PermanentPosted 20 days ago
Speech Language Pathologist/ SLP
BrightSpring Health Services · Opelika, AL
$45.00–$55.00/ hour
Speech-Language Pathologist jobs in Birmingham, AL
The median speech-language pathologist pay in the Birmingham area is $38.39 per hour ($79,860 a year), with the typical range running from $32.10 to $48.19. That ranks 256th of 362 U.S. metro areas for speech-language pathologist pay, and 236th of 328 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in Birmingham. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Birmingham.
- $38.39median pay per hour, Birmingham
- $32–$48typical range per hour
- 480employed in the metro area
- 92cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
Speech-Language Pathologist pay in Birmingham, AL
The metro median is 10% above the Alabama statewide median of $34.89 per hour. Nationally the median is $45.87 per hour. BLS counts about 480 speech-language pathologists employed in the Birmingham metro area, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.80).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $27.97 | $58,180 | 39% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $32.10 | $66,770 | 30% below U.S. median |
| Median | $38.39 | $79,860 | 16% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $48.19 | $100,240 | 5% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $53.67 | $111,630 | 17% above U.S. median |
How Birmingham ranks
- 256th of 362 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 236th of 328 after adjusting for local prices
- 2nd of 8 Alabama metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Speech-Language Pathologists (SOC 29-1127), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in Birmingham
- Overall prices in Birmingham run 8% below the U.S. average (index 91.6, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 28% below the U.S. average (index 71.9).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $38.39 median hour buys what $41.89 buys at the national price level, 9% below the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Get the Birmingham Speech-Language Pathologist pay report
Named employers near Birmingham, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportEstimate your Birmingham paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,382
- Per year: $69,102
- Per month: $5,758
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Birmingham metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Birmingham
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $126 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $80 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,442 |
| 13-week assignment | $18,746 |
Travel speech-language pathologist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Open Speech-Language Pathologist roles in Alabama
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Birmingham as they open.
For youUpdated weekly
45+ more Speech-Language Pathologist roles for you in Alabama
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
- Free
- No card
- Email only, no calls
Hospitals in Birmingham
CMS lists 9 hospitals in Birmingham, 1 of the 7 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of speech-language pathologists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Va Medical Center Birmingham, AL | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Baptist Health Brookwood Hospital Birmingham, AL | Acute care | For-profit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Grandview Medical Center Birmingham, AL | Acute care | For-profit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Princeton Baptist Medical Center Birmingham, AL | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| St Vincent's Birmingham Birmingham, AL | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| St. Vincent's East Birmingham, AL | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| University Of Alabama Hospital Birmingham, AL | Acute care | Government and federal | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| The Children's Hospital Of Alabama Birmingham, AL | Children's | Nonprofit | Not rated | Yes |
| Hill Crest Behavioral Health Services Birmingham, AL | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Speech-Language Pathologist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoover, AL | 11 mi | $38.39/hr | 93,013 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 47 mi | $38.20/hr | 114,288 |
| Decatur, AL | 73 mi | $32.10/hr | 57,974 |
| Huntsville, AL | 81 mi | $34.53/hr | 230,402 |
| Madison, AL | 82 mi | $34.53/hr | 64,029 |
| Montgomery, AL | 87 mi | $31.31/hr | 195,818 |
Speech-Language Pathologist jobs in Alabama · Speech-Language Pathologist jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in Alabama
Master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Alabama requires for your role with the Alabama licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
Alabama taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Birmingham
Birmingham city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do speech-language pathologists make in Birmingham, AL?
Speech-Language Pathologists in the Birmingham metro area have a median pay of $38.39 per hour, about $79,860 a year. The middle half earn between $32.10 and $48.19 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Birmingham a good place for speech-language pathologists once cost of living is counted?
Birmingham ranks 236th of 328 metro areas for speech-language pathologist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 256th of 362 before adjusting. Overall prices run 8% below the U.S. average.
Where do speech-language pathologists work in Birmingham?
CMS lists 9 hospitals in Birmingham, led by Birmingham Va Medical Center. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a Alabama license to work in Birmingham as a speech-language pathologist?
Master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Alabama requires for your role with the Alabama licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Birmingham?
The federal per diem benchmark in Birmingham is $126 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,442 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place speech-language pathologists in Birmingham?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Birmingham and across Alabama. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Birmingham.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Birmingham pay speech-language pathologists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
45+ Speech-Language Pathologist roles in Alabama, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your SLP pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Alabama list by name comes with the full report
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- AmedisysButler, GA · 3 postings$73.50/ hr$49–$85
- BrightSpring Health ServicesESCONDIDO, CA · 7 postings$62.50/ hr$60–$65
- CommonSpirit HealthOXNARD, CA · 5 postings$61.91/ hr$50–$77
- Seattle Children'sSeattle, WA · 4 postings$60.17/ hr$48–$79
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Alabama list
2What they are offering now
Low$36Median$49.00High$62
203 SLP postings with published pay in the US, 154 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 1 SLP roles
- Speech Language Pathologist/ SLPPermanent$45.00–$55.00/ hour
Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.