29 Series · SOC 29-1127

Speech-Language Pathologists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$97,870
Median / year
+2.6%
2024→2025
$134,160
Top 10% earn
+15%
Growth '24–'34
183,390
Estimated US jobs

Speech-Language Pathologists earn a median of $97,870 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $97,870, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $62,900 (10th percentile) to $134,160 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 183,390 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($118,970).

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Speech-Language Pathologists earn a median of $97,870, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 82% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #39 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 15% by 2034.

$97,870
Median annual wage
Top 18%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#39 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $118,970. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Speech-Language Pathologists moved from $79,120 in May 2019 to $97,870 in May 2025 (+23.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Speech-Language Pathologists sits -0.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Speech-Language Pathologists (SOC 29-1127) has a national median of $97,870 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $62,900 to $134,160, and the published mean is $98,170. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 183,390 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 52 state or territory areas and 503 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $95,410 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $97,870 in May 2025, a rise of $2,460 (+2.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +15% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 13,300 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as internship/residency. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $118,970, which is +22% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is El Centro, CA at $133,760. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 183,390 jobs Median $97,870/yr

Median Salary

$97,870

per year

Median Hourly

$47.05/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$98,170

average

Employment

183,390

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Speech-Language Pathologists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$97,870 Top 18% higher than 82% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 (this entry) 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$97,870 · 82nd percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Speech-Language Pathologists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Speech-Language Pathologists sits on the faster-growing side at +15% growth and $97,870 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Registered Nurses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $97550Licensed Practical a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $64400Pharmacy Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45750Physicians, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $265930Clinical Laboratory … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $62930Nurse Practitioners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 40.1% · Median annual wage: $132300Pharmacists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $140910Physical Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.9% · Median annual wage: $102760Radiologic Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $80110Dental Hygienists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $98100Medical Records Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $51140Speech-Language Path… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15% · Median annual wage: $97870Health Technologists… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.2% · Median annual wage: $50290Emergency Medical Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $44470Occupational Therapi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13.8% · Median annual wage: $100330Physician Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20.4% · Median annual wage: $135880Psychiatric Technici… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20% · Median annual wage: $45130Respiratory Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $82280Veterinary Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.1% · Median annual wage: $47380Dentists, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $170950Surgical Technologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64650Family Medicine Phys… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $244180Paramedics - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $60600Diagnostic Medical S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13% · Median annual wage: $96590
Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Speech-Language Pathologists sits on the faster-growing side at +15% growth and $97,870 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
  • Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
  • Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
  • Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
  • Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
  • Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
  • Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
  • Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
  • Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
  • Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
  • Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
  • Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
  • Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
  • Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
  • Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
  • Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
  • Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
  • Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
  • Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
  • Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
  • Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
  • Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
  • Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
  • Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+15%

Much faster than average

Annual Openings

13,300

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+28,200

187,400 (2024) → 215,500 (2034)

Typical Education

Master's degree

On-the-Job Training

Internship/residency

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Speech-Language Pathologists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.1
Active Listening 4.1
Critical Thinking 4.1
Social Perceptiveness 4.1
Writing 4.0
Speaking 4.0
Learning Strategies 4.0
Active Learning 3.9
Monitoring 3.9
Instructing 3.9

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.9
Education and Training 4.2
Customer and Personal Service 4.0
Psychology 4.0
Therapy and Counseling 4.0
Administrative 3.6
Sociology and Anthropology 3.2
Medicine and Dentistry 3.1
Communications and Media 3.0
Public Safety and Security 2.9

Key Tasks

  • Evaluate hearing or speech and language test results, barium swallow results, or medical or background information to diagnose and plan treatment for speech, language, fluency, voice, or swallowing disorders.
  • Write reports and maintain proper documentation of information, such as client Medicaid or billing records or caseload activities, including the initial evaluation, treatment, progress, and discharge of clients.
  • Monitor patients' progress and adjust treatments accordingly.
  • Develop or implement treatment plans for problems such as stuttering, delayed language, swallowing disorders, or inappropriate pitch or harsh voice problems, based on own assessments and recommendations of physicians, psychologists, or social workers.
  • Administer hearing or speech and language evaluations, tests, or examinations to patients to collect information on type and degree of impairments, using written or oral tests or special instruments.
  • Educate patients and family members about various topics, such as communication techniques or strategies to cope with or to avoid personal misunderstandings.
  • Supervise or collaborate with therapy team.
  • Participate in and write reports for meetings regarding patients' progress, such as individualized educational planning (IEP) meetings, in-service meetings, or intervention assistance team meetings.
  • Teach clients to control or strengthen tongue, jaw, face muscles, or breathing mechanisms.
  • Instruct clients in techniques for more effective communication, such as sign language, lip reading, or voice improvement.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$62,900
25th$77,730
Median$97,870
75th$114,570
90th$134,160

