Speech-Language Pathologists Salary 2025: $96,848 Median Pay (BLS OEWS)
- Official U.S. BLS OEWS data (May 2025)
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- Not self-reported estimates
$96,848 per year is the national median annual wage for speech-language pathologists (BLS OEWS, May 2025 reference period). That works out to about $47/hour, with a 10th–90th percentile range of $72,080 to $170,500. The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this role under SOC code 29-1127.
Key Facts (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
- Median annual wage
- $96,848
- Median hourly wage
- $47/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $102,223
- Total US employment
- 113,720
- Top-paying metro
- San Jose, CA, CA ($132,720)
- BLS SOC code
- 29-1127
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
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The national median wage for speech-language pathologists (BLS SOC 29-1127) is $96,848 per year — about $47/hour — across 113,720 workers in 70 U.S. metros in the BLS OEWS May 2025 release. The mean wage of $102,223 sits above the median, which means a minority of high earners pulls the average up — the median is the more honest benchmark for a typical offer.
Experience drives the range as much as anything: the 10th percentile earns $69,288 while the 90th earns $136,075 — a 2.0× gap from entry-level to the top of the field. Most speech-language pathologists land in the $81,863–$118,401 band (25th–75th percentile), which is the right anchor when you size up an offer.
Location matters too. San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median at $132,720, versus $75,750 in Birmingham, AL, AL — a 75% gap. But adjusted for cost of living, Bakersfield, CA delivers the strongest real purchasing power ($116,650 in national-average dollars), which can flip the nominal ranking for anyone weighing a move.
In Healthcare, speech-language pathologist wages reflect a regulated labor market: state licensing and credentialing constrain supply, so pay holds up more evenly across regions than in unregulated fields. The figures here are base wage and exclude shift differentials and overtime.
Speech-Language Pathologists Salary by Experience Level (2025)
BLS OEWS doesn’t publish wages by years of experience, but its national percentile bands map cleanly to career stages. Here’s what speech-language pathologists earn from entry-level to the top of the field.
| Career stage | Typical experience | BLS percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0–2 years | 10th | $69,288 |
| Junior / early-career | 2–5 years | 25th | $81,863 |
| Mid-career | 5–10 years | 50th (median) | $100,726 |
| Senior | 10–15 years | 75th | $118,401 |
| Top earners | 15+ years | 90th | $136,075 |
Experience bands are SalaryTruth’s interpretation of BLS OEWS percentiles, not a separate BLS series. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and region.
Salary Range (BLS Percentiles)
Speech-Language Pathologists salaries range from $75,750 to $132,720 median across cities, depending on location, experience, and industry.
Speech-Language Pathologists Salary by City (BLS OEWS)
| City | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | COL-Adjusted | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $72,080 | $96,336 | $132,720 | $151,610 | $170,500 | $67,783 | 890 |
| San Francisco, CA | $97,980 | $111,128 | $130,850 | $147,230 | $163,610 | $72,856 | 1,760 |
| Sacramento, CA | $85,030 | $101,562 | $126,360 | $137,330 | $148,300 | $101,331 | 1,030 |
| San Diego, CA | $84,200 | $98,396 | $119,690 | $134,100 | $148,510 | $74,713 | 1,590 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | $59,590 | $83,178 | $118,560 | $132,400 | $146,240 | $96,863 | 2,120 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $98,150 | $105,830 | $117,350 | $132,325 | $147,300 | $116,650 | 310 |
| Denver, CO | $73,900 | $89,176 | $112,090 | $135,405 | $158,720 | $99,371 | 2,480 |
