How much does a speech pathologist make?
A speech-language pathologist (SLP), also called a speech therapist, makes $97,870 a year at the national median; the middle half earn $77,730 to $114,570.[onet_slp][oews] BLS estimated 183,390 SLP jobs in May 2025.[oews_api] SLP pay has the widest range of the therapy careers on this site: the 90th percentile is $71,260 above the 10th, against $58,000 for physical therapists.[onet_pt]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $62,900 | $30.24 | $52,720 |
| 25th | $77,730 | $37.37 | $63,513 |
| Median (50th) | $97,870 | $47.05 | $77,682 |
| 75th | $114,570 | $55.08 | $89,430 |
| 90th | $134,160 | $64.50 | $102,964 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
School-based vs medical SLP pay
Most of the gap between low and high SLP pay comes from the work calendar, not only from skill. A school SLP on a ten-month contract who earns the median monthly rate takes home pay for ten months, about $81,558 a year, while a hospital or clinic SLP is paid for twelve.[onet_slp] BLS reports each job's actual yearly wage, so school jobs pull the lower percentiles down.[oews_faq] When you compare offers, convert both to an hourly or daily rate. A $75,000 school salary sits at about the 22nd percentile nationally; enter your own offer in the calculator to see its rank and take-home.
Speech pathologist hourly pay
Speech pathologist hourly pay is $47.05 at the median, $30.24 at the 10th percentile and $64.50 at the 90th.[onet_slp] Home-health and per-diem SLPs are often paid per visit or per hour without benefits, so the hourly figures are the fairer comparison for those offers.
| Percentile | Hourly | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $30.24 | $5,242 | $62,900 |
| 25th | $37.37 | $6,478 | $77,730 |
| Median | $47.05 | $8,156 | $97,870 |
| 75th | $55.08 | $9,548 | $114,570 |
| 90th | $64.50 | $11,180 | $134,160 |
Speech pathologist salary by state
California pays speech-language pathologists the most, with a median of $118,970, followed by Colorado ($110,750) and District of Columbia ($109,380); South Dakota pays the least at $65,680.[onet_slp][oews_api] California SLPs earn a median $118,970, New York SLPs $100,610 and Texas SLPs $99,910.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. California | $118,970 | $57.20 | $79,750 | $160,900 | 16,930 |
| 2. Colorado | $110,750 | $53.25 | $73,900 | $164,520 | 4,420 |
| 3. District of Columbia | $109,380 | $52.59 | $81,800 | $137,140 | 390 |
| 4. Washington | $105,550 | $50.75 | $81,330 | $132,630 | 3,570 |
| 5. Nevada | $104,510 | $50.25 | $63,180 | $136,520 | 1,270 |
| 6. Rhode Island | $104,000 | $50.00 | $75,270 | $130,830 | 720 |
| 7. Delaware | $102,760 | $49.40 | $79,880 | $135,200 | 690 |
| 8. Alaska | $102,670 | $49.36 | $79,700 | $125,950 | 340 |
| 9. Oregon | $102,660 | $49.36 | $74,410 | $143,000 | 1,600 |
| 10. New Jersey | $101,560 | $48.83 | $71,620 | $167,230 | 6,840 |
| 11. Massachusetts | $101,310 | $48.71 | $71,030 | $129,730 | 5,290 |
| 12. New York | $100,610 | $48.37 | $64,980 | $157,920 | 15,310 |
| 13. Connecticut | $100,110 | $48.13 | $65,400 | $130,290 | 2,390 |
| 14. Florida | $99,990 | $48.07 | $69,970 | $122,050 | 10,080 |
| 15. Texas | $99,910 | $48.03 | $66,370 | $132,990 | 19,120 |
| 16. Maryland | $99,190 | $47.69 | $63,480 | $130,590 | 3,510 |
| 17. New Mexico | $98,690 | $47.45 | $61,630 | $134,750 | 1,250 |
| 18. Arizona | $97,800 | $47.02 | $68,990 | $130,550 | 3,390 |
| 19. Hawaii | $97,560 | $46.90 | $61,000 | $120,620 | 270 |
| 20. Georgia | $96,760 | $46.52 | $59,800 | $125,550 | 4,030 |
| 21. Virginia | $96,250 | $46.27 | $66,890 | $132,400 | 4,460 |
| 22. Illinois | $95,080 | $45.71 | $60,870 | $123,800 | 9,040 |
| 23. Ohio | $93,300 | $44.86 | $61,840 | $125,330 | 7,270 |
| 24. Pennsylvania | $92,960 | $44.69 | $60,650 | $130,780 | 6,570 |
| 25. Utah | $91,560 | $44.02 | $56,070 | $128,490 | 1,460 |
| 26. South Carolina | $90,530 | $43.52 | $56,560 | $124,070 | 2,190 |
| 27. Minnesota | $89,380 | $42.97 | $62,390 | $107,820 | 3,890 |
| 28. Missouri | $89,280 | $42.92 | $58,180 | $119,240 | 3,230 |