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$30.24
25th$37.37
Median$47.05
75th$55.08
90th$64.50

Speech-Language Pathologists pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$70,000$80,000$90,000$100,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $73,410National median - 2016: $74,680National median - 2017: $76,610National median - 2018: $77,510National median - 2019: $79,120National median - 2020: $80,480National median - 2021: $79,060National median - 2022: $84,140National median - 2023: $89,290National median - 2024: $95,410National median - 2025: $97,870$97,870
National median annual wage for Speech-Language Pathologists, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $73,410
2016 $74,680
2017 $76,610
2018 $77,510
2019 $79,120
2020 $80,480
2021 $79,060
2022 $84,140
2023 $89,290
2024 $95,410
2025 $97,870

2015 median

$73,410

2025 median

$97,870

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$18,750 (+23.7%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.6%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Speech-Language Pathologists by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $73,410 First banked release 131,450
May 2016 $74,680 +1.7% 135,980
May 2017 $76,610 +2.6% 142,360
May 2018 $77,510 +1.2% 146,900
May 2019 $79,120 Classification break 154,360
May 2020 $80,480 +1.7% 148,450
May 2021 $79,060 -1.8% 147,470
May 2022 $84,140 +6.4% 162,760
May 2023 $89,290 +6.1% 172,100
May 2024 $95,410 +6.9% 178,790
May 2025 $97,870 +2.6% 183,390

