Speech-language pathologists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Speech-language pathologists in the United States earn a median salary of $97,870 per year — about $47 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 187K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +15%.
AI & Automation Risk
Speech-language pathology involves a significant amount of digital-adjacent work, such as analyzing speech patterns, documenting progress, and developing treatment plans, all of which are highly susceptible to AI enhancement. However, the core of the job requires physical presence for swallowing therapy, real-time interpersonal coaching, and high-stakes clinical judgment that limits full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CABEST VALUE | $133,760 | Below avg (95.2) | $140,543 |
| Pueblo, CO | $119,670 | Below avg (91.8) | $130,413 |
| Boulder, CO | $131,620 | Above avg (105.2) | $125,112 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $115,940 | Below avg (93.8) | $123,642 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $132,720 | Above avg (110.4) | $120,192 |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $102,260 | Below avg (85.4) | $119,709 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $99,990 | Below avg (84.0) | $119,019 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $120,550 | Average (101.6) | $118,638 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $126,360 | Above avg (106.7) | $118,459 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $127,470 | Above avg (107.8) | $118,264 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $100,940 | Below avg (86.0) | $117,406 |
| Lawton, OK | $100,420 | Below avg (85.9) | $116,848 |
| Casper, WY | $109,540 | Below avg (93.8) | $116,744 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $126,850 | Above avg (108.8) | $116,592 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $117,350 | Average (100.9) | $116,319 |