Speech-language pathologists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,900 | $30.24 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Mean (average) | $98,170 | $47.20 |
| 90th percentile | $134,160 | $64.50 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Speech-language pathologists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $73,660 | $58,010 | $109,300 | 2,060 | 0.83 |
| Alaska | $102,670 | $79,700 | $125,950 | 340 | 0.89 |
| Arizona | $97,800 | $68,990 | $130,550 | 3,390 | 0.89 |
| Arkansas | $83,580 | $56,250 | $134,420 | 2,430 | 1.58 |
| California | $118,970 | $79,750 | $160,900 | 16,930 | 0.79 |
| Colorado | $110,750 | $73,900 | $164,520 | 4,420 | 1.3 |
| Connecticut | $100,110 | $65,400 | $130,290 | 2,390 | 1.19 |
| Delaware | $102,760 | $79,880 | $135,200 | 690 | 1.21 |
| District of Columbia | $109,380 | $81,800 | $137,140 | 390 | 0.47 |
| Florida | $99,990 | $69,970 | $122,050 | 10,080 | 0.86 |
| Georgia | $96,760 | $59,800 | $125,550 | 4,030 | 0.7 |
| Hawaii | $97,560 | $61,000 | $120,620 | 270 | 0.37 |
| Idaho | $84,380 | $62,090 | $121,890 | 1,210 | 1.2 |
| Illinois | $95,080 | $60,870 | $123,800 | 9,040 | 1.26 |
| Indiana | $87,360 | $60,990 | $122,930 | 3,310 | 0.88 |
| Iowa | $81,050 | $63,270 | $106,460 | 1,540 | 0.84 |
| Kansas | $80,120 | $59,390 | $108,390 | 1,690 | 1 |
| Kentucky | $83,550 | $63,250 | $121,090 | 2,610 | 1.11 |
| Louisiana | $69,610 | $53,480 | $107,650 | 3,000 | 1.31 |
| Maine | $82,660 | $54,010 | $108,580 | 640 | 0.85 |
| Maryland | $99,190 | $63,480 | $130,590 | 3,510 | 1.08 |
| Massachusetts | $101,310 | $71,030 | $129,730 | 5,290 | 1.23 |
| Michigan | $89,120 | $62,430 | $108,670 | 4,730 | 0.91 |
| Minnesota | $89,380 | $62,390 | $107,820 | 3,890 | 1.12 |
| Mississippi | $78,130 | $50,280 | $106,170 | 1,790 | 1.31 |
| Missouri | $89,280 | $58,180 | $119,240 | 3,230 | 0.93 |
| Montana | $78,740 | $58,460 | $106,330 | 490 | 0.81 |
| Nebraska | $84,350 | $59,120 | $117,980 | 1,310 | 1.08 |
| Nevada | $104,510 | $63,180 | $136,520 | 1,270 | 0.69 |
| New Hampshire | $83,040 | $64,030 | $119,290 | 720 | 0.89 |
| New Jersey | $101,560 | $71,620 | $167,230 | 6,840 | 1.35 |
| New Mexico | $98,690 | $61,630 | $134,750 | 1,250 | 1.22 |
| New York | $100,610 | $64,980 | $157,920 | 15,310 | 1.34 |
| North Carolina | $86,460 | $60,800 | $121,040 | 5,600 | 0.96 |
| North Dakota | $75,240 | $56,140 | $103,350 | 630 | 1.24 |
| Ohio | $93,300 | $61,840 | $125,330 | 7,270 | 1.11 |
| Oklahoma | $84,470 | $51,230 | $127,920 | 1,870 | 0.93 |
| Oregon | $102,660 | $74,410 | $143,000 | 1,600 | 0.69 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,960 | $60,650 | $130,780 | 6,570 | 0.92 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,800 | $41,630 | $95,280 | 150 | 0.13 |
| Rhode Island | $104,000 | $75,270 | $130,830 | 720 | 1.22 |
| South Carolina | $90,530 | $56,560 | $124,070 | 2,190 | 0.81 |
| South Dakota | $65,680 | $54,740 | $98,810 | 410 | 0.77 |
| Tennessee | $84,630 | $58,550 | $116,790 | 3,320 | 0.86 |
| Texas | $99,910 | $66,370 | $132,990 | 19,120 | 1.15 |
| Utah | $91,560 | $56,070 | $128,490 | 1,460 | 0.71 |
| Vermont | $82,090 | $64,320 | $103,380 | 430 | 1.2 |
| Virginia | $96,250 | $66,890 | $132,400 | 4,460 | 0.92 |
| Washington | $105,550 | $81,330 | $132,630 | 3,570 | 0.85 |
| West Virginia | $80,970 | $62,690 | $125,160 | 880 | 1.07 |
| Wisconsin | $83,000 | $61,320 | $108,360 | 2,940 | 0.85 |
| Wyoming | $82,040 | $63,520 | $124,250 | 240 | 0.72 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for speech-language pathologists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 12,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 4.5%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for speech-language pathologists
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General CIP 51.0201
- Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist CIP 51.0203
- Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist CIP 51.0204
- Communication Disorders Sciences and Services, Other CIP 51.0299
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Adobe Audition
- Apple Logic Pro
- Avaaz Innovations AphasiaMate
- Avaaz Innovations Computerized Speech Research Environment CSRE
- Avaaz Innovations Interactive Voice Analysis System IVANS
- Biofeedback software
- Bungalow Software Aphasia Tutor
- Dropbox
- ELR Software eLr Extra Language Resources
- Email software
- KayPENTAX Multi-Speech
- KayPENTAX Nasometer
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Instructing, Complex Problem Solving, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination.
Common job titles: Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP), Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP), Speech and Language Clinician, Speech and Language Specialist, Speech and Language Teacher, Speech and Language Therapist, Speech Clinician, Speech Pathologist, Speech Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do speech-language pathologists make?
The national median annual wage for speech-language pathologists was $97,870 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $62,900 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $134,160. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do speech-language pathologists need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is speech-language pathologists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of speech-language pathologists to change +16.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 12,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay speech-language pathologists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($118,970), Colorado ($110,750), District of Columbia ($109,380). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.