The highest speech pathologist salary is registered in the US, where professionals earn $78,210 per year. The US is closely followed by Canada with C$73,000 (US$54,208), NZ$74,000 (US$52,199), Australia with AU$62,000 (US$46,289), and the UK with £30,000 US$38,880). The lowest salaries for speech pathologists are registered in India, where a professional earns Rs140,000 (US$2,170) per year and South Africa with ZAR250,428 (US$19,426) per year.
How Much Does a Speech Pathologist Make Per Year?
| Speech Pathologist Salary |
US | Canada | UK | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa |
| Hourly Wage | $37.60 | C$35.10 (US$26.06) |
£14.42 ($18.69) |
AU$29.81 (US$22.26) |
NZ$35.58 (US$25.10) |
Rs67.31 (US$1.04) |
ZAR120.40 (US$9.34) |
| Annual Wage | $78,210 | C$73,000 (US$54,208) |
£30,000 US$38,880) |
AU$62,000 (US$46,289) |
NZ$74,000 (US$52,199) |
Rs140,000 (US$2,170) |
ZAR250,428 (US$19,426) |
Speech-language pathologists, also known as speech pathologists and language pathologists, are responsible for the assessment, diagnosis, help, and treatment of swallowing and communication disorders in patients. These disorders can be caused by a wide array of factors, from strokes to autism, a cleft palate, Parkinson’s disease, hearing loss, brain injury, and even developmental delay. But what is the speech pathologist salary?
About 40% of them worked in schools at the date of the last report. The rest were reported to work in various healthcare facilities. To do so, most of them need to have a master’s degree, at the very least. In most states, they also need to be licensed to practice.
Factors that Influence the Speech Pathologist Salary
The most important of these are the geographical location of the job, the level of experience of each employee, as well as the industry where the occupation fits. Of course, other factors are also involved in determining the salary of a speech pathologist, but none makes as much of a difference as the geography, industry, and experience level.
1. Geographic Area
Speech Pathologist Salary in the US
A speech pathologist working in the United States earns about $78,210 per year, which translates to $37.60 per hour. Beginners in this field earn about $47,070 in their first years, while professionals working in this field for more than 10-15 years can expect salaries of over $116,810. Bonuses can account for an extra $6,904 per year, and profit sharing – for $9,630.
Below, you will find a list of tables documenting the speech pathologist salary by state, as well as in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Additionally, you will find a list of the states, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan area offering the highest levels of employment for the occupation. You will be able to observe just how much the speech pathologist salary varies depending on the geographic location.
Highest Levels of Employment in the US
The following table will show the states offering the highest levels of employment to anyone with the speech pathologist job description:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Texas | 12,710 | 1.10 | 1.15 | $37.66 | $78,340 |
| California | 10,480 | 0.68 | 0.71 | $42.47 | $88,330 |
| New York | 10,170 | 1.13 | 1.19 | $42.14 | $87,640 |
| Florida | 7,380 | 0.93 | 0.98 | $37.88 | $78,790 |
| Illinois | 6,330 | 1.08 | 1.13 | $36.47 | $75,850 |
The metropolitan areas with the highest employment levels for speech pathologists are as follows:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| New York – Jersey City – White Plains, NYC – NJ Metropolitan Division | 6,230 | 0.96 | 1.01 | $46.05 | $95,790 |
| Chicago – Naperville – Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 3,780 | 1.06 | 1.11 | $37.30 | $77,580 |
| Dallas – Plano – Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 3,530 | 1.52 | 1.59 | $41.26 | $85,810 |
| Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land, TX | 2,610 | 0.89 | 0.93 | $39.69 | $82,560 |
| Los Angeles – Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 2,590 | 0.63 | 0.66 | $39.85 | $82,900 |
