Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Bakersfield-Delano, CA is $117,350/year ($56.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $98K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $116,315 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,483/month, or 20.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $117K get you in Bakersfield-Delano?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bakersfield-Delano’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in Bakersfield-Delano
Bakersfield-Delano sits well above the national pay line for speech-language pathologists, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,483/month, 21.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Bakersfield-Delano offers a genuinely strong financial position for speech-language pathologistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for speech-language pathologists in metros near Bakersfield-Delano, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $110K | $97K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $119K | $111K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | $113K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $120K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $98K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Speech-Language Pathologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $119K | +22% | 16,930 |
| Colorado | $111K | +13% | 4,420 |
| District of Columbia | $109K | +12% | 390 |
| Washington | $106K | +8% | 3,570 |
| Nevada | $105K | +7% | 1,270 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | +6% | 720 |
| Delaware | $103K | +5% | 690 |
| Alaska | $103K | +5% | 340 |
| Oregon | $103K | +5% | 1,600 |
| New Jersey | $102K | +4% | 6,840 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | +4% | 5,290 |
| New York | $101K | +3% | 15,310 |
| Connecticut | $100K | +2% | 2,390 |
| Florida | $100K | +2% | 10,080 |
| Texas | $100K | +2% | 19,120 |
| Maryland | $99K | +1% | 3,510 |
| New Mexico | $99K | +1% | 1,250 |
| Arizona | $98K | -0% | 3,390 |
| Hawaii | $98K | -0% | 270 |
| Georgia | $97K | -1% | 4,030 |
| Virginia | $96K | -2% | 4,460 |
| Illinois | $95K | -3% | 9,040 |
| Ohio | $93K | -5% | 7,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $93K | -5% | 6,570 |
| Utah | $92K | -6% | 1,460 |
| South Carolina | $91K | -7% | 2,190 |
| Minnesota | $89K | -9% | 3,890 |
| Missouri | $89K | -9% | 3,230 |
| Michigan | $89K | -9% | 4,730 |
| Indiana | $87K | -11% | 3,310 |
| North Carolina | $86K | -12% | 5,600 |
| Tennessee | $85K | -14% | 3,320 |
| Oklahoma | $84K | -14% | 1,870 |
| Idaho | $84K | -14% | 1,210 |
| Nebraska | $84K | -14% | 1,310 |
| Arkansas | $84K | -15% | 2,430 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -15% | 2,610 |
| New Hampshire | $83K | -15% | 720 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -15% | 2,940 |
| Maine | $83K | -16% | 640 |
| Vermont | $82K | -16% | 430 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -16% | 240 |
| Iowa | $81K | -17% | 1,540 |
| West Virginia | $81K | -17% | 880 |
| Kansas | $80K | -18% | 1,690 |
| Montana | $79K | -20% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $78K | -20% | 1,790 |
| North Dakota | $75K | -23% | 630 |
| Alabama | $74K | -25% | 2,060 |
| Louisiana | $70K | -29% | 3,000 |
| South Dakota | $66K | -33% | 410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track speech-language pathologists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a speech-language pathologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 21.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Bakersfield-Delano?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $98K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,889/month. At HUD’s $1,483/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is speech-language pathologist a high-paying job in Bakersfield-Delano?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $117K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Bakersfield-Delano compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Bakersfield-Delano pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median is $117,350 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $98,150, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $147,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Bakersfield-Delano?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,991/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,483/month, which eats 21.2% 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 Bakersfield-Delano?
Bakersfield-Delano has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median speech-language pathologists salary is worth about $116,315 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.