SOC 29-1127 · Modesto, CA metro

Speech-Language Pathologists Salary in Modesto, CA

The average salary for speech-language pathologists in Modesto, California is $120,890 a year ($58.12 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $116,770: half of the 220 people in this job in the Modesto, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 22% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($99,493).

$120,890average per year

$58.12 / hourMedian $116,770Take-home ≈ $86,725

  • $89K10th
  • $101K25th
  • $117KMedian
  • $132K75th
  • $168K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

220people in this job
+22%vs U.S. metro average
#12 of 25California metros
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Speech-Language Pathologists pay range in Modesto

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $89,370 a year or less, while the top 10% make $168,470 or more. The middle half of speech-language pathologists in Modesto earn between $101,280 and $132,330.

  • $89K10th
  • $101K25th
  • $117KMedian
  • $132K75th
  • $168K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$120,890$10,074$58.12
Median$116,770$9,731$56.14
Entry level (25th percentile)$101,280$8,440$48.69
Experienced (75th percentile)$132,330$11,028$63.62

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Speech-Language Pathologists salary after taxes in Modesto

On the average salary of $120,890, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $86,725 a year, or $7,227 a month and $3,336 every two weeks. Taxes take 28% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

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Is Modesto a good place for speech-language pathologists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $120,890 buys what about $116,120 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 3.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $120,890 is worth in another city

Speech-Language Pathologists salary in other California cities

Modesto ranks 12th of 25 California metro areas for this job; El Centro pays the most ($139,700).

All Speech-Language Pathologists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for speech-language pathologists

El Centro, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($139,700).

Speech-Language Pathologists salary by city

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Speech-Language Pathologists salary in Modesto: questions

How much do speech-language pathologists make an hour in Modesto?

$58.12 an hour on average, and $56.14 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level speech-language pathologists salary in Modesto?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $89,370 a year and the 25th percentile is $101,280, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the speech-language pathologists take-home pay in Modesto?

About $86,725 a year ($7,227 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $120,890. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do speech-language pathologists earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?

The average here is 22% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($99,493).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-1127; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.4%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.98, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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