Pay, location & work-life context
Speech-Language Pathologist Salary Map by State (2026)
Median speech-language pathologist pay across 49 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $104,000.
Highest median
Alaska
$124,249
Best real purchasing power
West Virginia
$127,826 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
North Dakota
6.0/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Speech-Language Pathologist pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $124,249 | $121,386 | $121,386 | 4.0/10 | 23 |
| California | $117,500 | $106,124 | $96,254 | 4.6/10 | 601 |
| Oregon | $116,480 | $112,692 | $101,536 | 4.4/10 | 41 |
| Washington | $114,400 | $106,903 | $106,903 | 4.5/10 | 139 |
| New Hampshire | $114,400 | $109,826 | $109,826 | 4.8/10 | 38 |
| West Virginia | $114,400 | $127,826 | $121,664 | 5.3/10 | 13 |
| Utah | $112,820 | $114,116 | $108,924 | 3.7/10 | 23 |
| Nevada | $110,760 | $110,783 | $110,783 | 2.7/10 | 16 |
| Hawaii | $108,620 | $98,789 | $87,923 | 3.9/10 | 13 |
| Georgia | $107,120 | $111,244 | $105,248 | 4.6/10 | 72 |
| Arizona | $107,120 | $106,400 | $103,740 | 4.4/10 | 97 |
| Missouri | $104,000 | $114,516 | $109,134 | 4.5/10 | 47 |
| South Carolina | $101,450 | $108,214 | $101,505 | 5.0/10 | 94 |
| Texas | $101,450 | $104,526 | $104,526 | 4.5/10 | 319 |
| Maine | $101,450 | $104,534 | $97,060 | 4.7/10 | 69 |
| New Mexico | $101,450 | $110,018 | $103,527 | 3.8/10 | 10 |
| Tennessee | $101,400 | $110,373 | $110,373 | 4.9/10 | 35 |
| Alabama | $101,400 | $114,160 | $108,452 | 4.3/10 | 26 |
| Florida | $101,000 | $97,666 | $97,666 | 4.7/10 | 192 |
| Indiana | $99,840 | $106,976 | $103,767 | 3.1/10 | 74 |
| Michigan | $99,840 | $103,765 | $99,355 | 4.8/10 | 99 |
| Vermont | $99,840 | $101,921 | $93,003 | 4.3/10 | 26 |
| Kentucky | $99,185 | $110,011 | $105,611 | 4.2/10 | 30 |
| Rhode Island | $98,935 | $96,730 | $90,935 | 4.7/10 | 19 |
| Colorado | $98,800 | $95,874 | $91,655 | 5.0/10 | 275 |
| Pennsylvania | $97,760 | $100,193 | $97,117 | 4.9/10 | 97 |
| Connecticut | $97,750 | $94,344 | $87,750 | 4.6/10 | 68 |
| Oklahoma | $97,500 | $110,993 | $105,721 | 5.1/10 | 33 |
| Maryland | $96,980 | $92,398 | $87,085 | 4.9/10 | 160 |
| North Dakota | $96,900 | $108,927 | $106,203 | 6.0/10 | 8 |
| Ohio | $96,720 | $104,253 | $100,604 | 4.2/10 | 137 |
| Massachusetts | $96,720 | $91,455 | $86,882 | 4.7/10 | 182 |
| Kansas | $96,720 | $107,386 | $101,393 | 3.8/10 | 29 |
| Virginia | $96,283 | $95,232 | $89,756 | 4.1/10 | 182 |
| Iowa | $95,680 | $109,022 | $104,879 | 4.6/10 | 28 |
| Wyoming | $94,786 | $102,260 | $102,260 | 4.0/10 | 5 |
| Wisconsin | $94,640 | $100,579 | $95,249 | 5.5/10 | 61 |
| Minnesota | $94,557 | $95,879 | $86,435 | 5.5/10 | 120 |
| Arkansas | $94,214 | $108,370 | $104,144 | 3.9/10 | 15 |
| Louisiana | $93,670 | $106,193 | $103,008 | 4.2/10 | 22 |
| New York | $92,500 | $85,711 | $79,840 | 5.0/10 | 359 |
| New Jersey | $92,500 | $85,014 | $79,599 | 5.2/10 | 174 |
| North Carolina | $92,300 | $97,852 | $93,693 | 4.7/10 | 176 |
| Illinois | $91,312 | $91,350 | $86,829 | 4.9/10 | 282 |
| South Dakota | $89,440 | $100,964 | $100,964 | 5.1/10 | 19 |
| Nebraska | $87,880 | $97,533 | $92,461 | 4.9/10 | 7 |
| Mississippi | $87,500 | $100,629 | $96,201 | 4.1/10 | 15 |
| Delaware | $85,000 | $85,164 | $79,543 | 5.6/10 | 35 |
| Idaho | $85,000 | $89,011 | $83,942 | 5.2/10 | 11 |
Common questions
Which state pays speech-language pathologists the most?
Alaska currently has the highest median speech-language pathologist salary at $124,249, based on 23 real job listings. Adjusted for cost of living, West Virginia offers the highest real purchasing power at $127,826.
Which state offers the best after-tax speech-language pathologist pay?
West Virginia currently leads the take-home view at $121,664 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust speech-language pathologist salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best speech-language pathologist lifestyle scores?
North Dakota currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (6.0/10, higher is better) for speech-language pathologist listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Speech-Language Pathologist salary page.