Healthcare Practitioners

Speech-Language Pathologists

SOC 29-1127

Treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders across all ages.

The job

Median pay

$98k

$78k to $115k typical range

Outlook, 2025 to 2035

Growing fast

+17% projected

Openings a year

13k

BLS projection

Typical education

Master's

Our model

AI displacement risk

Low

How much of this job AI may do instead of the person

Works with AI

26/100

AI alongside the person rather than instead of them

AI exposure

51st pct

More exposed than 51% of occupations · modeled estimate · 47th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

77/100

At a glance

BLS's 2035 projection for Speech-Language Pathologists is +17%, 13 points above typical growth across the occupations we cover. Modeled AI exposure sits at the 51st percentile, with displacement risk rated low and works-with-AI at 26/100, balanced between the two. Median pay is $97,870, 46% above the typical occupation we cover (in line with the Healthcare Practitioners median). Roughly 12,500 positions open up annually for Speech-Language Pathologists, counting growth and replacement. The usual way in is a master's degree. Growth is the contrast with Registered Nurses: +17% here against +5.6% there.

Take the next step

Weigh it against AudiologistsPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostCalifornia leads at $119k; all states are listed below Find careers like itOpen the map at Speech-Language Pathologists and explore its neighbours See open jobsSpeech-Language Pathologists roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Speech-Language Pathologists, who lean most on reading comprehension Real pay & reviewsSelf-reported pay and reviews on Glassdoor

Similar pay in Healthcare Practitioners

Key skills

Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Writing
Speaking
Learning Strategies

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 50 states and DC. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's.

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Texas	19,120	1.4	1.1×	$100k
California	16,930	0.9	0.8×	$119k
New York	15,310	1.6	1.3×	$101k
Florida	10,080	1.0	0.9×	$100k
Illinois	9,040	1.5	1.3×	$95k
Ohio	7,270	1.3	1.1×	$93k
New Jersey	6,840	1.6	1.4×	$102k
Pennsylvania	6,570	1.1	0.9×	$93k
North Carolina	5,600	1.1	1.0×	$86k
Massachusetts	5,290	1.5	1.2×	$101k

All 50 states and DC

State	Jobs	Per 1,000	vs national	Median pay
Michigan	4,730	1.1	0.9×	$89k
Virginia	4,460	1.1	0.9×	$96k
Colorado	4,420	1.5	1.3×	$111k
Georgia	4,030	0.8	0.7×	$97k
Minnesota	3,890	1.3	1.1×	$89k
Washington	3,570	1.0	0.8×	$106k
Maryland	3,510	1.3	1.1×	$99k
Arizona	3,390	1.0	0.9×	$98k
Tennessee	3,320	1.0	0.9×	$85k
Indiana	3,310	1.0	0.9×	$87k
Missouri	3,230	1.1	0.9×	$89k
Louisiana	3,000	1.6	1.3×	$70k
Wisconsin	2,940	1.0	0.8×	$83k
Kentucky	2,610	1.3	1.1×	$84k
Arkansas	2,430	1.9	1.6×	$84k
Connecticut	2,390	1.4	1.2×	$100k
South Carolina	2,190	1.0	0.8×	$91k
Alabama	2,060	1.0	0.8×	$74k
Oklahoma	1,870	1.1	0.9×	$84k
Mississippi	1,790	1.5	1.3×	$78k
Kansas	1,690	1.2	1.0×	$80k
Oregon	1,600	0.8	0.7×	$103k
Iowa	1,540	1.0	0.8×	$81k
Utah	1,460	0.8	0.7×	$92k
Nebraska	1,310	1.3	1.1×	$84k
Nevada	1,270	0.8	0.7×	$105k
New Mexico	1,250	1.4	1.2×	$99k
Idaho	1,210	1.4	1.2×	$84k
West Virginia	880	1.3	1.1×	$81k
New Hampshire	720	1.1	0.9×	$83k
Rhode Island	720	1.4	1.2×	$104k
Delaware	690	1.4	1.2×	$103k
Maine	640	1.0	0.8×	$83k
North Dakota	630	1.5	1.2×	$75k
Montana	490	1.0	0.8×	$79k
Vermont	430	1.4	1.2×	$82k
South Dakota	410	0.9	0.8×	$66k
Washington DC	390	0.6	0.5×	$109k
Alaska	340	1.0	0.9×	$103k
Hawaii	270	0.4	0.4×	$98k
Wyoming	240	0.9	0.7×	$82k

Top metro areas

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ15,260 jobs · $108k median
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN7,150 jobs · $98k median
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX4,800 jobs · $100k median
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA4,800 jobs · $110k median
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX3,780 jobs · $100k median
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH3,720 jobs · $103k median
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD3,330 jobs · $100k median
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV3,140 jobs · $100k median

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.