How much does a speech pathologist make? Speech Pathologist salary and hourly pay
A speech pathologist in the US earns a median of $97,870 a year, about $47.05 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $62,900 and the top 10% earn over $134,160. Pay depends heavily on the state: the top-paying state, California, has a median of $118,970.
Speech Pathologist pay calculator
Gross pay before taxes. If you enter your own hourly rate, it replaces the BLS figure. Otherwise hourly rate = BLS annual figure ÷ 2,080 hours (40 hours × 52 weeks), the same convention BLS uses.
How much does a speech pathologist make an hour?
The median speech pathologist earns $47.05 an hour. Hourly pay ranges from about $30.24 for the lowest-paid 10% to $64.50 for the highest-paid 10%.
| Pay level | Per year | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level (bottom 10%) | $62,900 | $30.24 |
| Lower 25% | $77,730 | $37.37 |
| Median (typical) | $97,870 | $47.05 |
| Upper 25% | $114,570 | $55.08 |
| Top 10% | $134,160 | $64.50 |
Speech Pathologist salary by state
Median annual pay for speech pathologists in every state, from BLS May 2025 data.
| State | Median per year | ≈ Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $73,660 | $35.41 |
| Alaska | $102,670 | $49.36 |
| Arizona | $97,800 | $47.02 |
| Arkansas | $83,580 | $40.18 |
| California | $118,970 | $57.20 |
| Colorado | $110,750 | $53.25 |
| Connecticut | $100,110 | $48.13 |
| Delaware | $102,760 | $49.40 |
| District of Columbia | $109,380 | $52.59 |
| Florida | $99,990 | $48.07 |
| Georgia | $96,760 | $46.52 |
| Hawaii | $97,560 | $46.90 |
| Idaho | $84,380 | $40.57 |
| Illinois | $95,080 | $45.71 |
| Indiana | $87,360 | $42.00 |
| Iowa | $81,050 | $38.97 |
| Kansas | $80,120 | $38.52 |
| Kentucky | $83,550 | $40.17 |
| Louisiana | $69,610 | $33.47 |
| Maine | $82,660 | $39.74 |
| Maryland | $99,190 | $47.69 |
| Massachusetts | $101,310 | $48.71 |
| Michigan | $89,120 | $42.85 |
| Minnesota | $89,380 | $42.97 |
| Mississippi | $78,130 | $37.56 |
| Missouri | $89,280 | $42.92 |
| Montana | $78,740 | $37.86 |
| Nebraska | $84,350 | $40.55 |
| Nevada | $104,510 | $50.25 |
| New Hampshire | $83,040 | $39.92 |
| New Jersey | $101,560 | $48.83 |
| New Mexico | $98,690 | $47.45 |
| New York | $100,610 | $48.37 |
| North Carolina | $86,460 | $41.57 |
| North Dakota | $75,240 | $36.17 |
| Ohio | $93,300 | $44.86 |
| Oklahoma | $84,470 | $40.61 |
| Oregon | $102,660 | $49.36 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,960 | $44.69 |
| Rhode Island | $104,000 | $50.00 |
| South Carolina | $90,530 | $43.52 |
| South Dakota | $65,680 | $31.58 |
| Tennessee | $84,630 | $40.69 |
| Texas | $99,910 | $48.03 |
| Utah | $91,560 | $44.02 |
| Vermont | $82,090 | $39.47 |
| Virginia | $96,250 | $46.27 |
| Washington | $105,550 | $50.75 |
| West Virginia | $80,970 | $38.93 |
| Wisconsin | $83,000 | $39.90 |
| Wyoming | $82,040 | $39.44 |
Highest-paying states for speech pathologists
- California: $118,970 median
- Colorado: $110,750 median
- District of Columbia: $109,380 median
- Washington: $105,550 median
- Nevada: $104,510 median
The lowest medians are in South Dakota ($65,680), Louisiana ($69,610), Alabama ($73,660), North Dakota ($75,240), Mississippi ($78,130). The most speech pathologist jobs are in Texas (19,120 jobs), California (16,930 jobs), New York (15,310 jobs), Florida (10,080 jobs), Illinois (9,040 jobs).
How much does a speech pathologist make a month?
At the median salary of $97,870, a speech pathologist earns about $8,156 a month, $3,764 every two weeks or $1,882 a week, before taxes.
Entry-level vs. experienced speech pathologist pay
New speech pathologists typically start near the bottom of the range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $62,900 a year and the lowest 25% under $77,730. The top 25% earn over $114,570 and the top 10% over $134,160. BLS does not break pay down by years of experience; these percentiles are the closest official measure.
Speech Pathologist salary vs. similar jobs
| Job | Median per year |
|---|---|
| Speech pathologist | $97,870 |
| Medical assistant | $45,690 |
| Surgical tech | $64,650 |
| Radiology tech | $80,110 |
| Ultrasound tech | $96,590 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 |
| Pharmacist | $140,910 |
Common questions
How much does a speech pathologist make?
The US median is $97,870 a year ($47.05 an hour), based on BLS May 2025 data.
How much does a speech pathologist make an hour?
The median is about $47.05 an hour. The bottom 10% earn about $30.24 and the top 10% about $64.50 an hour.
Which state pays speech pathologists the most?
California has the highest median at $118,970, followed by Colorado ($110,750) and District of Columbia ($109,380).
How much does a speech pathologist make a month?
At the US median of $97,870 a year, about $8,156 a month or $3,764 every two weeks, before taxes.
How much does an entry-level speech pathologist make?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $62,900 a year and the lowest 25% under $77,730, the closest official measure of starting pay.
How much do the top 10% of speech pathologists make?
The top 10% earn over $134,160 a year; the top 25% earn over $114,570.
How much does a speech pathologist make in California, Texas, Florida and New York?
Median annual pay is $118,970 in California, $99,910 in Texas, $99,990 in Florida, $100,610 in New York, per BLS May 2025 data.
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. All figures are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 survey (occupation code 29-1127, “Speech-Language Pathologists”), the most recent official release; “median” means half earn more and half earn less. Figures are gross pay before taxes and benefits. See the BLS OEWS tables and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. This page is general information, not career or financial advice.