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Across the country, more than 48 million Americans have some form of hearing loss. However, only one in five people who could benefit from a hearing aid is using one. Not being able to hear well can contribute to many problems, including behavioral issues in kids and a difficult time at work for adults.
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are two complementary professions that help patients with hearing issues. Audiologists are trained doctors who can test, diagnose, and treat hearing and balance issues. SLPs, on the other hand, are focused on the mechanism of speech and the throat and vocal tract. They can also address chewing and swallowing problems. In tandem, these professionals can help address myriad issues that can prevent clients from hearing well or communicating clearly with those around them.
Both of these careers require a significant amount of education. Audiologists must complete a doctor of audiology (AuD) degree that typically takes four years to finish. SLPs need to earn a master’s of science in speech-language pathology which can be completed in as little as two years. However, the high education requirements do not come without reward. Both careers are quite lucrative with SLPs earning $95,840 per year on average and audiologists bringing home $95,320 per year on average (Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2024).
Salaries for SLPs and audiologists can vary significantly based on the level of work experience a professional has, the kind of facility they work at, the state where they are employed, and whether they live in a rural or urban area.
Continue reading this guide to get a more in-depth picture of how much SLPs and audiologists make—the latest data available as of November 2025.
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLPs) and Audiologist Salary Overall
Both audiologist and SLP average wages are well above the national average for all salaries in the US. According to the BLS (May 2024), the average salary for all jobs is $67,920. By contrast, the average pay for SLPs is $95,840 and for audiologists, it’s $95,320—the latest data available as of November 2025.
Here are the percentiles for wages for SLPs:
- 10th percentile: $60,480 or $29.08 per hour
- 25th percentile: $75,310 or $36.21 per hour
- 50th percentile (median): $95,410 or $45.87 per hour
- 75th percentile: $112,510 or $54.09 per hour
- 90th percentile: $132,850 or $63.87 per hour
The percentiles for wages of audiologists were:
- 10th percentile: $61,930 or $29.77 per hour
- 25th percentile: $76,440 or $36.75 per hour
- 50th percentile (median): $92,120 or $44.29 per hour
- 75th percentile: $109,330 or $52.56 per hour
- 90th percentile: $129,830 or $62.42 per hour
The BLS is an authoritative source of data on wages for SLPs and audiologists. However, different sources aggregate data differently so the ranges they report can vary. When researching a career as an SLP or audiologist, it can be advantageous to look at several sources to better understand how wages can vary.
PayScale (November 2025), a self-reported salary compiling website, estimates that SLPs earn $42.10 per hour versus the $45.87 from the BLS, and audiologists earn $40.44 versus the $44.29 from the BLS.
According to PayScale (2025), the percentiles for wages for SLPs were:
- 10th percentile: $54,000 per year
- 50th percentile (median): $71,314 per year
- 90th percentile: $93,000 per year
The wages for audiologists, according to PayScale (2025), were:
- 10th percentile: $61,000 per year
- 50th percentile (median): $78,331 per year
- 90th percentile: $102,000 per year
According to PayScale, wages can increase for both SLPs and audiologists the longer they are in their field. After 20 years of work experience, SLPs can earn 18 percent more on average, and audiologists can anticipate 14.8 percent higher earnings.
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Audiologist Salaries by Region
While many factors can impact pay for SLPs and audiologists, one of the primary ones is where they work. Demand for employees, cost of living, and the number of open positions in a given region can cause salaries to rise or fall. Here are examples of mean wages for SLPs (BLS May 2024), the latest data available as of November 2025:
- Colorado: $55.01 per hour, $114,410 per year
- California: $54.83 per hour, $114,050 per year
- Texas: $45.60 per hour, $94,850 per year
- Florida: $44.60 per hour, $92,770 per year
- Illinois: $42.28 per hour, $87,940 per year
- Vermont: $39.37 per hour, $81,890 per year
Audiologists’ mean salaries by state include:
- Colorado: $45.99 per hour, $95,660 per year
- Illinois: $44.77 per hour, $93,120 per year
- Connecticut: $43.47 per hour, $90,410 per year
- Montana: $42.45 per hour, $88,290 per year
- West Virginia: $41.30 per hour, $85,900 per year
- Ohio: $38.73 per hour, $80,550 per year
Top-Paying States for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Some places in the country have significantly higher earnings than others. According to the BLS (May 2024), the top-paying states for SLP, and the mean wages, are:
- Colorado: $114,410 average
- California: $114,050
- District of Columbia: $112,490
- New Jersey: $109,310
- Hawaii: $107,040
Audiologists, by contrast, vary a bit more than SLPs. Here are the top states and mean wages for audiologists:
- California: $119,900 average
- Nevada: $116,620
- New Jersey: $110,060
- District of Columbia: $109,530
- Tennessee: $109,000
The number of audiologists or SLPs in a given area can significantly affect demand. This demand, in turn, can affect how much employers offer for wages. Areas of the country with many opportunities for these professionals to work typically have higher wages than areas with few employers. Here are the states with the highest number of SLPs.
- Texas: 18,600 employed SLPs
- New York: 16,250
- California: 14,680
- Illinois: 9,100
- Florida: 8,990
The states with the highest number of audiologists are:
- California: 1,370 employed audiologists
- Ohio: 1,310
- Pennsylvania: 780
- Texas: 710
- New York: 670
Top-Paying Cities for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Salaries for SLPs and audiologists can vary widely within each state as well. The metropolitan area where one of these professionals works can significantly impact pay. In general, SLPs and audiologists who work in rural areas earn less than those who work in urban areas.
For professionals considering career opportunities or relocating, data is available from other sources. For example, O*Net Online has a wealth of information, including a searchable database of wages, employment, projected growth, trends, and top industries. Keep in mind their statistics are generally based on BLS data, so it may not always be current. O*Net also maintains a searchable database of job openings for each state.
CareerOneStop is another source of information nationwide and by state. Their searchable databases include wages and employment for specialties, licensing requirements, and job search tips. They also include resources for job seekers grouped into categories such as new graduates, disabled individuals, and 55+, among others. Payscale, which relies on self-reporting, compiles the usual wage and employment data, and includes how various skills affect earnings. There’s also information about pay rates in major metropolitan areas.
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLPs) and Audiologist Salary By Type Of Office
Another key factor in SLPs’ and audiologists’ wages is their place of employment. Typically audiologists work in schools or clinics. However, they can also be found in hospitals, educational support services, and outpatient care centers. Audiologists can even work in lucrative roles such as device manufacturing.
The BLS (2025) does report the largest employers of speech-language pathologists as follows:
- Educational services; state, local, and private: 40 percent
- Offices of physical, occupational speech therapists, and audiologists: 26 percent
- Hospitals; state, local, and private: 14 percent
- Nursing and residential care facilities: 4 percent
- Self-employed workers: 3 percent
As per the BLS (May 2024), the largest employers of audiologists are:
- Offices of physicians: 29 percent
- Offices of physical, occupational speech therapists, and audiologists: 26 percent
- Hospitals; state, local, and private: 14 percent
- Educational services; state, local, and private: 9 percent
Although salary isn’t typically the only determining factor when choosing a career, having realistic expectations about earnings is an important consideration for aspiring professionals doing their due diligence in a particular field. Also, a keen understanding of why wages may fall outside of the average such as years of experience, level of education, certification, and place of employment can help SLPs and audiologists better accurately predict what wages may be given their particular circumstances.
Aside from salary, SLPs and audiologists should consider other important things when seeking employment, including health insurance, retirement, paid time off, opportunities for advancement, commute, and management.
