employer for at least 1 year. Bonuses are not included in your annual salary.
