Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Alabama is $73,660/year ($35.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $83,364 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 22.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $74K actually covers in Alabama, month by month
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for speech-language pathologists in Alabama runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,085/month, 23% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Alabama can be a reasonable trade-off for speech-language pathologists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden | $80K | +9% | 90 |
| Tuscaloosa | $78K | +6% | 70 |
| Birmingham | $76K | +3% | 600 |
| Huntsville | $75K | +1% | 230 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $74K | +1% | 60 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $73K | -1% | 40 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $71K | -3% | 80 |
| Montgomery | $71K | -4% | 120 |
| Dothan | $70K | -5% | 70 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $70K | -5% | 30 |
| Mobile | $69K | -6% | 160 |
| Decatur | $67K | -9% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a speech-language pathologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 23% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,826/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is speech-language pathologist a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $74K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Alabama pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Alabama?
The median is $73,660 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,010, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $109,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,724/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 23% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a speech-language pathologists salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median speech-language pathologists salary is worth about $83,364 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do speech-language pathologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.