Colorado is ranked fourth in the nation for average SLP Salary at $82,340 by the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. However, factoring in cost of living adjustments makes that salary feel like you’re earning $81,043. After adjusting every state’s average salary for cost of living, Colorado comes out on top for the state with the highest “actual” earnings for a Speech Language Pathologist. Obviously, figuring out where you can earn the most as an SLP is a pretty complicated process.
Where do SLP’s earn the most?
When looking at a salary offer, knowing cost of living is extremely important when negotiating pay. You need to know how much purchasing power your salary has, in order to see what it is really worth.
The top five states for average salary for Speech Language Pathologists are as follows:
- New Jersey ($83,730)
- California ($83,570)
- Maryland ($83,000)
- Colorado ($82,340)
- Connecticut ($81,800)
But, when you factor in cost of living everything gets turned around:
- New Jersey drops from #1 to #16
- California drops from #2 to #14
- Maryland drops from #3 to #10,
- and Connecticut drops from #5 to #9
Only one of the states stays in the actual Top 5, and that is Colorado, which steals the #1 ranking from New Jersey. In other words, your earnings go farther in Colorado than New Jersey!
The REAL Top 5 When Considering Cost of Living
Your dollar simply does not go as far in some states as it does in others. Fortunately there are resources out there to help you navigate how your pay will change with cost of living. When you figure in cost of living, the top five speech language pathologist salaries are as follows:
- Colorado ($81,043)
- Ohio ($78,004)
- Indiana ($77,519)
- Rhode Island ($77,376)
- Michigan ($76,642)
This adjusted top 5 showcases the Midwest, showing how paying attention to purchasing power may completely change your job hunt.
Where Does My State Rank?
If you haven’t seen your state in either of these lists, you are probably wondering where you rank. Or perhaps you are looking into relocating to another state, and are wondering if it will be worth it. Either way, the Career Center Hub at Rasmussen.edu has a great resource for comparing actual average salaries for Speech-Language Pathologists in any state.
Another valuable resource for understanding your earning power is the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which enables you to compare states by Real Personal Income (RPI). RPI not only takes into account cost of living, but also the change of dollar in that state over time, showing the lasting purchasing power in that state.
Finding A Great Speech Language Pathologist Job
Finding the best place to practice Speech Language Pathology takes some careful research into not only salary, but also cost of living and other factors that make the job a great fit.
Location, employer type, company culture, setting, access to your favorite recreational activities, or nearness to loved ones may be more important to you than maximizing your earning power. Finding a great job requires more than just figuring out who will pay the most.
Do you need help finding your next job? PT Solutions specializes in placing PT, PTA, OT, COTA, and SLP professionals. We’re the company that premier hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, and schools call when they need a therapist to cover medical leave of absences or to fill a permanent opening. Check out the therapist job openings on our website, today!
