Speech-Language Pathologist Hourly Pay & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 13,892 US job postings by 3,169 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for speech-language pathologists: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 13,892 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for speech-language pathologists in US job postings is $52.50 an hour (2,867 postings from 648 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $46.50 to $63.00 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $55.00 an hour (600 postings).
- The skills that most set speech-language pathologist postings apart are individualized treatment plans, compassionate, therapeutic techniques.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Speech-Language Pathologist job postings in the US, October 2026
- $52.50/hr
- Median advertised pay (2,867 postings)
- $46.50–$63.00
- Middle 50% of postings
- $55.00/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 13,892
- US job postings from 3,169 employers
How much does a speech-language pathologist make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $52.50 an hour, from 2,867 US job postings by 648 employers that state pay. That is about $104,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 2,867 US speech-language pathologist job postings: median $104,000 a year ($52.50 an hour), middle half $89,000 to $125,000.
- Median: $104,000 ($52.50/hr)
- 25th percentile: $89,000
- 75th percentile: $125,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $20K–$30K | 0.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 0.5% |
| $40K–$50K | 0.7% |
| $50K–$60K | 1.9% |
| $60K–$70K | 3.7% |
| $70K–$80K | 6.9% |
| $80K–$90K | 13.2% |
| $90K–$100K | 18.3% |
| $100K–$110K | 15.1% |
| $110K–$120K | 11.2% |
| $120K–$130K | 7.3% |
| $130K–$140K | 5.6% |
| $140K–$150K | 3.2% |
| $150K–$160K | 3.4% |
| $160K–$170K | 2.7% |
| $170K–$180K | 1.4% |
| $180K–$190K | 1.3% |
| $190K–$200K | 0.3% |
| $200K–$210K | 1.2% |
| $210K–$220K | 0.2% |
| $220K–$230K | 0.1% |
| $230K–$240K | 0.4% |
| $240K–$250K | 0.1% |
| $270K–$280K | 0.3% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $52.50 | $46.50–$63.00 | 1,442 | Speech Language Pathologist, Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), Speech Therapist |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $85,000 | $75K–$102K | 599 | Speech Language Pathologist, Speech and Language Pathologist, Speech Pathologist |
| All pay postings, annualised | $104,000 | $89K–$125K | 2,867 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Speech-Language Pathologists (29-1127) at $98,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a speech-language pathologist?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $55.00 an hour (600 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $55.00/hr | 600 |
| 2-4 years | withheld | 142 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 28 |
Highest-paying speech-language pathologist jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speech Language Pathologist | $48.75/hr | 2,213 | 545 |
Speech-language pathologist pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $60.00/hr | $51.60–$69.00 | 207 | 9.7% |
| New York | $53.00/hr | $42.00–$65.00 | 240 | 5.2% |
| Texas | $50.00/hr | $41.98–$53.56 | 138 | 12.1% |
| Colorado | $49.06/hr | $45.00–$55.75 | 107 | 3.0% |
| Illinois | $49.00/hr | $42.58–$60.00 | 113 | 3.5% |
| Florida | $47.59/hr | $45.00–$55.12 | 140 | 6.3% |
Skills employers ask for in speech-language pathologist job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 34% |
| Interpersonal skills | 18% |
| Organizational skills | 14% |
| Compassionate | 9% |
| Work independently | 7% |
| Time management | 6% |
| Problem-solving | 5% |
| Individualized treatment plans | 4% |
| Collaboration | 4% |
| Teamwork | 3% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set speech-language pathologists apart
- Compassionate3.2× as often as in all postings · 9%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a speech-language pathologist job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a speech-language pathologist do?
Employers post these jobs as Speech Language Pathologist, Speech Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), Speech and Language Pathologist and other titles. The largest specializations are Speech Language Pathologist (77%), Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) (8%), Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist (4%), School Speech Language Pathologist (3%), Home Health Speech Therapist (6%), Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (under 1%).
The closest official occupation is Speech-Language Pathologists (29-1127.00). Its most important tasks:
- Evaluate hearing or speech and language test results, barium swallow results, or medical or background information to diagnose and plan treatment for speech, language, fluency, voice, or swallowing disorders.
