Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Cedar Rapids, IA is $77,550/year ($37.29/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $87,174 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 18.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). 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 Cedar Rapids
Pay for speech-language pathologists in Cedar Rapids runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $956/month, 19.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cedar Rapids can be a reasonable trade-off for speech-language pathologistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for speech-language pathologists in metros near Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $84K | $92K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $78K | $88K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $81K | $93K |
| Iowa City | $79K | $86K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $40K 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 Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 19.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,781/month. At HUD’s $956/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 Cedar Rapids?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $78K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Cedar Rapids pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $77,550 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,010, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $103,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,912/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 19.5% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (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 $87,174 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.