BLS speech-language pathologist pay in every state, school vs healthcare pay, salary per hour and take-home after 2026 tax
Speech-language pathologists earned a median salary of $97,870 in May 2025 ($47.05 an hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 183,390 SLPs. The bottom tenth earned under $62,900 and the top tenth over $134,160. School-year contracts mean many SLPs earn that salary over fewer working weeks.
This is the BLS line for speech-language pathologists (SOC 29-1127) on employers' payrolls. Audiologists and speech-language pathology assistants are separate, and self-employed SLPs aren't counted. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30.24 | $62,900 | $5,242 | $52,720 |
| 25th percentile | $37.37 | $77,730 | $6,478 | $63,513 |
| Median | $47.05 | $97,870 | $8,156 | $77,682 |
| 75th percentile | $55.08 | $114,570 | $9,548 | $89,430 |
| 90th percentile | $64.50 | $134,160 | $11,180 | $102,964 |
California has the highest SLP median, $118,970, then Colorado ($110,750) and Washington, D.C. ($109,380). South Dakota ($65,680) and Louisiana ($69,610) are lowest. Texas employs the most SLPs, 19,120, at $99,910; New York and Florida pay $100,610 and $99,990.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $57.20 | $118,970 | 16,930 |
| Colorado | $53.25 | $110,750 | 4,420 |
| District of Columbia | $52.59 | $109,380 | 390 |
| Washington | $50.74 | $105,550 | 3,570 |
| Nevada | $50.25 | $104,510 | 1,270 |
| Rhode Island | $50.00 | $104,000 | 720 |
| Delaware | $49.40 | $102,760 | 690 |
| Alaska | $49.36 | $102,670 | 340 |
| Oregon | $49.35 | $102,660 | 1,600 |
| New Jersey | $48.83 | $101,560 | 6,840 |
| Massachusetts | $48.71 | $101,310 | 5,290 |
| New York | $48.37 | $100,610 | 15,310 |
| Connecticut | $48.13 | $100,110 | 2,390 |
| Florida | $48.07 | $99,990 | 10,080 |
| Texas | $48.03 | $99,910 | 19,120 |
| Maryland | $47.69 | $99,190 | 3,510 |
| New Mexico | $47.45 | $98,690 | 1,250 |
| Arizona | $47.02 | $97,800 | 3,390 |
| Hawaii | $46.90 | $97,560 | 270 |
| Georgia | $46.52 | $96,760 | 4,030 |
| Virginia | $46.27 | $96,250 | 4,460 |
| Illinois | $45.71 | $95,080 | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $44.86 | $93,300 | 7,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $44.69 | $92,960 | 6,570 |
| Utah | $44.02 | $91,560 | 1,460 |
| South Carolina | $43.52 | $90,530 | 2,190 |
| Minnesota | $42.97 | $89,380 | 3,890 |
| Missouri | $42.92 | $89,280 | 3,230 |
| Michigan | $42.84 | $89,120 | 4,730 |
| Indiana | $42.00 | $87,360 | 3,310 |
| North Carolina | $41.57 | $86,460 | 5,600 |
| Tennessee | $40.69 | $84,630 | 3,320 |
| Oklahoma | $40.61 | $84,470 | 1,870 |
| Idaho | $40.57 | $84,380 | 1,210 |
| Nebraska | $40.55 | $84,350 | 1,310 |
| Arkansas | $40.18 | $83,580 | 2,430 |
| Kentucky | $40.17 | $83,550 | 2,610 |
| New Hampshire | $39.92 | $83,040 | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $39.90 | $83,000 | 2,940 |
| Maine | $39.74 | $82,660 | 640 |
| Vermont | $39.47 | $82,090 | 430 |
| Wyoming | $39.44 | $82,040 | 240 |
| Iowa | $38.97 | $81,050 | 1,540 |
| West Virginia | $38.93 | $80,970 | 880 |
| Kansas | $38.52 | $80,120 | 1,690 |
| Montana | $37.86 | $78,740 | 490 |
| Mississippi | $37.56 | $78,130 | 1,790 |
| North Dakota | $36.17 | $75,240 | 630 |
| Alabama | $35.41 | $73,660 | 2,060 |
| Louisiana | $33.46 | $69,610 | 3,000 |
| South Dakota | $31.58 | $65,680 | 410 |
Nursing and residential care facilities pay SLPs the most, $109,660, then hospitals ($103,690) and therapy offices ($98,910). Schools, which employ 39% of SLPs, pay $83,120 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Nursing and residential care facilities | $109,660 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $103,690 |
| Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists | $98,910 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | $83,120 |
Most speech-language pathologists work full time, though part-time work is common. Schools employ 39% of SLPs, therapy offices 25%, hospitals 13% and nursing and residential care 5%, and 5% are self-employed. Those in schools may have a 2-month summer break and a shorter midwinter break, and some travel between schools or facilities (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
An SLP paid a salary of at least $684 a week, in a job that requires the master's degree, can be classed as an exempt learned professional (DOL Fact Sheet #17D); healthcare SLPs paid by the hour or per visit are owed time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek. Many school SLPs are salaried on the school calendar, so caseload paperwork after hours raises the hours, not the pay.
School SLPs are often paid a salary for a school year, while hospital and nursing-home SLPs work year-round. The table divides the BLS median and 75th percentile SLP salaries by weekly hours over 52 weeks. If your contract leaves a 2-month summer break, you work fewer weeks for the same salary, so your pay per hour worked is higher than the table shows.
| Hours a week | Median salary per hour | 75th percentile per hour |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | $53.77 | $62.95 |
| 40 | $47.05 | $55.08 |
| 45 | $41.82 | $48.96 |
| 50 | $37.64 | $44.07 |
| 55 | $34.22 | $40.06 |
| 60 | $31.37 | $36.72 |
SLPs typically need a master's in speech-language pathology, usually 2 years after a bachelor's, with supervised clinical work. All states require a license, typically an accredited master's, supervised clinical experience during and after the program, and an exam. Certification usually adds a supervised fellowship lasting several months, school SLPs may also need a teaching certification, and specialty certification in child language, fluency or swallowing brings the Board Certified Specialist title (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
More ways to work with your speech-language pathologist pay:
$97,870 a year ($47.05 an hour) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $77,730 to $114,570.
California ($57.20 an hour, $118,970 a year), then Colorado and District of Columbia; South Dakota pays least among the 51 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
On BLS figures, yes: in the Occupational Outlook Handbook's industry table, schools have the lowest SLP median and nursing and residential care facilities the highest, with hospitals second. School pay often covers a shorter working year, which the annual figure doesn't show.
Sometimes. The OOH says SLPs who work in schools may need a teaching certification as well as their state SLP license; requirements come from the state department of education or the school.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.