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $73,410 in May 2015 to $97,870 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.6% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 154,360 in May 2019 to 183,390 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 52 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $118,970 +22% above national
2 Colorado $110,750 +13% above national
3 District of Columbia $109,380 +12% above national
4 Washington $105,550 +8% above national
5 Nevada $104,510 +7% above national
6 Rhode Island $104,000 +6% above national
7 Delaware $102,760 +5% above national
8 Alaska $102,670 +5% above national
9 Oregon $102,660 +5% above national
10 New Jersey $101,560 +4% above national
11 Massachusetts $101,310 +4% above national
12 New York $100,610 +3% above national
13 Connecticut $100,110 +2% above national
14 Florida $99,990 +2% above national
15 Texas $99,910 +2% above national
16 Maryland $99,190 +1% above national
17 New Mexico $98,690 +1% above national
18 Arizona $97,800 same as national
19 Hawaii $97,560 same as national
20 Georgia $96,760 1% below national
21 Virginia $96,250 2% below national
22 Illinois $95,080 3% below national
23 Ohio $93,300 5% below national
24 Pennsylvania $92,960 5% below national
25 Utah $91,560 6% below national
26 South Carolina $90,530 7% below national
27 Minnesota $89,380 9% below national
28 Missouri $89,280 9% below national
29 Michigan $89,120 9% below national
30 Indiana $87,360 11% below national
31 North Carolina $86,460 12% below national
32 Tennessee $84,630 14% below national
33 Oklahoma $84,470 14% below national
34 Idaho $84,380 14% below national
35 Nebraska $84,350 14% below national
36 Arkansas $83,580 15% below national
37 Kentucky $83,550 15% below national
38 New Hampshire $83,040 15% below national
39 Wisconsin $83,000 15% below national
40 Maine $82,660 16% below national
41 Vermont $82,090 16% below national
42 Wyoming $82,040 16% below national
43 Iowa $81,050 17% below national
44 West Virginia $80,970 17% below national
45 Kansas $80,120 18% below national
46 Montana $78,740 20% below national
47 Mississippi $78,130 20% below national
48 North Dakota $75,240 23% below national
49 Alabama $73,660 25% below national
50 Louisiana $69,610 29% below national
51 South Dakota $65,680 33% below national
52 Puerto Rico $49,800 49% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 370 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 El Centro, CA $133,760 +37% above national
2 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $132,720 +36% above national
3 Boulder, CO $131,620 +34% above national
4 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $130,850 +34% above national
5 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $127,470 +30% above national
6 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $126,850 +30% above national
7 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $126,360 +29% above national
8 Vallejo, CA $124,440 +27% above national
9 Napa, CA $123,870 +27% above national
10 Salinas, CA $122,770 +25% above national
11 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $120,550 +23% above national
12 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $119,690 +22% above national
13 Pueblo, CO $119,670 +22% above national
14 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $118,670 +21% above national
15 Stockton-Lodi, CA $118,660 +21% above national
16 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $118,560 +21% above national
17 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $117,350 +20% above national
18 Modesto, CA $116,770 +19% above national
19 Sherman-Denison, TX $115,940 +18% above national
20 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $115,560 +18% above national
21 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $115,060 +18% above national
22 Merced, CA $114,220 +17% above national
23 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $112,090 +15% above national
24 Fresno, CA $110,960 +13% above national
25 Chico, CA $110,720 +13% above national
26 Grand Junction, CO $110,360 +13% above national
27 Yuba City, CA $109,830 +12% above national
28 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $109,740 +12% above national
29 Bend, OR $109,560 +12% above national
30 Casper, WY $109,540 +12% above national
31 Fairbanks-College, AK $108,700 +11% above national
32 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $108,690 +11% above national
33 Colorado Springs, CO $108,140 +10% above national
34 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $107,860 +10% above national
35 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $107,650 +10% above national
36 Naples-Marco Island, FL $106,960 +9% above national
37 Visalia, CA $106,760 +9% above national
38 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $106,290 +9% above national
39 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $105,950 +8% above national
40 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $104,510 +7% above national
41 Albany, OR $104,470 +7% above national
42 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $104,460 +7% above national
43 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $104,440 +7% above national
44 Gettysburg, PA $104,280 +7% above national
45 Lancaster, PA $103,930 +6% above national
46 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $103,740 +6% above national
47 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $103,560 +6% above national
48 Yakima, WA $103,450 +6% above national
49 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $103,420 +6% above national
50 Kennewick-Richland, WA $103,410 +6% above national
51 Anchorage, AK $103,010 +5% above national
52 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $102,860 +5% above national
53 Las Cruces, NM $102,850 +5% above national
54 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $102,810 +5% above national
55 Barnstable Town, MA $102,800 +5% above national
56 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $102,760 +5% above national
57 Salem, OR $102,360 +5% above national
58 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $102,260 +4% above national
59 Wheeling, WV-OH $101,750 +4% above national
60 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $101,600 +4% above national
61 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $101,590 +4% above national
62 Greenville, NC $101,580 +4% above national
63 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $101,400 +4% above national