| 29. Michigan | $89,120 | $42.85 | $62,430 | $108,670 | 4,730 |
| 30. Indiana | $87,360 | $42.00 | $60,990 | $122,930 | 3,310 |
| 31. North Carolina | $86,460 | $41.57 | $60,800 | $121,040 | 5,600 |
| 32. Tennessee | $84,630 | $40.69 | $58,550 | $116,790 | 3,320 |
| 33. Oklahoma | $84,470 | $40.61 | $51,230 | $127,920 | 1,870 |
| 34. Idaho | $84,380 | $40.57 | $62,090 | $121,890 | 1,210 |
| 35. Nebraska | $84,350 | $40.55 | $59,120 | $117,980 | 1,310 |
| 36. Arkansas | $83,580 | $40.18 | $56,250 | $134,420 | 2,430 |
| 37. Kentucky | $83,550 | $40.17 | $63,250 | $121,090 | 2,610 |
| 38. New Hampshire | $83,040 | $39.92 | $64,030 | $119,290 | 720 |
| 39. Wisconsin | $83,000 | $39.90 | $61,320 | $108,360 | 2,940 |
| 40. Maine | $82,660 | $39.74 | $54,010 | $108,580 | 640 |
| 41. Vermont | $82,090 | $39.47 | $64,320 | $103,380 | 430 |
| 42. Wyoming | $82,040 | $39.44 | $63,520 | $124,250 | 240 |
| 43. Iowa | $81,050 | $38.97 | $63,270 | $106,460 | 1,540 |
| 44. West Virginia | $80,970 | $38.93 | $62,690 | $125,160 | 880 |
| 45. Kansas | $80,120 | $38.52 | $59,390 | $108,390 | 1,690 |
| 46. Montana | $78,740 | $37.86 | $58,460 | $106,330 | 490 |
| 47. Mississippi | $78,130 | $37.56 | $50,280 | $106,170 | 1,790 |
| 48. North Dakota | $75,240 | $36.17 | $56,140 | $103,350 | 630 |
| 49. Alabama | $73,660 | $35.41 | $58,010 | $109,300 | 2,060 |
| 50. Louisiana | $69,610 | $33.47 | $53,480 | $107,650 | 3,000 |
| 51. South Dakota | $65,680 | $31.58 | $54,740 | $98,810 | 410 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025.
Highest-paying metro areas for SLPs
El Centro, CA is the best-paying metro area for speech-language pathologists at a median of $133,760.[onet_slp]
| Metro area | Median | Hourly | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. El Centro, CA | $133,760 | $64.31 | $196,370 |
| 2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $132,720 | $63.81 | $170,500 |
| 3. Boulder, CO | $131,620 | $63.28 | $167,790 |
| 4. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,850 | $62.91 | $163,610 |
| 5. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $127,470 | $61.28 | $162,660 |
| 6. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $126,850 | $60.99 | $171,300 |
| 7. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $126,360 | $60.75 | $148,300 |
| 8. Vallejo, CA | $124,440 | $59.83 | $153,180 |
| 9. Napa, CA | $123,870 | $59.55 | $203,510 |
| 10. Salinas, CA | $122,770 | $59.02 | $174,590 |
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $115,940 | $55.74 | $64,110 | $154,310 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $106,290 | $51.10 | $77,120 | $126,250 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $100,940 | $48.53 | $66,720 | $132,610 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $100,400 | $48.27 | $69,650 | $135,580 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $99,990 | $48.07 | $67,410 | $145,780 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $99,590 | $47.88 | $69,050 | $148,100 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $99,540 | $47.86 | $69,960 | $131,400 |
| El Paso, TX | $99,430 | $47.80 | $66,450 | $134,260 |
| Odessa, TX | $98,920 | $47.56 | $82,580 | $125,120 |
| Tyler, TX | $97,860 | $47.05 | $72,990 | $135,250 |
| Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $97,850 | $47.04 | $60,940 | $156,000 |
| Laredo, TX | $96,340 | $46.32 | $70,700 | $132,000 |
| Victoria, TX | $95,950 | $46.13 | $79,790 | $133,440 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $92,700 | $44.57 | $64,540 | $131,680 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $92,060 | $44.26 | $63,890 | $131,350 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $91,860 | $44.16 | $63,050 | $136,130 |
| North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $91,540 | $44.01 | $56,990 | $139,220 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $90,310 | $43.42 | $62,380 | $125,370 |
| Waco, TX | $90,220 | $43.38 | $63,080 | $134,320 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $89,860 | $43.20 | $62,670 | $133,210 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $87,570 | $42.10 | $61,420 | $128,950 |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $86,680 | $41.67 | $61,450 | $135,710 |
