UnitedHealth Group logo
UnitedHealth Group
Columbia, South Carolina

Senior Living Speech Therapist Per Diem

Speech-Language PathologistIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$71k-$106k

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Explore opportunities with LHC Group. As part of the Optum family of businesses, we provide home health, hospice and community-based services that help people receive quality care where they feel most comfortable: at home.

Rooted in personalized care, we support patients and provide comfort through each stage of their health journey, while building trusted relationships along the way. Find a home for your career here. Join us and embrace a culture of Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

As the Speech Therapist you are responsible for the assessment and evaluation of patient care needs related to treating speech and language disorders, and functional training in communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments. Based on this assessment and evaluation, the Speech Therapist works to help determine a treatment plan, performs interventions aimed at improving and enhancing the patient's well-being, and evaluates the patient's progress.

Primary Responsibilities

Provides services within the scope of practice as defined by the state laws governing the practice of speech therapy, in accordance with the plan of care, and in coordination with other members of the health care team

Evaluates the patient's level of function by applying diagnostic and prognostic functional ability tests. Assists the physician in the development of the therapy plan of care

Treats patients to communicate effectively by expressing thoughts according to the patient's condition using acceptable standards of practice

Observes, records, and reports to the supervising nurse and/or physician the patient's response to treatment and changes in the patient's condition

Instructs the patient, the family and/or caregiver and other members of the health care team in areas of speech therapy in which they can participate

Ability to function in any home situation regardless of age, race, creed, color, sex, disability, or financial condition of the client

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications

  • Licensed in Speech Therapy in the state of residence.
  • Current driver's license, vehicle insurance, access to a dependable vehicle or public transportation

Preferred Qualifications

Current CPR certification or ability to complete within 90 days of hire

Available to Work a Weekend Rotation

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements).

No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $70,992 to $106,488 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare by harnessing technology and innovation to make care simpler to navigate, more affordable and more connected for the people we serve.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued, heard and respected, empowering people to bring their authentic selves to work and strengthening our collective impact through diverse talents, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group and its affiliated brands are a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Key Responsibilities

The Speech Therapist is responsible for assessing patient needs, developing treatment plans, and providing interventions for communication, swallowing, and cognitive impairments. They also coordinate with the healthcare team and educate patients and caregivers on therapy participation.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a valid state license in Speech Therapy and possess a current driver's license with access to a vehicle. A current CPR certification is preferred or must be obtained within 90 days of hire.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient assessmentTreatment planningCommunication trainingSwallowing therapyCognitive impairment treatmentDiagnostic testingFunctional ability evaluationPatient educationCare coordinationDocumentationClinical reporting

Speech-Language Pathologist Career Context

UnitedHealth Group holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 72/100, 1,648 active listings.

Of the 40 active Speech-Language Pathology listings this role was benchmarked against, 5% are remote, 63% have no call, 48% require no weekends.

Speech-Language Pathology by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score3.0 / 10 · above average in speech language pathologyranked against 6,742 Speech Language Pathology listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$71k–$106kSpeech-Language Pathology median $99k (middle half $94k–$107k)126 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$95k in purchasing powerSouth Carolina index 93.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Speech-Language Pathology listings in South Carolina150 active6,746 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 5% remote · 63% no call · 48% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedSouth Carolina Speech-Language Pathologist listings: 7% state a sign-on bonus (median $4k) · 7% offer loan repayment179 active listings, Nov 2026
New Speech-Language Pathology listings2,433 in the last 30 days1,331 the 30 days before (+83%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Speech-Language Pathology pay trend+3.2% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
UnitedHealth Groupsilver tier, 72/100Top Employers work-life index1,648 active listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (6,742 Speech Language Pathology listings), Top Employers work-life index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 Speech Language Pathologist Jobs

26 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

26 jobs · 20 employers
5
<$110k
4
$110k-130k
14
$130k-150k
3
$156k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

21 jobs · 20 employers
401k / retirement match
81% this job
CME allowance
48%
Sign-on bonus
19%
Loan repayment
19%
Relocation assistance
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Speech Therapist, SLP, FlContract

Concierge Home Care · Jacksonville, Florida

$65-$75/hr
#2

Speech Language Pathologist, SLP

Harvest Crossing POST Acute · Manteca, California

$65-$75/hr
#3

Speech Language Pathologist, SLP

$65-$75/hr
#4

Speech-Language Pathologist - FMLA

$50-$70/hr
+ 24 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 2.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 50% of Speech Language Pathology listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,742 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends
UnitedHealth Group logo

About UnitedHealth Group

Hospitals and Health Care
Eden Prairie , Minnesota
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive benefits package
Incentive and recognition programs
Equity stock purchase
401k contribution

Living in Columbia

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$218k≈ 3.1× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,500/mo≈ 25% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
18 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
93.7
State income tax
Up to 6.5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Columbia, SC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.