HealthcareBLS OESTech Hub

Speech-Language Pathologist Salary in Austin

2026 · Official labour data · 8 comparison cities

$112,282/yr

Last updated: July 2026 · Source: BLS OES Survey · 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $93,600 $134,692

Very High Confidence · 100/100

How much does a Speech-Language Pathologist make in Austin, TX?

A Speech-Language Pathologist in Austin earns a median of $112,282/year (about $54/hour). Most earn between $93,600 (25th percentile) and $134,692 (75th percentile); top earners (90th percentile) make $158,722 or more — 15% above the US average. Figures are from BLS employer payroll data, not self-reports.

$79,430
Entry (P10)
$112,282
Median (P50)
$134,692
Top 25% (P75)
$158,722
Top 10% (P90)

Understanding these Speech-Language Pathologist salary numbers

We report percentiles, not a single average, because pay isn't evenly spread — a handful of very high earners would drag an average upward and mislead you. Here's exactly what each figure means.

Median (P50) — $112,282

Half of Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin earn more than this and half earn less. It's the most honest "typical" salary — better than an average, which gets skewed by a few top earners.

25th percentile (P25) — $93,600

The lower end of the typical range: 75% of Speech-Language Pathologists earn more than this. It's common for early-career roles or lower-cost employers. Earning below it is grounds to negotiate.

75th percentile (P75) — $134,692

Your negotiation target: only 25% of Speech-Language Pathologists earn above it. Reaching P75 usually means seniority, in-demand specialisations, or simply negotiating from data. See how to negotiate.

90th percentile (P90) — $158,722

Top earners: only 10% of Speech-Language Pathologists make this or more — typically senior, highly specialised, or at the best-paying employers.

Gross vs after-tax pay

These figures are gross (before tax). What actually reaches your account depends on your country, state, and deductions. Estimate your net with the take-home calculator.

National vs Austin pay

City figures apply the local market premium to BLS data, so Austin differs from the US average by +15%. A higher number isn't always better once cost of living is counted.

Hourly rate — $54/hr

The hourly figure is the annual median divided by 2,080 (40 hours × 52 weeks). If you regularly work more than 40 hours, your real hourly rate is lower than this. Convert any salary with the salary calculator.

Why this differs from Glassdoor or Payscale

Those sites publish what people say they earn (self-reports), which skew high because higher earners report more often. Our figures come from mandatory employer payroll records (BLS OEWS), so they reflect the whole market — not just a vocal subset.

How current and reliable is this number?

This page carries a confidence score of 100/100, based on the data source and coverage. US figures track the latest BLS release and refresh automatically; international figures use OECD/ILO data. See the changelog for live data freshness.

What counts as a "good" Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin?

Around the median ($112,282) is solid and $134,692+ is strong — but "good" really depends on local costs. Check what the number is actually worth with the good-salary breakdown for Austin.

Still curious how we get these numbers? Every figure is traceable to a primary source — see the full methodology and data sources.

Cite or reuse this data

Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin, TX: median $112,282 (P75 $134,692), per BLS OEWS via Official Salary, 2026.

Free JSON: /api/salary?job=speech-therapist&city=austin — no key. API & widgets →

Key insights for Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin

✓ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated July 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Confidence: LowMethodology
  • Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin earn about 15% more than the national median for the role ($112K vs $98K).
  • Cost of living in Austin runs about 12% above the US average, so $112K is worth roughly $100K at national prices.
  • After a simplified take-home estimate, $112K nets about $83K/yr — roughly $45K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
  • Pay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Speech-Language Pathologist reaches about $144K — a +28% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdict™
Typical Range

Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin typically earn $94K–$135K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $112K — half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $159K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)Updated monthly via BLS APIHuman-reviewed methodologyConfidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy →

Speech-Language Pathologist Salary Analysis — Austin

Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin earn a median salary of $112K, which is 15% above the national median of $98K. Austin's established technology sector sustains above-average demand for this role, supporting premium compensation.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Austin.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Austin's cost of living is 12% above the US average. Your $112K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $100K in a city with average US living costs.

$112K
Nominal salary
+12%
CoL vs US avg
$100K
Real value

Salary Distribution — Austin

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$79,430

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$93,600

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$112,282

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$134,692

Senior / high-performer — target

P90Top 10%
$158,722

Staff / principal / lead

Speech-Language Pathologist salary chart for Austin, TX, 2026: median $112K, top 25% earn $135K+, from BLS employer payroll data
Speech-Language Pathologist pay in Austin — free to share with attributionDownload chart
+15%
vs US avg
+19%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jul 30, 2026

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Official Salary Fair Pay Score™

Is $112K a good salary for Speech-Language Pathologist in Austin?

