Highest-Paying Communication Sciences and Disorders (Bachelor's) Programs in the US

Q: Which state pays communication sciences and disorders bachelor's graduates the most?

Texas, where the median program pays its graduates $27,008 in their first year, the highest of 3 state rankings. New York is next, at $24,952.

Q: Which communication sciences and disorders bachelor's program pays the most?

Nevada State in Nevada reports the highest first-year pay of the 98 programs ranked here, $47,833. Its median federal debt is $25,909.

98 programs report first-year pay
3 state rankings
Bachelor's in Communication Disorders Sciences and Services

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

The median communication sciences and disorders bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $24,826 in their first year and $59,051 five years after. Texas has the highest state median ($27,008), and California the lowest ($24,594). The median program leaves its graduates with $22,217 in federal debt.

Median first-year pay$24,826Across 98 programs

Median pay after 5 years$59,051Across 196 programs

Median federal debt$22,217Across 200 programs

Debt-to-earnings80%Across 97 programs

All 98 programs, ranked by graduate pay

Each program is ranked by the median pay of its graduates one year after they finished, from College Scorecard. This measures what graduates earn, not how good the teaching is. Pay also depends on where graduates live and work. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	School	Year 1 pay	After cost of living	Year 5 pay	Debt	Debt to pay
1	Nevada StateHenderson, NV · public	$47,833	$47,843	Not reported	$25,909	54%
2	California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA · private nonprofit	$38,559	$34,826	$53,473	$26,375	68%
3	Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · private nonprofit	$38,174	$39,332	$62,574	$21,000	55%
4	ASUTempe, AZ · public	$37,074	$36,825	$56,764	$20,536	55%
5	Lehman CollegeBronx, NY · public	$36,241	$33,581	$67,388	$11,544	32%
6	Portland StatePortland, OR · public	$35,615	$34,457	$61,116	$23,907	67%
7	Cal State East BayHayward, CA · public	$34,924	$31,543	$75,421	$18,261	52%
8	University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI · public	$34,633	Not adjusted	$60,535	$23,250	67%
9	Stephen F. AustinNacogdoches, TX · public	$34,509	$35,555	$54,598	$20,500	59%
10	Worcester StateWorcester, MA · public	$34,142	$32,283	$61,578	$21,910	64%
11	Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL · public	$34,136	$34,150	$53,628	$22,500	66%
12	College of Our Lady of the ElmsChicopee, MA · private nonprofit	$31,890	Not adjusted	$54,871	$27,000	85%
13	University of MarylandCollege Park, MD · public	$31,105	Not adjusted	$68,693	$21,500	69%
14	Missouri StateSpringfield, MO · public	$30,971	$34,103	$55,289	$21,500	69%
15	UMass AmherstAmherst, MA · public	$30,693	$29,022	$59,695	$23,250	76%
16	University of HoustonHouston, TX · public	$30,395	$31,317	$56,838	$20,250	67%
17	Utah StateLogan, UT · public	$30,239	Not adjusted	$59,735	$17,479	58%
18	University of MaineOrono, ME · public	$30,231	Not adjusted	$51,173	$27,000	89%
19	University of KansasLawrence, KS · public	$30,227	Not adjusted	$59,399	$23,781	79%
20	UIUCChampaign, IL · public	$29,620	$29,632	$67,270	$21,117	71%
21	Chico StateChico, CA · public	$29,297	$26,460	$61,935	$19,222	66%
22	Cal State Long BeachLong Beach, CA · public	$29,270	$26,436	$66,231	$12,000	41%
23	University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · public	$29,044	$32,699	$54,812	$23,250	80%
24	Cal State LALos Angeles, CA · public	$28,702	$25,923	$45,345	$12,500	44%
25	University of West GeorgiaCarrollton, GA · public	$28,612	$29,713	$48,266	$24,723	86%
26	USFTampa, FL · public	$28,425	$27,487	$49,517	$22,208	78%
27	UNTDenton, TX · public	$28,337	$29,196	$56,723	$20,500	72%
28	Bridgewater StateBridgewater, MA · public	$27,901	$26,382	Not reported	$26,471	95%
29	Kent StateKent, OH · public	$27,742	Not adjusted	$51,854	$21,500	77%
30	Washington StatePullman, WA · public	$27,463	$25,663	$60,325	$26,000	95%
31	San Francisco StateSan Francisco, CA · public	$27,296	$24,653	$69,166	$19,250	71%
32	Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbock, TX · public	$27,008	$27,827	$61,047	$21,500	80%
33	Oklahoma StateStillwater, OK · public	$26,921	$30,647	$65,876	$20,443	76%
34	Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn, NY · public	$26,817	$24,849	$76,413	$14,250	53%
35	Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver, CO · public	$26,636	Not adjusted	$48,554	$18,890	71%
36	UT DallasRichardson, TX · public	$26,577	$27,383	$53,043	$19,250	72%
37	University of FloridaGainesville, FL · public	$26,539	$25,663	$59,252	$15,000	57%
38	IU BloomingtonBloomington, IN · public	$26,496	$28,390	$58,366	$19,875	75%
39	University of Northern ColoradoGreeley, CO · public	$26,425	$25,642	$48,038	$20,670	78%
40	Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA · public	$26,396	$27,412	Not reported	$26,004	99%
41	Eastern New Mexico UniversityPortales, NM · public	$26,335	Not adjusted	$43,301	$25,000	95%
