Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Merced, CA is $114,220/year ($54.91/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $116,219 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,503/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $114K get you in Merced?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Merced’s Regional Price Parity (98.28). 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 Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for speech-language pathologists, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,503/month, 22% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Merced 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 Merced, 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, Merced, CA
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $114K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $84K 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 Merced?
Yes — at the median salary of $114K, rent takes 22% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,764/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Merced?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $114K here vs. $98K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Merced pays $114K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $116K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Merced, CA?
The median is $114,220 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,400, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $163,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $114K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,832/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 22% 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 Merced?
Merced has a Regional Price Parity of 98.28 (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 $116,219 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.