Based on BLS data for 112,282 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median — in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $79K·Median: $112K·Top 10%: $159K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted · 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $112K for Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin

+15%
TX market level
TX pays 15% above the global baseline for this profession.
+12%
Austin metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+3%
Steady demand for Speech-Language Pathologists
Consistent hiring demand keeps wages competitive.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Speech-Language Pathologist Salary by Experience Level in Austin

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$78,597$6,550$38
Junior22 yrs$96,563$8,047$46
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$107,042$8,920$51
Senior66 yrs$118,570$9,881$57
Staff1010 yrs$143,721$11,977$69
Principal1414 yrs$165,279$13,773$79
Distinguished1818 yrs$170,669$14,222$82

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More — Speech-Language Pathologist

Estimated premium above the Austin median based on market demand

Language Assessment+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
AAC+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
Dysphagia+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
Articulation Therapy+4% ≈ +$4K/yr
Documentation+4% ≈ +$4K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Speech-Language Pathologist Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown — from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth × 1.4 + (100 − AI risk) × 0.4

B62/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+19%/yr
AI Displacement Risk12% — Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+2.4%/yr
Good: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
$118K
In 2 yrs
$127K
In 5 yrs
$143K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation — Speech-Language Pathologist

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$143K$153K
per year
Base (76%)Bonus (6%)Equity (2%)Benefits (17%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$112,282
Annual Bonus
Typical: 3–12% of base
$8,421
Equity (annualised)
~3% of base — RSUs/options
$2,807
Benefits Value
~22% — healthcare, 401k, PTO
$24,702
Total Comp (mid)
$148,212

Bonus, equity, and benefits are modelled estimates from category norms (not scraped from any single employer); base is BLS. Actual total comp varies by employer, level, and negotiation.

Typical Benefits for Speech-Language Pathologists

— show

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Speech-Language Pathologist Salaries by City

How Austin, TX stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Austin, TX (current)$112,282$134,692++15%
New York, NY$119,548$143,409++22%
San Francisco, CA$141,321$169,527++44%
Seattle, WA$139,695$167,577++43%
Boston, MA$125,361$150,382++28%
Chicago, IL$103,493$124,149++6%
Los Angeles, CA$106,617$127,897++9%
Denver, CO$118,158$141,741++21%
Washington DC, DC$135,190$162,173++38%

Official Salary Career GPS™

What should I do next as a Speech-Language Pathologist?

O*NET · US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin, TX?

The median Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin, TX is $112K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $135K+ per year.

What is a good Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin, TX?

The 75th percentile ($135K/yr) is the professional benchmark — what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($112K) is above-average for this role in Austin, TX.

How much does a Speech-Language Pathologist earn per hour in Austin, TX?

Based on the median annual salary of $112K, a Speech-Language Pathologist in Austin, TX earns approximately $54/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$65/hr.

Is Austin, TX a good market for Speech-Language Pathologists?

Austin, TX pays 15% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Speech-Language Pathologists is growing 19% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin, TX?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($135K) — it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

What is the entry-level Speech-Language Pathologist salary in Austin, TX?

Entry-level Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin, TX (10th–25th percentile) earn roughly $79K–$94K per year, rising toward the $112K median with experience and in-demand skills.

What does a senior Speech-Language Pathologist earn in Austin, TX?

Senior Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin, TX — the top quartile up to the 90th percentile — earn about $135K–$159K per year, with the top 10% making $159K+.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology — no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey — a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Austin figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Austin, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median ÷ national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less — this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates — actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

What a Speech-Language Pathologist salary really means in Austin

Take-home pay, rent affordability, and remote benchmarking — on the $112,282 median.

Estimated take-home

$87,149/yr

$7,262/month net

Gross median
$112,282
Income tax
$16,543
Social / FICA
$8,590
Effective rate
22%

Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies. Single-filer estimate — not tax advice.

Rent affordability

17%

of take-home on a typical 1-bed (~$1,222/mo)

The 30% rule says housing should stay under 30% of take-home. Here it's comfortably within that line. After all living costs (~$2,910/mo), roughly $4,352/mo is left to save or invest.

Cost-of-living data for Austin; rent ≈ 42% of budget.

Remote vs onsite

$97,870$112,282

typical fully-remote benchmark range

Onsite Speech-Language Pathologists in Austin earn the local median of $112,282. Fully-remote roles are usually benchmarked between the US median ($97,870) and the local rate — employers increasingly set remote pay by national or regional bands, not your city.

Compare all Speech-Language Pathologist markets →
✓ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated July 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Confidence: LowMethodology

How to reach the top 25% as a Speech-Language Pathologist in Austin

The gap between a typical Speech-Language Pathologist and the top quartile in Austin is $22,410/year — about $1,868/month more than the median. Reaching the 75th percentile ($134,692) usually comes down to seniority, in-demand specialisations, and negotiating from real data instead of hoping for a raise.

Speech-Language Pathologist Salary Trend (2019–2024)

BLS OES historical national medians

2019 median
$98K
2024 median
$98K

Source: BLS OEWS 2019–2024. City-level data uses national trend × metro premium.

Education Premium — Speech-Language Pathologist

How degree level affects salary · ACS Census data

High School / GED
-45%
~$62K
Associate's Degree
-18%
~$92K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
~$112K
Master's Degree
+20%
~$135K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$132K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+130%
~$258K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS · BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

📊Your exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
🚪Walking-away floor so you know when to move on
Austin benchmarks
$112K
Market median
$135K
P75 target
$159K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

Enter your current salary to see your market position and opening ask

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Speech-Language Pathologist in Austin — Distribution
P10
$79K
P25
$94K
P50
$112K
P75
$135K
P90
$159K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position

Data Source & Attribution

Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (1.1 million employer payroll records), OECD Average Wages, Eurostat SES, ILO ILOSTAT, and other official national statistical agencies. Data is updated via ISR and reflects the most recent release cycle.

BLS.OEWS.2026.v2

Jul 30, 2026

Full methodology →
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