Speech-Language Pathologist salary in the U.S.
Speech-Language Pathologists in the U.S. earn a median of $97,870 a year ($47.05 an hour), based on BLS data for 183,390 workers.
Pay ranges from $62,900 for the lowest-paid 10% to $134,160 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $98,170, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for Speech-Language pathologists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $62,900 | $30.24 |
| 25th percentile | $77,730 | $37.37 |
| Median | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| 75th percentile | $114,570 | $55.08 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $134,160 | $64.50 |
| Average (mean) | $98,170 | $47.20 |
Half of Speech-Language pathologists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $8,155.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $4,077.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,764.23 |
| Weekly | $1,882.12 |
| Hourly | $47.05 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Speech-Language Pathologist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $118,970 | 16,930 |
| Colorado | $110,750 | 4,420 |
| District of Columbia | $109,380 | 390 |
| Washington | $105,550 | 3,570 |
| Nevada | $104,510 | 1,270 |
| Rhode Island | $104,000 | 720 |
| Delaware | $102,760 | 690 |
| Alaska | $102,670 | 340 |
| Oregon | $102,660 | 1,600 |
| New Jersey | $101,560 | 6,840 |
| Massachusetts | $101,310 | 5,290 |
| New York | $100,610 | 15,310 |
| Connecticut | $100,110 | 2,390 |
| Florida | $99,990 | 10,080 |
| Texas | $99,910 | 19,120 |
| Maryland | $99,190 | 3,510 |
| New Mexico | $98,690 | 1,250 |
| Arizona | $97,800 | 3,390 |
| Hawaii | $97,560 | 270 |
| Georgia | $96,760 | 4,030 |
| Virginia | $96,250 | 4,460 |
| Illinois | $95,080 | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $93,300 | 7,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,960 | 6,570 |
| Utah | $91,560 | 1,460 |
| South Carolina | $90,530 | 2,190 |
| Minnesota | $89,380 | 3,890 |
| Missouri | $89,280 | 3,230 |
| Michigan | $89,120 | 4,730 |
| Indiana | $87,360 | 3,310 |
| North Carolina | $86,460 | 5,600 |
| Tennessee | $84,630 | 3,320 |
| Oklahoma | $84,470 | 1,870 |
| Idaho | $84,380 | 1,210 |
| Nebraska | $84,350 | 1,310 |
| Arkansas | $83,580 | 2,430 |
| Kentucky | $83,550 | 2,610 |
| New Hampshire | $83,040 | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $83,000 | 2,940 |
| Maine | $82,660 | 640 |
| Vermont | $82,090 | 430 |
| Wyoming | $82,040 | 240 |
| Iowa | $81,050 | 1,540 |
| West Virginia | $80,970 | 880 |
| Kansas | $80,120 | 1,690 |
| Montana | $78,740 | 490 |
| Mississippi | $78,130 | 1,790 |
| North Dakota | $75,240 | 630 |
| Alabama | $73,660 | 2,060 |
| Louisiana | $69,610 | 3,000 |
| South Dakota | $65,680 | 410 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,800 | 150 |
Best-paying metro areas for Speech-Language pathologists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $133,760 | 70 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $132,720 | 890 |
| Boulder, CO | $131,620 | 320 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,850 | 1,760 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $127,470 | 160 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $126,850 | 200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $126,360 | 1,030 |
| Vallejo, CA | $124,440 | 130 |
| Napa, CA | $123,870 | 50 |
| Salinas, CA | $122,770 | 200 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $120,550 | 50 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $119,690 | 1,590 |
| Pueblo, CO | $119,670 | 80 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $118,670 | 110 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $118,660 | 310 |
Metro areas with the most Speech-Language pathologists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 15,260 | $107,860 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 7,150 | $98,490 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,800 | $99,540 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,800 | $109,740 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,780 | $100,400 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,720 | $102,810 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,330 | $100,080 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3,140 | $99,960 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,930 | $101,590 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 2,860 | $106,290 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,640 | $98,040 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 2,570 | $93,370 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,480 | $112,090 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,410 | $102,860 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,120 | $118,560 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $97,550 | $46.90 |
| Physicians, All Other | $265,930 | $127.85 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 | $63.61 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 | $67.75 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| Occupational Therapist | $100,330 | $48.24 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 | $65.33 |
| Respiratory Therapist | $82,280 | $39.56 |
| Dentists, General | $170,950 | $82.19 |
| Family Medicine Physician | $244,180 | $117.39 |
| Veterinarian | $130,100 | $62.55 |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $76,400 | $36.73 |
| General Internal Medicine Physician | $256,560 | $123.35 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-1127. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Speech-Language pathologist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for Speech-Language pathologists in the U.S. is $97,870 a year, or $47.05 an hour. Pay ranges from $62,900 for the lowest-paid 10% to $134,160 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid Speech-Language pathologists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of Speech-Language pathologists in the U.S. earn at least $134,160 a year. The top 25% earn $114,570 or more.
What is the starting pay for Speech-Language pathologists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $62,900 a year, and a quarter of Speech-Language pathologists earn $77,730 or less.
How many Speech-Language pathologists work in the U.S.?
About 183,390 Speech-Language pathologists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.