64 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $101,310 +4% above national
65 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $101,310 +4% above national
66 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $101,160 +3% above national
67 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $100,940 +3% above national
68 Lexington Park, MD $100,880 +3% above national
69 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $100,500 +3% above national
70 Bellingham, WA $100,460 +3% above national
71 Lawton, OK $100,420 +3% above national
72 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $100,400 +3% above national
73 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $100,170 +2% above national
74 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $100,150 +2% above national
75 Worcester, MA $100,130 +2% above national
76 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $100,080 +2% above national
77 Punta Gorda, FL $100,020 +2% above national
78 Texarkana, TX-AR $99,990 +2% above national
79 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $99,960 +2% above national
80 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $99,940 +2% above national
81 Chambersburg, PA $99,840 +2% above national
82 Jacksonville, FL $99,830 +2% above national
83 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $99,720 +2% above national
84 Wichita Falls, TX $99,590 +2% above national
85 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $99,540 +2% above national
86 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $99,530 +2% above national
87 El Paso, TX $99,430 +2% above national
88 Redding, CA $99,210 +1% above national
89 Ocala, FL $99,200 +1% above national
90 Homosassa Springs, FL $99,170 +1% above national
91 Albuquerque, NM $99,160 +1% above national
92 Greeley, CO $99,150 +1% above national
93 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $99,000 +1% above national
94 Dover, DE $98,930 +1% above national
95 Odessa, TX $98,920 +1% above national
96 Cleveland, OH $98,900 +1% above national
97 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $98,810 +1% above national
98 Akron, OH $98,800 +1% above national
99 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $98,790 +1% above national
100 Longview-Kelso, WA $98,710 +1% above national
101 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $98,700 +1% above national
102 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $98,490 +1% above national
103 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $98,040 same as national
104 Santa Fe, NM $97,960 same as national
105 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $97,900 same as national
106 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $97,900 same as national
107 Urban Honolulu, HI $97,900 same as national
108 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $97,870 same as national
109 Tyler, TX $97,860 same as national
110 New Haven, CT $97,820 same as national
111 Port St. Lucie, FL $97,650 same as national
112 Columbia, MO $97,610 same as national
113 Battle Creek, MI $97,470 same as national
114 St. George, UT $97,390 same as national
115 Logan, UT-ID $97,340 1% below national
116 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $96,920 1% below national
117 Springfield, MA $96,880 1% below national
118 Rockford, IL $96,740 1% below national
119 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $96,670 1% below national
120 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $96,580 1% below national
121 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $96,570 1% below national
122 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $96,540 1% below national
123 Columbus, OH $96,460 1% below national
124 State College, PA $96,460 1% below national
125 Florence, SC $96,390 2% below national
126 York-Hanover, PA $96,380 2% below national
127 Laredo, TX $96,340 2% below national
128 Spartanburg, SC $96,330 2% below national
129 Eugene-Springfield, OR $96,260 2% below national
130 Gainesville, FL $96,230 2% below national
131 Flagstaff, AZ $96,190 2% below national
132 Richmond, VA $96,080 2% below national
133 Winchester, VA-WV $96,040 2% below national
134 Reno, NV $96,020 2% below national
135 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $95,960 2% below national
136 Victoria, TX $95,950 2% below national
137 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $95,930 2% below national
138 Salisbury, MD $95,700 2% below national
139 Lebanon, PA $95,680 2% below national
140 Tucson, AZ $95,450 2% below national
141 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $95,430 2% below national
142 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $95,170 3% below national
143 Canton-Massillon, OH $95,030 3% below national
144 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $94,950 3% below national
145 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $94,810 3% below national
146 Charlottesville, VA $94,800 3% below national
147 Pittsfield, MA $94,640 3% below national
148 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $94,490 3% below national
149 Ann Arbor, MI $94,370 4% below national
150 Tallahassee, FL $94,320 4% below national
151 Athens-Clarke County, GA $93,890 4% below national
152 Coeur d'Alene, ID $93,880 4% below national
153 St. Joseph, MO-KS $93,880 4% below national
154 Rocky Mount, NC $93,850 4% below national
155 Chattanooga, TN-GA $93,740 4% below national
156 Yuma, AZ $93,700 4% below national
157 Medford, OR $93,580 4% below national
158 Columbus, GA-AL $93,540 4% below national
159 Lynchburg, VA $93,410 5% below national
160 Clarksville, TN-KY $93,370 5% below national
161 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $93,370 5% below national
162 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $93,370 5% below national
163 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $93,320 5% below national
164 Reading, PA $92,930 5% below national
165 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $92,700 5% below national
166 Jackson, MI $92,630 5% below national
167 Springfield, MO $92,460 6% below national
168 Bloomington, IN $91,950 6% below national
169 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $91,860 6% below national
170 Lincoln, NE $91,860 6% below national
171 Roanoke, VA $91,560 6% below national
172 Farmington, NM $91,120 7% below national
173 Jonesboro, AR $91,020 7% below national
174 Kingston, NY $90,980 7% below national
