Speech-Language Pathologists Salary
The median pay for a speech-language pathologists in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $101,400/year ($48.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $89K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $97,810 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,960/month, or 28.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $101K get you in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Speech-language pathologists pay in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater tracks closely to the national median, $101K locally vs. $98K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,960/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for speech-language pathologists in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $109K | $98K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $101K | $100K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $103K | $103K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $104K | $99K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level speech-language pathologists (10th percentile) start around $89K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $37K 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 29.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for speech-language pathologists in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new speech-language pathologists typically earn — is $89K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,315/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $101K locally vs. $98K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for speech-language pathologists?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — below the national median.
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $101,400 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $88,590, and experienced speech-language pathologists can clear $125,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,643/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 29.5% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median speech-language pathologists salary is worth about $97,810 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.