- Write reports and maintain proper documentation of information, such as client Medicaid or billing records or caseload activities, including the initial evaluation, treatment, progress, and discharge of clients.
- Monitor patients' progress and adjust treatments accordingly.
- Develop or implement treatment plans for problems such as stuttering, delayed language, swallowing disorders, or inappropriate pitch or harsh voice problems, based on own assessments and recommendations of physicians, psychologists, or social workers.
- Administer hearing or speech and language evaluations, tests, or examinations to patients to collect information on type and degree of impairments, using written or oral tests or special instruments.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a speech-language pathologist?
Among 1,673 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 3% say 0 years and 65% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 1,673 US speech-language pathologist job postings: median 1 year, and 65% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 6% |
| 1 yr | 59% |
| 2 yrs | 24% |
| 3-4 yrs | 6% |
| 5-7 yrs | 3% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | 2% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 71%, Part-time 29% of the 1,776 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a speech-language pathologist: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Speech Language Pathologist | 1,550 (48.9%) |
| Speech Therapist | 265 (8.4%) |
| Speech Pathologist | 241 (7.6%) |
| Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) | 222 (7.0%) |
| Speech and Language Pathologist | 191 (6.0%) |
| Speech-Language Pathologist | 162 (5.1%) |
| SLP | 138 (4.3%) |
| Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist | 87 (2.8%) |
| Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) | 56 (1.8%) |
| Speech Language Pathologist SLP | 46 (1.5%) |
| Speech Language Pathologist PRN | 41 (1.3%) |
| Speech Therapist (SLP) | 41 (1.3%) |
| Speech/Language Pathologist | 37 (1.2%) |
| Speech Language Therapist | 36 (1.1%) |
| PRN Speech Language Pathologist | 35 (1.1%) |
| Speech & Language Pathologist | 33 (1.0%) |
| Part-time Speech Language Pathologist | 25 (0.8%) |
| Home Health Speech Therapist | 25 (0.8%) |
| Pediatric Speech Therapist | 24 (0.8%) |
| Speech Therapist PRN | 24 (0.8%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Speech-language pathologist job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speech Language Pathologist | 5,728 | 1,550 | $47.50/hr | 1 year | communication, interpersonal skills, organizational skills |
| Speech and Language Pathologist | 271 | 191 | – | – | communication, interpersonal skills, organizational skills |
Speech Therapist vs Speech Pathologist
| Speech Therapist | Speech Pathologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 993 | 684 |
| Employers | 265 | 241 |
| Median advertised pay | $49.64/hr | – |
| Median experience asked | – | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Speech Therapist vs Speech-Language Pathologist
| Speech Therapist | Speech-Language Pathologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 993 | 368 |
| Employers | 265 | 162 |
| Median advertised pay | $49.64/hr | – |
| Median experience asked | – | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Speech Language Pathologist vs Speech Therapist
| Speech Language Pathologist | Speech Therapist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 5,728 | 993 |
| Employers | 1,550 | 265 |
| Median advertised pay | $47.50/hr | $49.64/hr |
| Median experience asked | 1 year | – |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Speech-Language Pathologist compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speech-Language Pathologist | $52.50/hr | 1 year | 13,892 | – |
| Occupational Therapist | $52.00/hr | 1 year | 11,924 | 17 |
| Physical Therapist | $104K | 1 year | 29,758 | 17 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $34.52/hr | 1 year | 12,964 | 17 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $35.00/hr | 1 year | 6,754 | 17 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Therapist | 17 | $52.00/hr |
| Physical Therapist | 17 | $104K |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 17 | $34.52/hr |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 17 | $35.00/hr |
| Nurse Practitioner | 16 | $142K |
| Physician | 15 | $312K |
Applying for speech-language pathologist jobs?
- Speech-language pathologist resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
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- Find speech-language pathologist jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
What is the starting salary for a speech-language pathologist?
How much does a Speech Language Pathologist make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 18 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 18 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.