175 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $90,960 7% below national
176 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $90,930 7% below national
177 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $90,330 8% below national
178 Killeen-Temple, TX $90,310 8% below national
179 Waco, TX $90,220 8% below national
180 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $90,180 8% below national
181 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $89,860 8% below national
182 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $89,650 8% below national
183 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $89,640 8% below national
184 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $89,160 9% below national
185 Toledo, OH $89,010 9% below national
186 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $88,610 9% below national
187 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $88,610 9% below national
188 Vineland, NJ $88,410 10% below national
189 Oklahoma City, OK $88,250 10% below national
190 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $88,190 10% below national
191 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $88,060 10% below national
192 Columbia, SC $87,820 10% below national
193 Corpus Christi, TX $87,570 11% below national
194 Lexington-Fayette, KY $87,470 11% below national
195 Raleigh-Cary, NC $87,400 11% below national
196 Saginaw, MI $87,360 11% below national
197 Traverse City, MI $87,160 11% below national
198 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $87,150 11% below national
199 Portland-South Portland, ME $87,120 11% below national
200 Twin Falls, ID $86,950 11% below national
201 Madison, WI $86,890 11% below national
202 Terre Haute, IN $86,780 11% below national
203 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $86,550 12% below national
204 St. Louis, MO-IL $86,480 12% below national
205 Altoona, PA $86,470 12% below national
206 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $86,410 12% below national
207 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $86,380 12% below national
208 Grand Island, NE $86,270 12% below national
209 Longview, TX $86,180 12% below national
210 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $86,120 12% below national
211 Kansas City, MO-KS $86,120 12% below national
212 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $86,120 12% below national
213 Minot, ND $85,920 12% below national
214 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $85,920 12% below national
215 Winston-Salem, NC $85,890 12% below national
216 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $85,770 12% below national
217 Morristown, TN $85,750 12% below national
218 Williamsport, PA $85,630 13% below national
219 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $85,580 13% below national
220 Rome, GA $85,440 13% below national
221 Flint, MI $85,260 13% below national
222 Evansville, IN $85,220 13% below national
223 Amarillo, TX $85,160 13% below national
224 Lawrence, KS $85,130 13% below national
225 Syracuse, NY $85,120 13% below national
226 Asheville, NC $85,040 13% below national
227 St. Cloud, MN $85,040 13% below national
228 Dubuque, IA $85,030 13% below national
229 Binghamton, NY $84,460 14% below national
230 Boise City, ID $84,380 14% below national
231 Bloomington, IL $84,330 14% below national
232 Erie, PA $84,190 14% below national
233 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $84,080 14% below national
234 Johnstown, PA $84,070 14% below national
235 Tulsa, OK $83,970 14% below national
236 Mankato, MN $83,920 14% below national
237 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $83,780 14% below national
238 Jefferson City, MO $83,740 14% below national
239 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $83,680 14% below national
240 Billings, MT $83,620 15% below national
241 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $83,460 15% below national
242 Savannah, GA $83,390 15% below national
243 Niles, MI $83,370 15% below national
244 Fort Wayne, IN $83,200 15% below national
245 Ames, IA $83,170 15% below national
246 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $83,170 15% below national
247 Rochester, MN $83,140 15% below national
248 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $82,950 15% below national
249 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $82,890 15% below national
250 Bowling Green, KY $82,870 15% below national
251 Omaha, NE-IA $82,650 16% below national
252 Ogden, UT $82,640 16% below national
253 Utica-Rome, NY $82,640 16% below national
254 Champaign-Urbana, IL $82,570 16% below national
255 Monroe, MI $82,540 16% below national
256 Warner Robins, GA $82,500 16% below national
257 Wilmington, NC $82,410 16% below national
258 Springfield, IL $82,280 16% below national
259 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $82,280 16% below national
260 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $82,160 16% below national
261 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $82,110 16% below national
262 Appleton, WI $82,060 16% below national
263 Peoria, IL $82,060 16% below national
264 Johnson City, TN $82,050 16% below national
265 Springfield, OH $82,030 16% below national
266 Sandusky, OH $82,020 16% below national
267 Duluth, MN-WI $82,000 16% below national
268 Jackson, TN $82,000 16% below national
269 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $81,940 16% below national
270 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $81,930 16% below national
271 Fayetteville, NC $81,910 16% below national
272 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $81,900 16% below national
273 Pittsburgh, PA $81,810 16% below national
274 Macon-Bibb County, GA $81,780 16% below national
275 Manchester-Nashua, NH $81,690 17% below national
276 Fond du Lac, WI $81,670 17% below national
277 Decatur, IL $81,600 17% below national
278 Ithaca, NY $81,450 17% below national
279 Fort Smith, AR-OK $81,300 17% below national
280 Owensboro, KY $81,270 17% below national
281 Glens Falls, NY $81,120 17% below national
282 Midland, TX $81,100 17% below national
283 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $81,050 17% below national
284 Joplin, MO-KS $81,040 17% below national
285 Abilene, TX $80,870 17% below national
286 Muncie, IN $80,860 17% below national
287 Green Bay, WI $80,810 17% below national
288 Lima, OH $80,810 17% below national
