This page compares two distinct NUCC-taxonomy specialties tracked by the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System: Athletic Trainer, which currently counts 48,161 enrolled providers across 54 U.S. states and territories, and Speech/Language/Hearing Specialist/Technologist, with 597 providers across 47 states. Each clinician on these rosters selected a primary NUCC code at NPI enrollment, so the totals measure how many providers self-identify their primary practice as Athletic Trainer or Speech/Language/Hearing Specialist/Technologist rather than the total population ever trained or credentialed in either field — dual-certified clinicians show up under whichever code they registered first.

On national volume, Athletic Trainer carries the larger provider roster (48,161 vs 597), and Athletic Trainer has the wider geographic footprint at 54 states versus 47. The top Athletic Trainer concentration sits in Texas (3,164 providers), while Speech/Language/Hearing Specialist/Technologist peaks in Delaware (119). The per-capita columns in the table below normalize each state's raw count against 2023 Census population estimates, which matters because absolute provider counts track population scale first and specialty density second — a small state with a strong training pipeline can out-rank a larger state on per-100K availability.

Use this comparison to understand relative availability, not to judge clinical substitutability — Athletic Trainer and Speech/Language/Hearing Specialist/Technologist are distinct specialties with different scopes of practice, training requirements, and conditions they treat, even when their NUCC categories overlap. Important: PlainDoctor is a directory of publicly available CMS government data, not medical advice, a provider rating, or a recommendation about which specialty a patient should consult. Always work with a licensed clinician to determine which specialty is appropriate for your condition, verify any specific provider through the NPPES NPI Registry and the relevant state medical board, and consult the NUCC taxonomy documentation for the formal scope-of-practice definitions behind each specialty code.