Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Louisiana is $69,610/year ($33.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $79,755 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $70K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for speech-language pathologists in Louisiana runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $1,191/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $79K | +14% | 210 |
| Monroe | $79K | +13% | 190 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $77K | +11% | 550 |
| Alexandria | $77K | +11% | 90 |
| Lafayette | $70K | +0% | 200 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $67K | -4% | 160 |
| Baton Rouge | $65K | -7% | 610 |
| Lake Charles | $65K | -7% | 210 |
| Hammond | $61K | -12% | 70 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $61K | -13% | 300 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Louisiana 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 Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 26% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,610/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $70K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Louisiana pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Louisiana?
The median is $69,610 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,480, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $107,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,582/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 26% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $79,755 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.