Speech-Language Pathologists · North Carolina

Speech-Language Pathologists Salary in North Carolina

Speech-Language Pathologists in North Carolina earn a median annual wage of $86,460 —11.7% below the national median of $97,870. That ranks NC #31 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$86,460
Median hourly
$41.57
Entry level (P10)
$60,800
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$121,040
90th percentile
Employment
5,600
1.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-11.7%
U.S. $97,870

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$60,800
$71,160
$86,460
$103,020
$60,800$86,460$121,040
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $86,460.

Employment concentration (0.96×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for speech-language pathologists

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. North Carolina is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1California$118,970$57.2016,9300.79
2Colorado$110,750$53.254,4201.30
3District of Columbia$109,380$52.593900.47
4Washington$105,550$50.743,5700.85
5Nevada$104,510$50.251,2700.69
6Rhode Island$104,000$50.007201.22
7Delaware$102,760$49.406901.21
8Alaska$102,670$49.363400.89
9Oregon$102,660$49.351,6000.69
10New Jersey$101,560$48.836,8401.35

Related occupations in North Carolina

Occupations in the same job family, compared within North Carolina.

OccupationNorth Carolina medianU.S. median
Registered Nurses$84,350$97,550
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$63,270$64,400
Pharmacy Technicians$44,530$45,750
Physicians, All Other$260,330$265,930
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians$60,650$62,930
Nurse Practitioners$128,990$132,300

Frequently asked questions

How much do speech-language pathologists make in North Carolina?

The median annual wage for speech-language pathologists in North Carolina is $86,460, or $41.57 per hour. That is 11.7% below the national median of $97,870.

What is the entry-level speech-language pathologists salary in North Carolina?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $60,800 per year ($29.23/hour). The 25th percentile is $71,160.

How many people work as speech-language pathologists in North Carolina?

About 5,600 people work in this occupation in North Carolina, or 1.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is North Carolina a good state for speech-language pathologists?

North Carolina ranks #31 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.96x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays speech-language pathologists the most?

California has the highest median wage at $118,970 per year, followed by Colorado ($110,750) and District of Columbia ($109,380).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes