Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Lake Charles, LA is $64,720/year ($31.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $75,387 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 28.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Lake Charles?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lake Charles’s Regional Price Parity (85.85). 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 Lake Charles
Pay for speech-language pathologists in Lake Charles runs about 34% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,217/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for speech-language pathologists in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $65K | $72K |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $77K | $84K |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $61K | $66K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $79K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Charles, LA
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $68K 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 Lake Charles?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 28.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,209/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is speech-language pathologist a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Local pay runs 34% below the national median — $65K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Lake Charles pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $64,720 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,480, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $121,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,312/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 28.2% 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 Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has a Regional Price Parity of 85.85 (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 $75,387 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.