Speech Language Pathologist Salary: Your 2025 Salary Guide

Speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat children and adults who struggle with speech impediments, processing language, pronouncing words or sounds, or swallowing and eating. These issues may result from a development delay, injury, illness, or aging.

Speech language pathology is an in-demand field, offering many opportunities for growth and flexibility within the profession. In addition to providing flexible arrangements like working part-time, full-time, remotely from home, or in an office, speech language pathologists are also well-compensated for their expertise.

In this article, you'll learn more about what speech language pathologists earn, how different factors impact their salaries, and the job outlook for the field. Ultimately, you'll also explore cost-effective, online courses to help you gain job-relevant skills today.

How much do speech language pathologists make?

According to various salary listing sites, the average salary for a speech language pathologist ranges between $62,340 and $125,756 a year.

While official statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicate that speech language pathologists can expect a median annual salary of $89,290, other salary aggregation sites suggest higher and lower yearly salaries. Here's what each says [1, 2, 3, 4]:

The exact amount you can expect to earn will likely be impacted by factors such as your work experience, the industry in which you work, and your geographic location.

Where do speech pathologists work?

You can work in different settings as a speech pathologist. For example, you could work in an educational facility helping children with their speech. Or, you could work in hospitals or health care facilities to help people overcome injuries. You could work in a long-term care facility to help older adults with speech problems, or you could open your own private practice. 

Speech language pathologist salary by experience 

The more experiences you gain and the longer you work in the field of speech pathology, the more you will likely earn. If you’re new to the profession, try to gain as much experience as possible to highlight your skills and capabilities as a speech pathologist.

Here's the annual base salary you can expect to earn as a speech language pathologist based on your work experience, according to Glassdoor [2]:

• 0–1 years: $88,789

• 1–3 years: $94,569

• 4–6 years: $97,777

• 7–9 years: $96,719

• 10–14 years: $94,301

• 15+ years: $97,266

SLP salary by industry 

As with most other professions, the industry in which you work greatly impacts your earning potential as a speech language pathologist.

Here are the divisions in pay for speech language pathologists across industries, according to the BLS [1]:

• Nursing and residential care facilities: $105,030 

• Hospitals; state, local, and private: $100,130

• Offices of physical, occupational, and speech therapists, and audiologists: $94,990

• Educational services; state, local, and private: $79,960

Speech pathologist salary by location  

Your location can significantly influence your earning potential as a speech pathologist. The highest-paying states for speech language pathologists are Hawaii, California, the District of Columbia, New York, and New Jersey [5]. Working in a metropolitan area may also afford you more opportunities for higher-paying positions, depending on the state where you work. 

To help you get a better idea of what you can expect to earn, here's the average base salary for speech pathologists in nine different cities, according to Indeed [4]:

Earn a certification to boost your salary.

Specializing in an area of speech pathology can affect your income as you may earn more with additional credentials. You may also be able to work in higher-paying industries with a specialization. 

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national organization that certifies speech pathologists. Many employers require ASHA’s Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), and some states use this certification to award licensure.

You can also become a board-certified specialist and earn your BCS. These certifications are intended for anyone who wants to work with a specific population or with a specific disorder. A few BCS options to consider: 

• Child Language and Language Disorders (BCS-CL)

• Stuttering, Cluttering, and Fluency Disorders (BCS-SC)

• Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S)

Outside of the ASHA, you can earn specialized certifications through organizations that advocate for and provide research for certain conditions or through colleges and universities that offer courses and certifications. For example, the Lee Silverman Treatment Certification (LSVT-LOUD) certification for speech language pathologists prepares you to work with patients with Parkinson’s or other neurological disorders.

What is the job outlook for a speech language pathologist?

The job outlook for speech language pathologists is very positive over the coming years.

The number of speech language pathologist positions is expected to grow by 18 percent between 2023 and 2033, resulting in approximately 13,700 new jobs every year throughout the decade [6]. This is significantly faster job growth than is projected for all occupations in the United States, which the US BLS pegs at just 4 percent during the same period. 

Explore health care resources available on Coursera.

Exploring a career as a speech language pathologist or in another healthcare-related field? Check out the following resources to keep learning more.

• Consider a Specialization: School Health for Children and Adolescents Specialization

• Watch on YouTube: Nutrition, Health, and Lifestyle: Issues and Insights with Jamie Pope, MS, RD, L or Start a New Journey - The Science of Well-Being by Yale University #1

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