Nursing Vs. Speech Pathologist Wages (2024)

Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, are not doctors, but they are medical personnel who work with patients suffering from disorders that hamper their ability to communicate, such as speech impediments. Nurses are medical personnel who provide direct care to a wide variety of patients and can find work in almost every conceivable medical field.

Whether or not a nurse would make more per hour than a speech-language pathologist depends on the level and type of nursing practice. Further, nursing and SLP salary by state reflects the divergent cost of living across the country. The list of the fastest-growing healthcare jobs in the U.S. includes nurse practitioners and SLPs, as reported by CNBC in 2021, making both fields good career choices with attractive wages.

Pay for Speech-Language Pathologists

What do speech pathologists do? Their focus depends on work setting, but most find jobs in hospitals or schools where they diagnose and treat individuals with speech disorders. Speech-language pathologists generally need a master's degree before being licensed to practice.

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As of 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported speech-language pathologists earned an average wage of ​$38.01​ per hour, and half of all speech-language pathologists working in the United States made between ​$29.79​ and ​$48.18​ an hour.

Nearly half were employed in elementary and secondary schools, earning an average of ​$36.37​ per hour. Those in healthcare who were employed in SLP jobs (hospital settings) averaged ​$44.14​ per hour, while those working in private practice earned an average hourly wage of ​$43.68​. Annual SLP salary by state ranged from ​$63,300​ in South Dakota to ​$102,650​ in California.

Wages for Licensed Practical Nurses

Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses (or LPN and LVN, respectively) typically have between six months and one year of postsecondary education. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they tend to make less than speech-language pathologists. As of 2021, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earned an average of ​$24.93​ per hour, according to BLS. Those employed in general hospitals averaged ​$23.10​ per hour, while LPNs and LVNs working at physician's offices averaged ​$22.57​ per hour.

Wages for Registered Nurses

Registered nurses, or RNs, usually have an associate degree or bachelor's degree in nursing, and they tend to make comparable wages to speech-language pathologists. As of 2021, the BLS reported that RNs earned an average of ​$39.78​ per hour. Those employed in physician's offices averaged ​$35.51​ per hour, while RNs working in general hospitals averaged ​$40.88​ an hour and those employed by specialty hospitals averaged ​$40.77​ per hour.

Advanced Practice Nurses

Advanced practice nurses, or nurse practitioners, are registered nurses who have gained additional education, usually a master's degree or doctorate. Advanced practice nurses tend to earn more than speech-language pathologists, as indicated by BLS data. For example, nurse practitioners overall averaged ​$56.75​ per hour, with 50 percent of these professionals reporting salaries ranging between ​$99,540​ and ​$129,350​ per year. Salaries by state ranged from ​$95,120​ in Tennessee to ​$151,830​ in California.

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