Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Speech-Language Pathologist Salary in Houston, TX

Speech-Language Pathologists in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $100,400 a year — 3% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $79,461 take-home, or $6,622 a month.

Median salary
$100,400
$48.27 per hour
Typical range
$69,650 – $135,580
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Houston, TX
3,780
0.97× national concentration
▲4.0%
Pay trend: The median for speech-language pathologists in Houston, TX rose from $96,570 (May 2024) to $100,400 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median speech-language pathologist salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Speech-Language Pathologist in Houston, TX
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$79,461
per year · effective tax rate 20.9%
$6,622Monthly
$3,311Twice a month
$3,056Every 2 weeks
$38.20Hourly
  • Federal income tax$13,258
  • Social Security (6.2%)$6,225
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,456
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$79,461

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Speech-Language Pathologist pay by experience in Houston, TX

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$69,650$33.49$57,829$4,819
25th percentile$79,810$38.37$64,976$5,415
Median (50th)$100,400$48.27$79,461$6,622
75th percentile$120,770$58.06$93,792$7,816
90th percentile (top earners)$135,580$65.18$103,935$8,661

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $100,400 buys in Houston, TX

Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median speech-language pathologist's $79,461 take-home pay has the buying power of $80,566 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,316
20% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,558
24% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$5,306
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Speech-Language Pathologist jobs are about as common in Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.97).

Best-paying cities for speech-language pathologists, adjusted for cost of living

Houston, TX ranks #2 of 14 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Austin, TX $106,290$83,605$85,254
2Houston, TX $100,400$79,461$80,566
3Denver, CO $112,090$83,462$78,900
4Dallas, TX $99,540$78,856$76,493
5Atlanta, GA $102,860$76,476$76,432
6Philadelphia, PA $100,080$76,164$74,267
7Phoenix, AZ $98,040$75,559$73,134
8Chicago, IL $98,490$73,387$70,841

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 14 metros →

About the job: speech-language pathologists

Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. May select alternative communication systems and teach their use. May perform research related to speech and language problems.

Typical education
Master's degree
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Internship/residency
Job outlook, 2025–35
+16.6% (much faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Speech-Language Pathologist salaries elsewhere in Texas

Frequently asked questions

How much does a speech-language pathologist make in Houston, TX?

The median speech-language pathologist salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $100,400 a year, or about $48.27 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $79,810 and $120,770.

What is a speech-language pathologist’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?

On the median $100,400 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $79,461 a year ($6,622 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a speech-language pathologist?

Pay here is 3% above the national median of $97,870. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $80,566 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #2 of 14 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a speech-language pathologist afford rent in Houston, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 20% of a median speech-language pathologist’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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