- Published in May 2009, the latest national employment survey by the BLS put the average annual salary for a speech-language pathologist working in the United States at $68,350, equivalent to $5,696 a month and $32.86 an hour. For a recreational therapist, such as a music therapist, the figures were $41,270 annually, $3,439 a month and $19.84 per hour. The top 10 percent of speech-language pathologists earned an average wage in excess of $101,820, while their equivalents in music therapy received in excess of $62,170.
- Within general medical and surgical hospitals, the average yearly wage for a voice therapist is, according to the BLS, $72,030. For music therapists working in the same environment, the wage is $44,840. In nursing care facilities the rates are $80,500 and $36,210, respectively. Voice therapist positions within community care facilities for the elderly were listed at an average of $79,130, while music therapist positions in the same sector of the health-care industry averaged $35,470.
- A speech-language pathologist is likely to achieve the highest average salary, across all industry sectors, if he works in Nevada or Alaska. The BLS lists the averages in these states as $96,160 and $81,250, respectively. In contrast, the rate in West Virginia was listed at $49,370. For music therapists, District of Columbia and California were the most lucrative locations, with average wages of $56,910 and $55,910. At the other end of the scale, Nebraska was listed at just $31,290.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics posits a health medium-term future for both voice and music therapists with regard to employment opportunities. Over the decade from 2008 to 2018, it expects to see a 19 percent growth for speech-language pathologists and a 15 percent growth for recreational therapists. The expected growth rate across all occupations throughout the country over the same period is not expected to exceed 13 percent. An aging population is cited as the primary cause for the growth in both careers. As such, salary levels for the respective roles should remain very competitive.