Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations · 183K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$97,870
Median hourly
$47
Average annual
$98,170
Typical range
$62,900–$134,160
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Speech-Language Pathologists is $97,870 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $47 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use.
Most earn between $62,900 and $134,160 a year. There are roughly 183K people employed as speech-language pathologists in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Speech-Language Pathologists.
- Hourly
- $47.05
- Daily
- $376
- Weekly
- $1,882
- Bi-weekly
- $3,764
- Monthly
- $8,156
- Annual
- $97,870
$97,870 a year is around the 50th percentile for Speech-Language Pathologistss. The median is $97,870.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$118,970
- 2Colorado$110,750
- 3District of Columbia$109,380
- 4Washington$105,550
- 5Nevada$104,510
- 6Rhode Island$104,000
- 7Delaware$102,760
- 8Alaska$102,670
- 9Oregon$102,660
- 10New Jersey$101,560
- 11Massachusetts$101,310
- 12New York$100,610
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1El Centro, CA$133,760
- 2San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$132,720
- 3Boulder, CO$131,620
- 4San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$130,850
- 5Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$127,470
- 6Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$126,850
- 7Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$126,360
- 8Vallejo, CA$124,440
- 9Napa, CA$123,870
- 10Salinas, CA$122,770
- 11Hanford-Corcoran, CA$120,550
- 12San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$119,690
Related job titles
Employers advertise Speech-Language Pathologists roles under these titles.
- Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP)
- Language Pathologist
- Oral Therapist
- Pediatric SLP (Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist)
- Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP)
- Public School Speech Clinician
- Public School Speech Therapist
- School SLP (School Speech Language Pathologist)
- Speech and Language Clinician
- Speech and Language Specialist
- Speech and Language Teacher
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Speech Clinician
- Speech Correction Consultant
- Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
- Speech-Language Specialist
Related occupations
What a Speech-Language Pathologists does
- 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.
- 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.
- Consult with and advise educators or medical staff on speech or hearing topics, such as communication strategies or speech and language stimulation.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Speech-Language Pathologists make?
- The median annual wage for Speech-Language Pathologists is $97,870 ($47 per hour). Pay ranges from about $62,900 at the 10th percentile to $134,160 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Speech-Language Pathologists?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $98,170, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Speech-Language Pathologistss the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $118,970.
- Is Speech-Language Pathologists a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 183K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Speech-Language Pathologists do?
- 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..