42	UCFOrlando, FL · public	$26,286	$25,418	$50,223	$22,075	84%
43	Southeastern Louisiana UniversityHammond, LA · public	$26,032	$29,512	$54,789	$24,542	94%
44	University of WashingtonSeattle, WA · public	$25,791	$24,101	$70,875	$18,000	70%
45	Pennsylvania Western UniversityCalifornia, PA · public	$25,662	$26,301	$51,778	$24,450	95%
46	SUNY New PaltzNew Paltz, NY · public	$25,475	$23,605	$64,699	$24,980	98%
47	Southern UniversityBaton Rouge, LA · public	$25,281	$28,661	Not reported	$37,250	147%
48	University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY · public	$24,952	$23,121	$70,928	$21,944	88%
49	PurdueWest Lafayette, IN · public	$24,949	$26,732	$62,096	$19,500	78%
50	William Paterson University of New JerseyWayne, NJ · public	$24,702	$22,703	Not reported	$18,947	77%
51	CU BoulderBoulder, CO · public	$24,628	$23,899	$63,766	$19,000	77%
52	Cal State FullertonFullerton, CA · public	$24,594	$22,213	$65,573	$15,000	61%
53	SUNY PlattsburghPlattsburgh, NY · public	$24,536	$22,735	$59,848	$25,500	104%
54	Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, NC · public	$24,521	$25,996	$45,599	$21,287	87%
55	Wayne StateDetroit, MI · public	$24,474	$25,436	$56,144	$24,849	102%
56	Ole MissUniversity, MS · public	$24,300	$27,946	$54,924	$26,000	107%
57	University of ArizonaTucson, AZ · public	$24,044	$23,882	$59,154	$18,127	75%
58	Southern Connecticut StateNew Haven, CT · public	$24,025	$23,188	$67,435	$21,625	90%
59	University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · public	$23,758	Not adjusted	$57,986	$25,987	109%
60	Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI · public	$23,752	$24,686	$56,684	$23,992	101%
61	University of Nevada-RenoReno, NV · public	$23,733	$23,738	$59,487	$18,500	78%
62	Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA · public	$23,664	$23,406	$54,361	$25,000	106%
63	University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM · public	$23,532	Not adjusted	$53,567	$16,393	70%
64	Ohio StateColumbus, OH · public	$23,509	$25,340	$60,948	$19,500	83%
65	Towson UniversityTowson, MD · public	$23,463	$22,354	$66,236	$21,981	94%
66	University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN · public	$23,203	$23,527	$57,519	$18,000	78%
67	Queens CollegeQueens, NY · public	$23,108	$21,412	$71,831	$8,500	37%
68	Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI · public	$23,102	Not adjusted	$60,398	$27,750	120%
69	Sacramento StateSacramento, CA · public	$22,915	$20,696	$62,467	$17,750	77%
70	Texas A&M-KingsvilleKingsville, TX · public	$22,853	$23,546	$55,166	$24,118	106%
71	Cal State San MarcosSan Marcos, CA · public	$22,567	$20,382	Not reported	$15,998	71%
72	Fresno StateFresno, CA · public	$22,463	$20,288	$62,131	$17,336	77%
73	San Diego StateSan Diego, CA · public	$22,378	$20,211	$75,255	$15,000	67%
74	UConnStorrs, CT · public	$22,345	$21,566	Not reported	$25,000	112%
75	CSUNNorthridge, CA · public	$22,310	$20,150	$70,031	$15,356	69%
76	UT AustinAustin, TX · public	$22,286	$22,962	$62,663	$20,500	92%
77	University of IowaIowa City, IA · public	$21,969	Not adjusted	$60,807	$27,000	123%
78	University of OregonEugene, OR · public	$21,762	$21,054	$57,069	$19,500	90%
79	Idaho StatePocatello, ID · public	$21,587	$22,606	$49,986	$19,600	91%
80	Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX · public	$21,555	$22,209	$56,708	$17,463	81%
81	Wichita StateWichita, KS · public	$21,429	Not adjusted	$48,007	$21,750	101%
82	University of RedlandsRedlands, CA · private nonprofit	$21,354	$19,286	$68,187	$25,000	117%
83	BYUProvo, UT · private nonprofit	$21,220	$21,464	$54,923	$11,974	56%
84	Western Washington UniversityBellingham, WA · public	$19,512	$18,233	$61,869	$17,500	90%
85	University of Tennessee Health Science CenterMemphis, TN · public	$19,480	Not adjusted	Not reported	$22,500	116%
86	St. John's UniversityQueens, NY · private nonprofit	$19,067	$17,668	$72,368	$23,250	122%
87	UL LafayetteLafayette, LA · public	$18,766	$21,275	$41,971	$24,725	132%
88	LSUBaton Rouge, LA · public	$18,575	$21,058	$62,277	$20,500	110%
89	Jackson StateJackson, MS · public	$17,858	Not adjusted	Not reported	$25,000	140%
90	Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · public	$17,826	$18,270	$58,948	$26,000	146%
91	Penn StateUniversity Park, PA · public	$16,853	$17,272	$61,295	$25,000	148%
92	UW-MadisonMadison, WI · public	$14,668	$15,589	$63,832	$25,952	177%
93	Florida StateTallahassee, FL · public	$13,371	$12,930	$62,179	$15,267	114%
94	East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaEast Stroudsburg, PA · public	$12,621	$12,935	$58,897	$26,000	206%
95	Appalachian StateBoone, NC · public	$12,383	$13,128	$58,480	$19,875	161%
96	University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, IA · public	$10,746	$12,244	$61,505	$18,067	168%
97	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-PonceMercedita, PR · private nonprofit	$9,347	Not adjusted	$11,185	Not reported	Not reported
98	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo CampusGurabo, PR · private nonprofit	$9,121	Not adjusted	$16,801	$11,125	122%

