SOC 29-1127 · Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro

Speech-Language Pathologists Salary in Lakeland, FL

The average salary for speech-language pathologists in Lakeland, Florida is $85,320 a year ($41.02 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $86,550: half of the 220 people in this job in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($98,170).

$85,320average per year

$41.02 / hourMedian $86,550Take-home ≈ $68,853

  • $60K10th
  • $60K25th
  • $87KMedian
  • $102K75th
  • $109K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

220people in this job
-13%vs U.S. average
#20 of 21Florida metros
97cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Speech-Language Pathologists pay range in Lakeland

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $108,770 or more. The middle half of speech-language pathologists in Lakeland earn between $59,940 and $102,450.

  • $60K10th
  • $60K25th
  • $87KMedian
  • $102K75th
  • $109K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$85,320$7,110$41.02
Median$86,550$7,212$41.61
Entry level (25th percentile)$59,940$4,995$28.82
Experienced (75th percentile)$102,450$8,538$49.25

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

Speech-Language Pathologists pay in Lakeland vs. Florida and the U.S.

Speech-language pathologists in Lakeland earn 12% less than the Florida average ($96,710) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($98,170). At the median the gap is -12% against the U.S. median of $97,870.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Lakeland$85,320$86,550$59,890$108,770220
Florida$96,710$99,990$69,970$122,05010,080
United States$98,170$97,870$62,900$134,160183,390

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Speech-Language Pathologists salary after taxes in Lakeland

On the average salary of $85,320, a single filer in Lakeland takes home about $68,853 a year, or $5,738 a month and $2,648 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

Florida paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Lakeland area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $85,320 buys what about $87,831 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Lakeland ($46,140). A typical home costs $298,816, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $85,320 is worth in another city

Speech-Language Pathologists salary in other Florida cities

Lakeland ranks 20th of 21 Florida metro areas for this job; Naples pays the most ($109,560).

All Speech-Language Pathologists salaries in Florida

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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Reviewed before it counts. Speech-Language Pathologists in Lakeland, FL.

Speech-Language Pathologists salary in Lakeland: questions

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

$41.02 an hour on average, and $41.61 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,940, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $68,853 a year ($5,738 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $85,320. Florida has no state income tax.

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

The average here is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($98,170).

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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL (29460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.9%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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 no state income tax.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.69, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.69).

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