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How Much Does a Speech-Language Pathologist Make?

A speech-language pathologist in the US earns a median salary of $97,870 a year, or $47.05 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $98,170, and the middle half earn between $77,730 and $114,570.

Median a year $97,870
Median an hour $47.05
Median a month $8,156
Average a year $98,170

Speech-language pathologist pay range

What speech-language pathologists earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $62,900 $30.24
25th $77,730 $37.37
Median (50th) $97,870 $47.05
75th $114,570 $55.08
90th (top 10%) $134,160 $64.50

The median is 92% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 183,390 people work as speech-language pathologists in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,882
Every two weeks
$3,764
Twice a month
$4,078
A month
$8,156

At the median salary, before tax.

Speech-language pathologist salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays speech-language pathologists the most, at $118,600 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $118,600 $118,970 16,930 After tax
Colorado $116,960 $110,750 4,420 After tax
District of Columbia $112,940 $109,380 390 After tax
New Jersey $109,510 $101,560 6,840 After tax
New York $107,700 $100,610 15,310 After tax
Washington $107,610 $105,550 3,570 After tax
Oregon $106,210 $102,660 1,600 After tax
Delaware $105,380 $102,760 690 After tax
Nevada $103,870 $104,510 1,270 After tax
Rhode Island $103,850 $104,000 720 After tax
New Mexico $102,370 $98,690 1,250 After tax
Massachusetts $101,890 $101,310 5,290 After tax
Connecticut $101,340 $100,110 2,390 After tax
Alaska $100,320 $102,670 340 After tax
Arizona $100,270 $97,800 3,390 After tax
Virginia $99,590 $96,250 4,460 After tax
Texas $99,460 $99,910 19,120 After tax
Maryland $98,070 $99,190 3,510 After tax
Florida $96,710 $99,990 10,080 After tax
Pennsylvania $93,720 $92,960 6,570 After tax
Georgia $93,470 $96,760 4,030 After tax
Ohio $93,140 $93,300 7,270 After tax
Illinois $92,660 $95,080 9,040 After tax
Indiana $92,290 $87,360 3,310 After tax
Hawaii $91,660 $97,560 270 After tax
Utah $90,630 $91,560 1,460 After tax
Arkansas $90,490 $83,580 2,430 After tax
South Carolina $89,950 $90,530 2,190 After tax
Wyoming $89,350 $82,040 240 After tax
Kentucky $89,180 $83,550 2,610 After tax
Missouri $89,040 $89,280 3,230 After tax
Michigan $88,650 $89,120 4,730 After tax
North Carolina $88,640 $86,460 5,600 After tax
New Hampshire $88,460 $83,040 720 After tax
West Virginia $88,180 $80,970 880 After tax
Minnesota $87,670 $89,380 3,890 After tax
Oklahoma $87,230 $84,470 1,870 After tax
Idaho $87,060 $84,380 1,210 After tax
Nebraska $87,030 $84,350 1,310 After tax
Vermont $86,040 $82,090 430 After tax
Wisconsin $85,550 $83,000 2,940 After tax
Tennessee $85,050 $84,630 3,320 After tax
Iowa $83,760 $81,050 1,540 After tax
Maine $83,690 $82,660 640 After tax
Kansas $82,760 $80,120 1,690 After tax
Montana $80,780 $78,740 490 After tax
Alabama $78,780 $73,660 2,060 After tax
Mississippi $78,570 $78,130 1,790 After tax
Louisiana $77,000 $69,610 3,000 After tax
North Dakota $75,980 $75,240 630 After tax
South Dakota $73,310 $65,680 410 After tax
Puerto Rico $60,400 $49,800 150

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other healthcare practitioners jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Speech-Language Pathologists” (SOC 29-1127). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a speech-language pathologist make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a speech-language pathologist is $47.05, and the average is $47.20. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $30.24 an hour and the top 10% over $64.50.

How much does a speech-language pathologist make a month?

At the median salary of $97,870, a speech-language pathologist earns about $8,156 a month before tax, or $3,764 every two weeks.

Which state pays speech-language pathologists the most?

California has the highest average pay for a speech-language pathologist, at $118,600 a year. Next are Colorado and District of Columbia. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a speech-language pathologist?

The lowest-paid 10% of speech-language pathologists earn less than $62,900 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $77,730. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid speech-language pathologists make?

The top 10% earn more than $134,160 a year, and the top 25% more than $114,570.