289 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $80,510 18% below national
290 Rochester, NY $80,220 18% below national
291 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $80,110 18% below national
292 Great Falls, MT $80,110 18% below national
293 Gadsden, AL $80,070 18% below national
294 College Station-Bryan, TX $79,940 18% below national
295 Harrisonburg, VA $79,720 19% below national
296 Lubbock, TX $79,570 19% below national
297 Bay City, MI $79,540 19% below national
298 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $79,460 19% below national
299 Helena, MT $79,410 19% below national
300 Elizabethtown, KY $79,380 19% below national
301 Albany, GA $79,360 19% below national
302 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $79,300 19% below national
303 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $79,250 19% below national
304 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $79,240 19% below national
305 Youngstown-Warren, OH $79,160 19% below national
306 Idaho Falls, ID $79,080 19% below national
307 Hot Springs, AR $79,060 19% below national
308 Topeka, KS $78,970 19% below national
309 Iowa City, IA $78,960 19% below national
310 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $78,940 19% below national
311 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $78,920 19% below national
312 San Angelo, TX $78,880 19% below national
313 Sheboygan, WI $78,880 19% below national
314 Monroe, LA $78,860 19% below national
315 Greensboro-High Point, NC $78,830 19% below national
316 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $78,770 20% below national
317 Jackson, MS $78,670 20% below national
318 Kenosha, WI $78,560 20% below national
319 Wichita, KS $78,390 20% below national
320 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $78,320 20% below national
321 Jacksonville, NC $78,300 20% below national
322 Janesville-Beloit, WI $78,130 20% below national
323 Knoxville, TN $78,060 20% below national
324 Wausau, WI $78,030 20% below national
325 Tuscaloosa, AL $78,000 20% below national
326 Mansfield, OH $77,570 21% below national
327 Cedar Rapids, IA $77,550 21% below national
328 Burlington, NC $77,450 21% below national
329 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $77,420 21% below national
330 Kankakee, IL $77,210 21% below national
331 Bangor, ME $77,160 21% below national
332 Alexandria, LA $77,080 21% below national
333 Manhattan, KS $77,050 21% below national
334 Gainesville, GA $76,980 21% below national
335 Bismarck, ND $76,770 22% below national
336 Cheyenne, WY $76,760 22% below national
337 Fargo, ND-MN $76,640 22% below national
338 Grand Forks, ND-MN $76,290 22% below national
339 Pocatello, ID $76,140 22% below national
340 Eau Claire, WI $75,840 23% below national
341 Birmingham, AL $75,750 23% below national
342 Huntsville, AL $74,680 24% below national
343 Missoula, MT $74,160 24% below national
344 Auburn-Opelika, AL $74,150 24% below national
345 Hattiesburg, MS $74,140 24% below national
346 Paducah, KY-IL $73,900 24% below national
347 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $72,870 26% below national
348 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $72,730 26% below national
349 Rapid City, SD $71,690 27% below national
350 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $71,200 27% below national
351 Morgantown, WV $70,940 28% below national
352 Valdosta, GA $70,870 28% below national
353 Montgomery, AL $70,810 28% below national
354 Dothan, AL $69,870 29% below national
355 Anniston-Oxford, AL $69,860 29% below national
356 Lafayette, LA $69,610 29% below national
357 Mobile, AL $69,450 29% below national
358 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $68,920 30% below national
359 Charleston, WV $68,510 30% below national
360 Cleveland, TN $67,840 31% below national
361 Decatur, AL $67,350 31% below national
362 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $67,070 31% below national
363 Midland, MI $66,850 32% below national
364 Beckley, WV $65,420 33% below national
365 Baton Rouge, LA $65,020 34% below national
366 Lake Charles, LA $64,720 34% below national
367 Hammond, LA $61,300 37% below national
368 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $60,790 38% below national
369 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $60,000 39% below national
370 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $51,920 47% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 70 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($97,870 here) and reported employment (183,390 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Speech-Language Pathologists make?
The median annual salary for Speech-Language Pathologists is $97,870 ($47.05/hour). The salary range spans from $62,900 at the 10th percentile to $134,160 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Speech-Language Pathologists pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $97,870, Speech-Language Pathologists pay is higher than 82% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Speech-Language Pathologists the most?
California pays the highest median salary for Speech-Language Pathologists at $118,970/year, which is +22% above the national median.
What education do Speech-Language Pathologists need?
BLS assigns Speech-Language Pathologists to Master's degree for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Internship/residency.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Speech-Language Pathologists?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Speech-Language Pathologists in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Speech-Language Pathologists a good career?
Employment for Speech-Language Pathologists is projected to grow 15% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 13,300 openings are projected each year.
How does Speech-Language Pathologists pay vary by state?
Speech-Language Pathologists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $118,970/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $49,800/year. BLS data covers 52 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Speech-Language Pathologists?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is El Centro, CA at $133,760/year. BLS reports a median for 370 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Speech-Language Pathologists pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $114,570/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $118,970/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.