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Best states for a speech and language specialist
Quoted expert
Daniel Martin Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
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- 41 - 51
It seems like speech and language specialists are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for speech and language specialists aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for speech and language specialist jobs.
We figured that the best places for speech and language specialist jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the Midwest is best for speech and language specialists, and the West is the worst. Colusa, CA is the best city in the country for speech and language specialist jobs, where as Virginia is the best state in the country.
10 best states for speech and language specialists in 2026
1. Virginia
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 545 Average annual salary: $76,130 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
2. California
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 1,927 Average annual salary: $78,946 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
3. Washington
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 426 Average annual salary: $75,070 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
4. Louisiana
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 176 Average annual salary: $71,535 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
5. Delaware
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 89 Average annual salary: $69,629 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
6. Nevada
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $78,554 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
7. New Mexico
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 151 Average annual salary: $66,332 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
8. Missouri
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 264 Average annual salary: $72,422 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 0.85
9. Connecticut
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 229 Average annual salary: $69,582 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
10. Florida
Total speech and language specialist jobs: 1,147 Average annual salary: $65,689 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
Speech and language specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a speech and language specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a speech and language specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $76,130 | $49,000 | 8,470,020 | 545 |
| 2 | California | $78,946 | $58,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,927 |
| 3 | Washington | $75,070 | $55,000 | 7,405,743 | 426 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $71,535 | $49,000 | 4,684,333 | 176 |
| 5 | Delaware | $69,629 | $45,000 | 961,939 | 89 |
| 6 | Nevada | $78,554 | $56,000 | 2,998,039 | 95 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $66,332 | $47,000 | 2,088,070 | 151 |
| 8 | Missouri | $72,422 | $50,000 | 6,113,532 | 264 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $69,582 | $43,000 | 3,588,184 | 229 |
| 10 | Florida | $65,689 | $44,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,147 |
| 11 | Oregon | $69,057 | $50,000 | 4,142,776 | 204 |
| 12 | Texas | $63,787 | $45,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,143 |
| 13 | Idaho | $67,296 | $48,000 | 1,716,943 | 68 |
| 14 | Alaska | $74,827 | $64,000 | 739,795 | 29 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $63,833 | $46,000 | 579,315 | 28 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $72,018 | $46,000 | 9,005,644 | 287 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $67,808 | $44,000 | 12,805,537 | 350 |
| 18 | Kansas | $60,915 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 200 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $62,693 | $41,000 | 10,273,419 | 488 |
| 20 | Colorado | $67,235 | $48,000 | 5,607,154 | 280 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $60,843 | $40,000 | 5,024,369 | 292 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $75,294 | $49,000 | 693,972 | 35 |
| 23 | Arizona | $61,526 | $45,000 | 7,016,270 | 332 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $67,384 | $59,000 | 1,427,538 | 64 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $61,000 | $36,000 | 6,859,819 | 607 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $61,098 | $42,000 | 3,004,279 | 79 |
| 27 | Maryland | $61,699 | $40,000 | 6,052,177 | 379 |
| 28 | Illinois | $61,415 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 672 |
| 29 | Ohio | $60,196 | $40,000 | 11,658,609 | 344 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $55,314 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 261 |
| 31 | Utah | $62,939 | $45,000 | 3,101,833 | 55 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $58,611 | $39,000 | 4,454,189 | 201 |
| 33 | Montana | $61,017 | $44,000 | 1,050,493 | 58 |
| 34 | Iowa | $57,319 | $40,000 | 3,145,711 | 230 |
| 35 | New York | $63,395 | $40,000 | 19,849,399 | 597 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $59,702 | $41,000 | 2,984,100 | 84 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $58,070 | $35,000 | 1,059,639 | 63 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $55,506 | $40,000 | 755,393 | 56 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $60,153 | $42,000 | 3,930,864 | 97 |
| 40 | Georgia | $59,407 | $39,000 | 10,429,379 | 412 |
| 41 | Vermont | $50,331 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 119 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $49,156 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 268 |
| 43 | Michigan | $56,349 | $38,000 | 9,962,311 | 366 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $55,088 | $39,000 | 1,920,076 | 118 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $56,563 | $39,000 | 5,795,483 | 223 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $56,710 | $38,000 | 6,715,984 | 174 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $56,387 | $40,000 | 5,576,606 | 215 |
| 48 | Indiana | $51,164 | $35,000 | 6,666,818 | 358 |
| 49 | Alabama | $54,638 | $37,000 | 4,874,747 | 155 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $50,708 | $36,000 | 869,666 | 50 |
| 51 | Maine | $42,220 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 51 |
Highest paying states for speech and language specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Speech And Language Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | $76,130 |
| 2 | California | $78,946 |
| 3 | Washington | $75,070 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $71,535 |
| 5 | Delaware | $69,629 |
| 6 | Nevada | $78,554 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $66,332 |
| 8 | Missouri | $72,422 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $69,582 |
| 10 | Florida | $65,689 |
| 11 | Oregon | $69,057 |
| 12 | Texas | $63,787 |
| 13 | Idaho | $67,296 |
| 14 | Alaska | $74,827 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $63,833 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $72,018 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $67,808 |
| 18 | Kansas | $60,915 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $62,693 |
| 20 | Colorado | $67,235 |
| 21 | South Carolina | $60,843 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $75,294 |
| 23 | Arizona | $61,526 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $67,384 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $61,000 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $61,098 |
| 27 | Maryland | $61,699 |
| 28 | Illinois | $61,415 |
| 29 | Ohio | $60,196 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $55,314 |
| 31 | Utah | $62,939 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $58,611 |
| 33 | Montana | $61,017 |
| 34 | Iowa | $57,319 |
| 35 | New York | $63,395 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $59,702 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $58,070 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $55,506 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $60,153 |
| 40 | Georgia | $59,407 |
| 41 | Vermont | $50,331 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $49,156 |
| 43 | Michigan | $56,349 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $55,088 |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $56,563 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $56,710 |
| 47 | Minnesota | $56,387 |
| 48 | Indiana | $51,164 |
| 49 | Alabama | $54,638 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $50,708 |
| 51 | Maine | $42,220 |
Expert opinions on the best states for speech and language specialists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for speech and language specialists to find work opportunities?
Daniel Martin Ph.D.
Professor of English, Rockhurst University
New York remains the center of the publishing industry, if graduates from writing programs want to go into publishing as editors or agents, though even publishing is dispersed. Of course, only a fraction of writing program graduates will go into publishing. It is more likely that they will work in a variety of industries that need writers and editors. Law firms hire people to handle correspondence, architecture firms hire people to write and edit proposals and promotional material, advertising firms need creative copywriters, and virtually all companies and nonprofits need content written for their websites and print materials. The move to online work opens up everyone's geographic options, especially so for writing graduates whose skills are needed in many industries and geographic locations.
Speech and language specialist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025