SOC 29-1127 · May 2025
Speech Pathologist Salary
Speech Pathologists in the US earn a median of $97,870 a year ($47.20 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Speech Pathologist pay climbed from $82,000 in 2019 to $98,170 in 2025, a +19.7% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$97,870
Half of all Speech Pathologists in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+19.7% since 2019 · +2.4% YoY
Hourly
$47.20
Job growth 2025-35
+16.6%
US workers
183,390
BLS series
Annual median wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Speech Pathologists is $62,900 – $134,160.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$62,900
25th
$77,730
Median
$97,870
75th
$114,570
90th
$134,160
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Speech Pathologists. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $62,900 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $77,730 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $97,870 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $114,570 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $134,160 |
Geography
Speech Pathologist pay by state
Speech Pathologists earn the most in California ($118,970, +22% against the national median) and the least in South Dakota ($65,680). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$97,870
Highest-paying states for speech pathologists
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $118,970 | +22% | 16,930 |
| Colorado | $110,750 | +13% | 4,420 |
| D.C. | $109,380 | +12% | 390 |
| Washington | $105,550 | +8% | 3,570 |
| Nevada | $104,510 | +7% | 1,270 |
| Rhode Island | $104,000 | +6% | 720 |
| Delaware | $102,760 | +5% | 690 |
| Alaska | $102,670 | +5% | 340 |
| Oregon | $102,660 | +5% | 1,600 |
| New Jersey | $101,560 | +4% | 6,840 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| California | $118,970 | 16,930 |
| Colorado | $110,750 | 4,420 |
| D.C. | $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 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Speech Pathologists
Speech-language pathologists (BLS SOC 29-1127) assess, diagnose, treat, and help prevent communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. The role requires a master's degree in speech-language pathology and state licensure; the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) is standard. Hospital, school district, and private-practice settings carry different pay structures. Travel SLPs and per-diem positions often command premium hourly rates.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $62,900 – $134,160. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are California, Colorado and D.C.. Pay in California runs 1.8 times the level in South Dakota, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as master's degree, and projects about 12,500 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 16.6% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Speech Pathologist salary in the US?
How much does a Speech Pathologist make an hour?
How much do Speech Pathologists make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Speech Pathologists the most?
Is the average Speech Pathologist salary higher than the median?
Is Speech Pathologist a growing career?
Open positions
Open Speech Pathologist roles hiring now
Browse current Speech Pathologist listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 29-1127. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.