5 Careers Working with the Disabled


July is Disability Pride Month, a time for the disabled community to celebrate who they are and raise awareness. It is also a time for those who are separate from the community to better understand how to be effective allies to the 61 million adults living with a disability in the United States.

If you are passionate about serving those with physical, learning, mental, or sensory disabilities, consider one of the following roles to make a lasting impact.

Speech-Language Pathologist

What They Do: Speech-Language Pathologists, also known as SLPs or Speech Therapists, works with children and adults who have speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders to grow their skills and communicative effectively.
Average Annual Salary: $80,480
States with Most Demand: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois
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Occupational Therapist

What They Do: Occupational Therapists, also called OTs, work to ensure those living with a disability can function in all of their environments, to promote their independence and improve their quality of life.
Average Annual Salary: $86,280
States with Most Demand: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois
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Physical Therapist

What They Do: PTs, or Physical Therapists, evaluate and diagnose physical impairments leading to or associated with a disability, and then form a treatment plan to restore, maintain, or promote optimal physical function.
Average Annual Salary: $91,010
States with Most Demand: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania
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Home Health Aide

What They Do: Home health aides help those with disabilities to live independently by assisting them with everyday life, including personal care tasks and housekeeping, as well as offering companionship.
Average Annual Salary: $27,080
States with Most Demand: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida
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Special Education Teacher

What They Do: Special education teachers work to teach disabled children, from preschool through high school, who have a wide range of disabilities, serving as both an educator and an advocate for their students.
Average Annual Salary: $61,420
States with Most Demand: California, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, Pennsylvania
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Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.