The average salary for a speech language pathologist in California is around $118,970 per year.
Avg Salary
Speech language pathologists earn an average yearly salary of $118,970.
Wages typically start from $79,750 and go up to $160,900.
46% above national average Updated in 2025
Speech language pathologist earnings by seniority
Top-level speech language pathologist earnings begin at:
$77.36 per hour
$160,900 per year
Senior-level speech language pathologist earnings begin at:
$64.94 per hour
$135,070 per year
Mid-level speech language pathologist earnings begin at:
$57.20 per hour
$118,970 per year
Junior-level speech language pathologist earnings begin at:
$47.56 per hour
$98,920 per year
Starting level speech language pathologist earnings begin at:
$38.34 per hour
$79,750 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Speech language pathologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Florida | $99,990 |
| Texas | $99,910 |
| Maryland | $99,190 |
| New Mexico | $98,690 |
| Arizona | $97,800 |
| Hawaii | $97,560 |
| Georgia | $96,760 |
| Virginia | $96,250 |
| Illinois | $95,080 |
| Ohio | $93,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $92,960 |
| Utah | $91,560 |
| South Carolina | $90,530 |
| Minnesota | $89,380 |
| Missouri | $89,280 |
| Michigan | $89,120 |
| Indiana | $87,360 |
| North Carolina | $86,460 |
| Tennessee | $84,630 |
| Oklahoma | $84,470 |
| Idaho | $84,380 |
| Nebraska | $84,350 |
| Arkansas | $83,580 |
| Kentucky | $83,550 |
| New Hampshire | $83,040 |
| Wisconsin | $83,000 |
| Maine | $82,660 |
| Vermont | $82,090 |
| Wyoming | $82,040 |
| Iowa | $81,050 |
| West Virginia | $80,970 |
| Kansas | $80,120 |
| Montana | $78,740 |
| Mississippi | $78,130 |
| North Dakota | $75,240 |
| Alabama | $73,660 |
| Louisiana | $69,610 |
| South Dakota | $65,680 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,500 |
| California | $118,970 |
| Colorado | $110,750 |
| District of Columbia | $109,380 |
| Washington | $105,550 |
| Nevada | $104,510 |
| Rhode Island | $104,000 |
| Delaware | $102,760 |
| Alaska | $102,670 |
| Oregon | $102,660 |
| New Jersey | $101,560 |
| Massachusetts | $101,310 |
| New York | $100,610 |
| Connecticut | $100,110 |
How much does a Speech Language Pathologist earn?
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) conducted a survey of speech language pathologists in the spring of 2015. According to the survey, the median speech language pathologist salary was $75,000/yr, private practice owners or co-owners salaries were $77,240/yr, clinical service providers salaries were $70,000/yr, and administrators or supervisors salaries were $93,534/yr.
In facilities such as outpatient clinics and offices, the salaries were $68,000/yr, in SNFs and general medical, VA, and LTAC hospitals the salaries were $90,000/yr. Suburban areas paid $73,833/yr, city/urban areas paid $75,000/yr, and rural areas paid $78,266/yr. The south paid $70,885/yr, and the west paid $84,000/yr. Speech language pathologists salaries differ with experience: one to three years paid $63,603/yr, four to six years experience paid $68,600/yr, 13-15 years experience paid $85,000/yr, 16-19 years of experience paid $90,000/yr.
How do speech language pathologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Speech language pathologists earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than counseling psychologists but more than nurse educators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Counseling psychologist salary | $116K |
| Clinical psychologist salary | $116K |
| Physical therapist salary | $124K |
| Occupational therapist salary | $125K |
| Magnetic resonance imaging technologist salary | $124K |
| Speech language pathologist salary | $119K |
| Radiologic technologist salary | $121K |
| Audiologist salary | $115K |
| Respiratory therapist salary | $105K |
| Nurse educator salary | $82K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)