Pay after cost of living divides first-year pay by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price level of the school's state, where the US average is 100. It is shown for 80 programs where at least half of the graduates who work are working in the school's state. The other 18, whose graduates mostly work in other states or whose state has no price level, are listed last when you sort by it.

One program reports pay but not debt, so it is ranked only by pay.

College Scorecard withholds pay for programs with too few graduates, to protect their privacy, so those programs can't be ranked.

Communication Sciences and Disorders (Bachelor's) programs by state

Each row is the median across the state's communication sciences and disorders bachelor's programs. State names link to the full ranking of that state's programs.

#	State	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
1	Texas	9	$27,008	$20,500
2	New York	7	$24,952	$24,650
3	California	13	$24,594	$18,006

Programs in 34 more states and territories report pay, but too few to rank. A state ranking needs at least five programs that report both pay and debt.

Quick picks nationwide

Lowest median debt

Queens College, NY$8,500
Lehman College, NY$11,544
Cal State Long Beach, CA$12,000
Cal State LA, CA$12,500
Brooklyn College, NY$14,250
Cal State Fullerton, CA$15,000
San Diego State, CA$15,000
CSUN, CA$15,356
Cal State San Marcos, CA$15,998
Fresno State, CA$17,336

Lowest debt for the pay

Only the 29 programs with their own page here are included. "Debt for the pay" is median debt divided by first-year pay.

Careers this field leads to

These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to communication sciences and disorders, largest first. Pay is the median across the US and all experience levels.

Speech-Language Pathologists

$97,870

Median pay in the US. 183,390 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 17% from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,500 openings a year. Typical education to start: master's degree.

Bottom 10%: $62,900Top 10%: $134,160

Audiologists

$95,780

Median pay in the US. 13,660 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, with about 600 openings a year. Typical education to start: doctoral or professional degree.

Bottom 10%: $64,610Top 10%: $133,120

Common questions

The median communication sciences and disorders bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $24,826 in their first year and $59,051 five years after.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Medians are across programs, not students: each program counts once, however many graduates it has.
National medians include every program in the 50 states, DC, and US territories, including schools that have since closed. Schools with several campuses that report one combined figure are counted once.
Programs are ranked by College Scorecard median pay one year after graduation. Pay after cost of living uses the price level of the school's state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024