| Fresno, CA | $88,940 | $97,748 | $110,960 | $148,665 | $186,370 | $105,175 | 820 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $79,490 | $91,590 | $109,740 | $135,085 | $160,430 | $66,108 | 4,800 |
| Seattle, WA | $85,190 | $94,590 | $108,690 | $121,805 | $134,920 | $72,751 | 1,910 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $68,710 | $84,482 | $108,140 | $139,150 | $170,160 | $103,483 | 710 |
| New York, NY | $73,530 | $87,262 | $107,860 | $137,535 | $167,210 | $57,618 | 15,260 |
| Portland, OR | $81,720 | $92,092 | $107,650 | $125,715 | $143,780 | $82,744 | 1,140 |
| Austin, TX | $77,120 | $88,788 | $106,290 | $116,270 | $126,250 | $103,194 | 2,860 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $57,580 | $76,352 | $104,510 | $121,265 | $138,020 | $95,881 | 960 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $66,240 | $81,240 | $103,740 | $119,260 | $134,780 | $102,308 | 490 |
| Louisville, KY | $66,650 | $81,358 | $103,420 | $122,725 | $142,030 | $114,656 | 710 |
| Anchorage, AK | $81,500 | $90,104 | $103,010 | $114,480 | $125,950 | $81,110 | 220 |
| Atlanta, GA | $63,360 | $79,160 | $102,860 | $116,015 | $129,170 | $103,690 | 2,410 |
| Boston, MA | $71,310 | $83,910 | $102,810 | $116,380 | $129,950 | $67,594 | 3,720 |
| Hartford, CT | $67,230 | $80,978 | $101,600 | $112,665 | $123,730 | $90,231 | 780 |
| Miami, FL | $79,940 | $88,600 | $101,590 | $112,705 | $123,820 | $82,526 | 2,930 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $67,370 | $80,946 | $101,310 | $116,060 | $130,810 | $73,680 | 740 |
| Baltimore, MD | $64,610 | $79,230 | $101,160 | $113,160 | $125,160 | $88,581 | 1,830 |
| Spokane, WA | $72,850 | $83,910 | $100,500 | $111,280 | $122,060 | $103,183 | 370 |
| Houston, TX | $69,650 | $81,950 | $100,400 | $117,990 | $135,580 | $104,041 | 3,780 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $66,940 | $80,196 | $100,080 | $116,085 | $132,090 | $84,527 | 3,330 |
| Washington, DC | $72,800 | $83,664 | $99,960 | $117,895 | $135,830 | $65,419 | 3,140 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $76,130 | $85,610 | $99,830 | $108,230 | $116,630 | $104,974 | 650 |
| Providence, RI | $68,600 | $81,048 | $99,720 | $113,715 | $127,710 | $83,518 | 1,090 |
| Dallas, TX | $69,960 | $81,792 | $99,540 | $115,470 | $131,400 | $95,620 | 4,800 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $61,630 | $76,642 | $99,160 | $116,105 | $133,050 | $105,489 | 580 |
| Chicago, IL | $62,470 | $76,878 | $98,490 | $111,445 | $124,400 | $91,789 | 7,150 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $69,740 | $81,060 | $98,040 | $114,655 | $131,270 | $97,358 | 2,640 |
| Orlando, FL | $63,400 | $77,200 | $97,900 | $106,080 | $114,260 | $94,956 | 1,100 |
| Tampa, FL | $76,310 | $84,418 | $96,580 | $109,270 | $121,960 | $96,968 | 1,710 |
| Columbus, OH | $65,460 | $77,860 | $96,460 | $108,330 | $120,200 | $103,609 | 1,390 |
| Richmond, VA | $67,700 | $79,052 | $96,080 | $110,440 | $124,800 | $94,104 | 770 |
| Reno, NV | $63,180 | $76,316 | $96,020 | $114,475 | $132,930 | $90,160 | 240 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $61,270 | $75,134 | $95,930 | $111,770 | $127,610 | $105,186 | 1,690 |
| Tucson, AZ | $68,910 | $79,526 | $95,450 | $107,060 | $118,670 | $100,052 | 420 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $62,920 | $75,100 | $93,370 | $102,480 | $111,590 | $87,919 | 2,570 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $63,370 | $75,350 | $93,320 | $108,145 | $122,970 | $103,574 | 1,360 |
| San Antonio, TX | $64,540 | $75,804 | $92,700 | $112,190 | $131,680 | $101,311 | 1,780 |
| Charlotte, NC | $59,230 | $71,922 | $90,960 | $108,170 | $125,380 | $94,064 | 1,260 |
| Detroit, MI | $64,060 | $74,292 | $89,640 | $101,370 | $113,100 | $94,259 | 1,850 |
