Speech-Language Pathologists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for speech-language pathologists in the U.S. is $97,870 ($47.05 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $97,870
- Mean annual wage
- $98,170
- Median hourly wage
- $47.05
- Employment
- 183,390
183,390 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,900 | $30.24 |
| 25th percentile | $77,730 | $37.37 |
| Median (50th) | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| 75th percentile | $114,570 | $55.08 |
| 90th percentile | $134,160 | $64.50 |
Highest-paying states for speech-language pathologists
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Lowest-paying states
- South Dakota: $65,680 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $69,610 median annual wage
- Alabama: $73,660 median annual wage
- North Dakota: $75,240 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $78,130 median annual wage
About this occupation
Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.
Typical tasks
- Participate in conferences, training, continuing education courses, or publish research results to share knowledge of new hearing or speech disorder treatment methods or technologies.
- Conduct or direct research on speech or hearing topics and report findings for use in developing procedures, technologies, or treatments.
- Consult with and advise educators or medical staff on speech or hearing topics, such as communication strategies or speech and language stimulation.
- Consult with and refer clients to additional medical or educational services.
- Provide communication instruction to dialect speakers or students with limited English proficiency.
- Supervise students or assistants.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: Master's degree
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 0.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 0.6% |
| Associate's degree | 0.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10.9% |
| Master's degree | 82.5% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 3.7% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
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- Nurse Practitioners$132,300
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- Physical Therapists$102,760
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.