| Nassau County – Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division | 2,040 | 1.60 | 1.68 | $47.86 | $99,540 |
| Boston – Cambridge – Newton, MA NECTA Division | 1,870 | 1.06 | 1.11 | $41.22 | $85,730 |
| Atlanta – Sandy Springs – Roswell, GA | 1,760 | 0.71 | 0.75 | $34.18 | $71,100 |
| St. Louis, MO – IL | 1,720 | 1.30 | 1.36 | $34.27 | $71,280 |
| Minneapolis – St. Paul – Bloomington, MN – WI | 1,680 | 0.89 | 0.94 | $35.05 | $72,900 |
For those interested, here are the nonmetropolitan areas offering the highest employment for the occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 330 | 1.00 | 1.05 | $35.52 | $73,890 |
| North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 280 | 2.39 | 2.51 | $28.94 | $60,190 |
| Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | 250 | 1.30 | 1.36 | $30.18 | $62,770 |
| South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 240 | 1.47 | 1.54 | $27.43 | $57,050 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 240 | 0.98 | 1.02 | $31.42 | $65,350 |
Highest Salaries in the US
Meanwhile, the states offering the highest salary for speech pathologist are the following:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Connecticut | 1,880 | 1.13 | 1.19 | $42.53 | $88,460 |
| California | 10,480 | 0.68 | 0.71 | $42.47 | $88,330 |
| Alaska | 300 | 0.92 | 0.97 | $42.45 | $88,300 |
| District of Columbia | 390 | 0.57 | 0.60 | $42.34 | $88,070 |
| New York | 10,170 | 1.13 | 1.19 | $42.14 | $87,640 |
For more vaguely distributed, yet more encompassing information, you will also find tables featuring the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment levels and the highest salaries for the occupation.
The metropolitan areas with the highest speech pathologist salary are the following:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Redding, CA | 60 | 1.05 | 1.10 | $58.97 | $122,660 |
| Watertown – Fort Drum, NY | 50 | 1.26 | 1.32 | $51.83 | $107,810 |
| Sacramento – Roseville – Arden – Arcade, CA | 780 | 0.90 | 0.94 | $51.21 | $106,520 |
| Fairbanks, AK | 50 | 1.19 | 1.25 | $50.15 | $104,310 |
| Staunton – Waynesboro, VA | 30 | 0.69 | 0.73 | $49.30 | $102,540 |
| Salinas, CA | 110 | 0.68 | 0.71 | $48.17 | $100,200 |
| Nassau County – Suffolk County, NY Metropolitan Division | 2,040 | 1.60 | 1.68 | $47.86 | $99,540 |
| Waterbury, CT | 90 | 1.38 | 1.44 | $47.15 | $98,070 |
| Santa Maria – Santa Barbara, CA | 200 | 1.10 | 1.15 | $46.17 | $96,040 |
| Fresno, CA | 630 | 1.83 | 1.92 | $46.10 | $95,880 |
And last, but not least, below are the nonmetropolitan areas with the highest salaries for the occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 1.68 | 1.76 | $46.99 | $97,730 |
| Northwest Florida nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.78 | 1.87 | $46.93 | $97,610 |
| Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 1.13 | 1.19 | $44.39 | $92,340 |
| Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 1.22 | 1.28 | $43.47 | $90,410 |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 150 | 0.85 | 0.90 | $40.16 | $83,540 |
According to payscale.com, the usual salary path of a committed speech pathologist is as follows:
- $60,000 to $68,000 over the first five to ten years of experience
- $68,000 to $79,000 over the first ten to twenty years of experience
- $79,000 to $81,000 after more than twenty years on the job
Speech Pathologist Salary in Canada
A speech pathologist working in Canada earns about C$73,000 (US$54,208) per year on average. A beginner working in this field brings home about C$36,608 (US$27,204) per year. At the same time, experienced professionals who have worked in this field for more than 10-15 years can earn up to C$106,081, or US$78,765. 90% of the professionals working in Canada as speech pathologists are women.
Speech Pathologist Salary in the UK
According to plotr.co.uk, a speech pathologist working in the United Kingdom starts off somewhere between £21,388 (US27,719) and £27,901 (US$36,159) per year. The median salary for speech pathologists working in the UK revolves around £25,783 (US$33,402) and £34,530 (US$44,734), making the average around £30,000 (US$38,880) per year.
