Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Kentucky is $83,550/year ($40.17/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $92,597 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $84K get you in Kentucky?
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for speech-language pathologists in Kentucky runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,110/month, 20.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Kentucky can be a reasonable trade-off for speech-language pathologistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $103K | +24% | 710 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $87K | +5% | 360 |
| Bowling Green | $83K | -1% | 140 |
| Owensboro | $81K | -3% | 70 |
| Elizabethtown | $79K | -5% | 50 |
| Paducah | $74K | -12% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track speech-language pathologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a speech-language pathologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 20.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,795/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is speech-language pathologist a high-paying job in Kentucky?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $84K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Kentucky pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Kentucky?
The median is $83,550 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,250, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $121,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,319/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 20.9% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $92,597 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.