| Greenville, SC | $52,040 | $66,668 | $88,610 | $103,640 | $118,670 | $98,346 | 330 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $56,990 | $69,494 | $88,250 | $108,085 | $127,920 | $102,023 | 810 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $61,370 | $72,098 | $88,190 | $100,100 | $112,010 | $90,544 | 1,000 |
| Lexington, KY | $65,570 | $74,330 | $87,470 | $99,710 | $111,950 | $95,805 | 360 |
| Raleigh, NC | $62,900 | $72,700 | $87,400 | $105,745 | $124,090 | $87,575 | 1,050 |
| Madison, WI | $64,740 | $73,600 | $86,890 | $103,160 | $119,430 | $83,709 | 410 |
| St. Louis, MO | $58,180 | $69,500 | $86,480 | $99,975 | $113,470 | $96,089 | 1,630 |
| Little Rock, AR | $62,880 | $72,280 | $86,380 | $110,220 | $134,060 | $97,937 | 810 |
| Kansas City, MO | $59,390 | $70,082 | $86,120 | $102,230 | $118,340 | $90,273 | 1,270 |
| Memphis, TN | $59,310 | $70,034 | $86,120 | $101,825 | $117,530 | $102,524 | 460 |
| Boise, ID | $66,880 | $73,880 | $84,380 | $103,370 | $122,360 | $82,644 | 660 |
| Des Moines, IA | $64,950 | $72,602 | $84,080 | $103,715 | $123,350 | $90,118 | 380 |
| Tulsa, OK | $51,230 | $64,326 | $83,970 | $106,160 | $128,350 | $96,740 | 540 |
| Nashville, TN | $61,190 | $70,226 | $83,780 | $97,900 | $112,020 | $83,529 | 980 |
| Buffalo, NY | $51,280 | $63,924 | $82,890 | $99,640 | $116,390 | $89,611 | 850 |
| Omaha, NE | $61,490 | $69,954 | $82,650 | $99,505 | $116,360 | $90,033 | 690 |
| Albany, NY | $62,610 | $70,430 | $82,160 | $101,605 | $121,050 | $81,589 | 690 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $51,670 | $63,726 | $81,810 | $100,110 | $118,410 | $88,635 | 1,300 |
| Rochester, NY | $55,500 | $65,388 | $80,220 | $100,355 | $120,490 | $86,351 | 950 |
| Greensboro, NC | $60,780 | $68,000 | $78,830 | $98,320 | $117,810 | $86,342 | 430 |
| Wichita, KS | $56,120 | $65,028 | $78,390 | $95,510 | $112,630 | $93,321 | 430 |
| Knoxville, TN | $54,590 | $63,978 | $78,060 | $93,175 | $108,290 | $86,445 | 400 |
| New Orleans, LA | $63,410 | $69,014 | $77,420 | $89,900 | $102,380 | $80,730 | 550 |
| Birmingham, AL | $61,190 | $67,014 | $75,750 | $95,725 | $115,700 | $83,794 | 600 |
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Speech-Language Pathologist & H-1B Prevailing Wage
Sponsoring or filing an H-1B, PERM, or E-3 case? See the DOL prevailing-wage levels (1–4) for Speech-Language Pathologist, including the 2026 proposed increase.
Speech-Language Pathologist prevailing wage in San Jose, CA →Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for Speech-Language Pathologist is $96,848 as of 2025 (BLS OEWS). The national mean (average) is $102,223. Salaries range from $75,750 to $132,720 median depending on city and cost of living.
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) earn about $69,288 per year nationally. Pay rises with experience to a median of $96,848, $118,401 at the 75th percentile, and $136,075 for the top 10% of earners.
The median speech-language pathologist earns about $47/hour, based on the $96,848 annual median over a standard 2,080-hour work year (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
San Jose, CA, CA posts the highest median for Speech-Language Pathologist at $132,720, well above the national median of $96,848. Cost of living matters, though — see the COL-adjusted column in the city table above, which can reorder the rankings.
There are approximately 113,720 Speech-Language Pathologist positions in the US across 70 metropolitan areas tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey.
The 90th percentile speech-language pathologist earns $136,075 — about 2.0× the $69,288 entry-level wage. A spread that wide signals real income growth potential with experience, specialization, and location.
No. BLS OEWS reports base wages only — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and equity are excluded. For roles where variable pay is common, total compensation runs above the figures shown here.
Salary data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. COL adjustments use BEA Regional Price Parities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.