Speech-Language Pathologists pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,470 a year or less, while the top 10% make $124,400 or more. The middle half of speech-language pathologists in Chicago earn between $77,960 and $109,640.
- $62K10th
- $78K25th
- $98KMedian
- $110K75th
- $124K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $95,200 | $7,933 | $45.77 |
| Median | $98,490 | $8,208 | $47.35 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,960 | $6,497 | $37.48 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $109,640 | $9,137 | $52.71 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Speech-Language Pathologists salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $95,200, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $71,232 a year, or $5,936 a month and $2,740 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $72,977 | $6,081 |
| Working in IL | $71,232 | $5,936 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for speech-language pathologists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $95,200 buys what about $91,896 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 3.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Speech-Language Pathologists salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$95,200
- Rockford$90,170
- Decatur$88,750
- Springfield$86,680
- Champaign$85,810
- Bloomington$83,580
- Peoria$83,110
- Kankakee$82,030
Highest-paying cities for speech-language pathologists
El Centro, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($139,700).
- El Centro, CA$139,700
- Napa, CA$135,020
- San Jose, CA$134,270
- Santa Rosa, CA$132,480
- San Francisco, CA$130,240
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Speech-Language Pathologists salary in Chicago: questions
How much do speech-language pathologists make an hour in Chicago?
$45.77 an hour on average, and $47.35 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level speech-language pathologists salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $62,470 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,960, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the speech-language pathologists take-home pay in Chicago?
About $71,232 a year ($5,936 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $95,200.
Do speech-language pathologists earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% less 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.34, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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