Prevailing Wage for Speech-Language Pathologists
Prevailing wages for Speech-Language Pathologists are set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level clinicians to fully competent practitioners. Whether you work as a Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP) or a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP), the floor your employer must meet depends on your level and the worksite city.
See all jobs for Speech-Language PathologistsLook up your work address
Level 1 covers entry-level speech-language pathologists with limited professional experience, typically new graduates in their first supervised clinical role. DOL expects minimal independent judgment and close supervision throughout the workday.
Level 2 applies to qualified speech-language pathologists with a solid foundation of clinical experience and independent caseload management. This is the most common LCA filing level for speech-language pathologists across hospital, school, and outpatient settings.
Level 3 describes experienced clinicians who exercise significant independent judgment, often specializing in a population such as pediatrics or fluency disorders, and who may guide less experienced staff or contribute to program development.
Level 4 reflects fully competent senior clinicians, supervisors, or clinical leads who set standards for a department, manage complex cases with full autonomy, and may hold responsibilities across multiple sites or service lines.
Prevailing Wage for Speech-Language Pathologists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for Speech-Language Pathologists
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Speech-Language Pathologists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Speech-Language Pathologists
Watch for school-district title aliasing
Positions filed as Speech and Language Specialist or Speech and Language Teacher sometimes appear under an educational SOC rather than 29-1127, which can produce a lower prevailing wage floor. Confirm the SOC code on the certified LCA matches your clinical duties.
Account for contract-agency wage structures
Many speech-language pathologists enter the U.S. through staffing agencies placing them in schools or hospitals. Agency LCAs must still meet the prevailing wage for the actual worksite city, not the agency's headquarters location, which matters most in high-cost California metros.
Understand the California metro wage gap
San Jose, San Francisco, and Santa Rosa post prevailing wages well above the national median at every level, while Pocatello and Hattiesburg sit far below. If your offer is near the national median but the worksite is in a high-cost California metro, the offer may fall short of the floor.
Find employers sponsoring speech pathologists on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate shows which employers have historical H-1B or green card sponsorship records specifically for speech-language pathologists, so you can focus on healthcare systems and school districts with a proven track record of sponsoring this occupation.
Jobs for Speech-Language Pathologists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Speech-Language PathologistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1127.00 alongside Speech-Language Pathologists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP) Prevailing Wage
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP) Prevailing Wage
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist (Bilingual SLP) positions fall under SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP) Prevailing Wage
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (Pediatric SLP) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Speech and Language Clinician Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Clinician Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Clinician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Speech and Language Specialist Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Specialist Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Specialist positions fall under SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Speech and Language Teacher Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Teacher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Speech and Language Teacher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Speech and Language Therapist Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Therapist Prevailing Wage
Speech and Language Therapist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Speech Clinician Prevailing Wage
Speech Clinician Prevailing Wage
Speech Clinician positions fall under SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Speech Pathologist Prevailing Wage
Speech Pathologist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Speech Pathologist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Speech Therapist Prevailing Wage
Speech Therapist Prevailing Wage
Speech Therapist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Prevailing Wage
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Prevailing Wage
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) positions fall under SOC 29-1127.00 (Speech-Language Pathologists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Speech-Language Pathologists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to set prevailing wages for each SOC occupation, including Speech-Language Pathologists (SOC 29-1127). Wages are updated annually and published through the OFLC Wage Search tool. For PERM-based green card cases, employers may alternatively request a formal Prevailing Wage Determination from OFLC.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to me?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level roles with close supervision, Level 2 to qualified practitioners managing independent caseloads, Level 3 to experienced clinicians exercising significant clinical judgment, and Level 4 to senior or supervisory roles. Your level is determined by your actual duties and experience, not your job title. Employers document this determination when filing the LCA with OFLC.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same speech pathologist role differ so much by city?
DOL derives wages from regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage floor. The LCA rule requires employers to use the prevailing wage for the specific worksite listed on the form, not a national average. Dense markets like San Jose and San Francisco, where healthcare systems compete for licensed clinicians, produce survey results significantly above what rural or lower-cost metros report.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA to USCIS if the offered wage falls below the applicable DOL prevailing wage or the employer's actual wage for the same role, whichever is higher. If the offer is too low, OFLC will not certify the LCA and the H-1B or PERM petition cannot proceed. The employer must raise the offered wage to meet the floor before refiling.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Search the OFLC Wage Search tool by SOC code 29-1127 and your target metropolitan area to retrieve the current four-level wage floor. For a broader view of which employers have filed LCAs for speech-language pathologist roles and at what wage levels, Migrate Mate lists employers with verified sponsorship history so you can identify which healthcare systems and districts actively hire and sponsor this role.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Speech-Language Pathologists right now.
Search Jobs for Speech-Language Pathologists