All careers › Speech-Language Pathologists › California
Speech-language pathologist salary in California
- $79,750lowest 10% earn less
- $98,92025th percentile
- $118,970median
- $135,07075th percentile
- $160,900top 10% earn more
The median pay for speech-language pathologists in California was $118,970 a year in May 2025[1]. That was the highest of any state[5].
How much do speech-language pathologists make in California?
Half of the speech-language pathologists in California earned more than $118,970 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $57.20 an hour[1]. Across the US, the median was $97,870[3], so California was $21,100 (21.6%) higher[6]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $58,240[7], and speech-language pathologists were $60,730 above it[8].
At the low end, the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $79,750[2]. At the high end, the top-paid 10% earned more than $160,900[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $98,920 and $135,070[2].
Pay differs by metro area. Among the eight metros listed, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had a median of $132,720 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had $130,850[9]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had $109,740[9]. Of the 25 metros with a published median, El Centro had the highest at $133,760[10].
These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms[11]. They also leave out bonuses that are not part of regular production pay and the cost of benefits like health insurance[11].
California vs US pay
Pay for speech-language pathologists in California next to the national figures[1][3].
Pay by metro area in California
Metro areas in California with the most jobs for speech-language pathologists, and the median pay in each[9].
| Metro area | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[9] | $109,740 | 4,800 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $118,560 | 2,120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,850 | 1,760 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $119,690 | 1,590 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $126,360 | 1,030 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $132,720 | 890 |
| Fresno, CA | $110,960 | 820 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $115,060 | 530 |
Pay in nearby states
Median pay for speech-language pathologists in the states that border California, highest first[13].
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada[13] | $104,510 | 1,270 |
| Oregon | $102,660 | 1,600 |
| Arizona | $97,800 | 3,390 |
Job outlook and training
Across the US, jobs for speech-language pathologists are projected to grow 16.6% from 2025 to 2035[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[15].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a speech-language pathologist make in California?
- The median was $118,970 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $118,600[16].
- How much does a speech-language pathologist make an hour in California?
- The median hourly wage was $57.20[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $38.34 an hour and the 90th percentile was $77.36[17].
- Which city in California pays speech-language pathologists the most?
- El Centro had the highest median of the 25 metros with a published figure, at $133,760[10]. Among the eight metros listed, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara led at $132,720[9].
- Is California a good state for speech-language pathologists?
- California ranked 1st among the 50 states and DC for median pay in this job[5]. Its median was $21,100 above the US median[6].
- What do you need to become a speech-language pathologist in California?
- This is a US figure, not a California one. Across the US, the typical entry education is a master's degree, with no related work experience and an internship or residency for training[15].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in California was $118,970 per year and $57.20 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Speech-Language Pathologists in California: 10th percentile $79,750, 25th percentile $98,920, 75th percentile $135,070, 90th percentile $160,900. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in the US as a whole was $97,870 per year and $47.05 per hour, with about 183,390 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 16,930 people worked as Speech-Language Pathologists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 1st highest median annual wage for Speech-Language Pathologists out of the 50 states and DC with a published median (the highest of all). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in California ($118,970) was $21,100 (21.6%) higher than the US median ($97,870). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in California was $60,730 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Speech-Language Pathologists, El Centro, CA had the highest median annual wage, $133,760. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Speech-Language Pathologists in the US: 10th percentile $62,900, 25th percentile $77,730, 75th percentile $114,570, 90th percentile $134,160. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in states that border California (highest first): Nevada $104,510; Oregon $102,660; Arizona $97,800. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Speech-Language Pathologists is projected to grow 16.6% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,500 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Speech-Language Pathologists: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Internship/residency. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Speech-Language Pathologists in California was $118,600 per year and $57.02 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Speech-Language Pathologists in California: 10th percentile $38.34, 25th percentile $47.56, 75th percentile $64.94, 90th percentile $77.36. BLS OEWS, May 2025