| Longview, TX | $86,180 | $41.43 | $60,790 | $132,760 |
| Amarillo, TX | $85,160 | $40.94 | $61,840 | $132,620 |
| Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $84,780 | $40.76 | $65,020 | $134,510 |
| Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $81,770 | $39.31 | $56,730 | $131,590 |
| Midland, TX | $81,100 | $38.99 | $69,390 | $132,070 |
| Abilene, TX | $80,870 | $38.88 | $60,600 | $122,930 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $79,940 | $38.43 | $62,430 | $122,890 |
| Lubbock, TX | $79,570 | $38.25 | $62,440 | $129,480 |
| San Angelo, TX | $78,880 | $37.92 | $61,120 | $124,800 |
Becoming a speech-language pathologist
An SLP needs a master's degree in speech-language pathology, and most states and employers also expect ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP).[asha_ccc] The CCC requires 400 supervised clinical clock hours (25 of them observation), a passing score of 162 on the national SLP exam, and a Clinical Fellowship of at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours after graduation. The ETS Praxis exam (5331) costs $146 through December 26, 2026; from January 11, 2027 the exam moves to PSI, still with a passing score of 162.[asha_ccc][ets_praxis][asha_exam] The Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact has been enacted by 37 jurisdictions, and practitioners licensed in Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia can already register for compact privileges.[aslp]
| Step | Requirement | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate degree | Master’s from a CAA-accredited program; at least 325 of the 400 clinical hours earned in it | Program tuition |
| National exam | Praxis 5331 (ETS) through Dec 26, 2026; PSI exam from Jan 11, 2027; passing score 162 | $146 (ETS) |
| Clinical Fellowship | 36 weeks full time (35 h/week), at least 1,260 hours, mentored | — |
| ASHA CCC-SLP | Application after the fellowship | $490 with ASHA membership, $446 without |
| State license | All states license SLPs; rules and fees vary by board | Varies by state |
Fees: ETS, ASHA (accessed Nov 14, 2026).[asha_fee]
The graduate loan limits that apply to SLP master's students since July 2026 are explained on physical therapy school cost, together with a payback calculator. SLPs earn $2,460 less than occupational therapists at the medians (see occupational therapist salary) and $4,890 less than physical therapists. Every step from the bachelor’s to the license is on how to become a speech pathologist.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a speech pathologist make an hour?
$47.05 at the national median (BLS, May 2025); $30.24 at the 10th percentile and $64.50 at the 90th.
Is a speech therapist the same as a speech-language pathologist?
Yes. "Speech therapist" is the everyday name; the licensed title is speech-language pathologist, and BLS reports one wage for both (SOC 29-1127).
What state pays speech pathologists the most?
California ($118,970 median), then Colorado and District of Columbia. South Dakota pays the least.
How much does an SLP make in California?
The California SLP median is $118,970 a year, or $57.20 an hour (BLS, May 2025).
Do school SLPs make less?
Usually per year, because many school contracts cover about ten months. Compare hourly or daily rates instead of yearly pay.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-1127.00 Speech-Language Pathologists (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Local Wages: 29-1123.00 Physical Therapists (state and metro percentiles)
- 2020 Standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
- Speech-Language Pathology (5331) test page ($146)
- National examination in speech-language pathology (ETS through Dec 26, 2026; PSI from Jan 11, 2027) and passing score 162
- Apply for SLP certification (application fees $490 / $446)
- Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact: status and privilege registration
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)