Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in North Carolina is $86,460/year ($41.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $121K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $93,309 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 23% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $86K actually covers in North Carolina, month by month
About speech-language pathologists
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Pay for speech-language pathologists in North Carolina runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $98K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 23.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, North Carolina can be a reasonable trade-off for speech-language pathologists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $121K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Speech-Language Pathologists salary by metro in North Carolina
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville | $102K | +17% | 240 |
| Rocky Mount | $94K | +9% | 60 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $91K | +5% | 1,260 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $87K | +1% | 1,050 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $86K | -0% | 130 |
| Winston-Salem | $86K | -1% | 340 |
| Asheville | $85K | -2% | 290 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $83K | -3% | 390 |
| Wilmington | $82K | -5% | 300 |
| Fayetteville | $82K | -5% | 220 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $79K | -8% | 90 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $79K | -9% | 430 |
| Jacksonville | $78K | -9% | 60 |
| Burlington | $77K | -10% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 23.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,013/month. At HUD’s $1,284/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 North Carolina?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $86K here vs. $98K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
North Carolina pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in North Carolina?
The median is $86,460 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,800, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $121,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,443/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 23.6% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $93,309 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.