Speech Pathologist Salary in Australia
A speech pathologist working in Australia earns AU$62,000 (US$46,289) per year on average. A beginner in this field takes home about AU$48,126 which translates to US$36,133 per year, while an experienced professional can earn up to AU$86,160 (US$64,671). Bonuses can account for up to AU$3,500, or US$2,627 of this amount.
Speech Pathologist Salary in New Zealand
A speech pathologist, known in New Zealand as a speech-language therapist or a speech-language pathologist, earns NZ$74,000 (US$52,199) on average. A beginner in this field earns about NZ$47,000 (US$33,150) in their first years and have average chances of employment. Those with a few years of experience behind, however, can take home up to NZ$100,000 (US$70,500) and have excellent chances of employment.
Speech Pathologist Salary in India
A professional specialized in hearing and speech pathology earns about Rs140,000 (US$2,170) per year on average. A beginner in this field takes home between Rs96,000 and Rs120,000 (US$1,488 – US$1,860), but those working in private hospitals can start off at about Rs180,000 (US$2,790) per year. After a few years, a hearing and speech pathologist working in India can get to take home between Rs300,000 and Rs360,000 per year (US$4,650 – US$5,580) per year.
Speech Pathologist Salary in South Africa
According to SalaryExplorer, speech and language pathologist working in South Africa earns about ZAR250,428 (US$19,426) per year.
2. Experience
Experience is yet another one of the factors that greatly influence the speech pathologist salary. For example, the speech language pathologist assistant salary will always be lower than that of an experienced one. Plus, an experienced SLP working in a bilingual school will get a higher salary than someone just starting as a pediatric speech-language pathologist.
3. Industry
Depending on the industry in which an aspiring speech-language pathologist is employed in, the salaries can vary by as much as $50,000. Of course, the industries offering the highest salaries aren’t the same as the ones offering the biggest number of employment opportunities, but that’s a common factor across all jobs.
The industries offering the highest levels of SLP employment are the following:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | 58,280 | 0.70 | $32.76 | $68,150 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 27,160 | 3.37 | $39.79 | $82,770 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 14,660 | 0.28 | $38.85 | $80,810 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 5,770 | 0.35 | $44.02 | $91,560 |
| Home Health Care Services | 5,340 | 0.41 | $46.83 | $97,410 |
Meanwhile, the industries with the highest paying jobs for the occupation are as follows:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | 90 | 0.04 | $50.81 | $105,680 |
| Home Health Care Services | 5,340 | 0.41 | $46.83 | $97,410 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) | 5,770 | 0.35 | $44.02 | $91,560 |
| Offices of Physicians | 1,500 | 0.06 | $43.66 | $90,810 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | 720 | 0.08 | $43.28 | $90,030 |
Working Hours
Speech pathologists usually work in a wide array of settings. These include health care facilities, education, and private practices. Because of this, most people with the speech pathologist salary tend to work office hours – about 40 hours a week. However, that is the case for just some of those practicing the job every day.
Working part-time is also very common, as is traveling for the job. Those working on a contract might find themselves required to travel every day between facilities. Overtimes aren’t common, and neither is working weekends or holidays. The job is considered to be one of the least stressful jobs in healthcare.
Bonuses and Benefits Packages
Most benefits packages for people with the speech pathologist salary aren’t as comprehensive as most in healthcare. However, you do get health insurance, a retirement plan, as well as some vacation and sick leave days.
As for the bonuses that come with the job, sign-on bonuses usually come in at about $2,000. Add to that the yearly bonuses and the profit sharing, and the average speech pathologist salary could go up by as much as $15,000.
Job Outlook
According to a report commissioned in 2014 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of all speech-language pathologists is estimated to grow 21% by 2024. That is much faster than the average for all occupations in the United States.
This is primarily caused by two factors – the growth and continued procreation of the baby boomer population, as well as an increase in the number of cardiovascular incidents, particularly strokes. This greatly increased the number of employment opportunities across the occupation.
Conclusion
One of the most stress-free jobs in healthcare, being a speech language pathologist comes with emotional and mental benefits similar to being into psychology or counseling. Working closely with people in need of therapy adds to the already high speech pathologist salary. Plus, the favorable job outlook and decent education times make it sound like an even better opportunity.
Leave a Reply