Speech pathology salary in Australia
Speech pathologists (also called speech therapists) assess and treat communication and swallowing disorders. The Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a median weekly earnings figure for this occupation – the Jobs and Skills Australia profile notes that median weekly earnings are 'N/A'. This means there is no official ABS median to compare against the national benchmarks. However, we can still place the role in context using the national full-time average, medians, and award minimums.
National averages and medians as a reference
The national full-time adult average weekly ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70, or about $108,352 a year (ABS Average Weekly Earnings, May 2026). This is the line on our site. For comparison, the full-time median (all occupations) is about $90,532, and the all-employees median is about $74,100 (ABS Employee Earnings, August 2025). Men's full-time average is about $113,412; women's is about $100,594. Since 97% of speech pathologists are female, the women's average may be more relevant, but it is still a broad figure.
Hours and demographics
According to the 2021 Census, only 56% of speech pathologists work full-time, compared to 64% across all occupations. The average full-time hours are 40 per week, slightly below the all-occupations average of 44. The median age is 33, and the workforce is overwhelmingly female. These factors can affect earnings – part-time work and a younger workforce tend to pull average earnings down.
Award coverage and minimum rates
Speech pathologists may be covered by the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020. The Fair Work Ombudsman's pay guide for that award (effective from 1 October 2026) shows rates for support services employees, but speech pathologists are typically classified as health professionals, which have separate (higher) classification levels not shown in the excerpt. The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, or about $52,255 a year on a 38-hour week. Award minimums rose by 4.75% from that date. Without a specific classification for speech pathologists in the available pay guide, we cannot give an exact award rate here.
Take-home pay sketch
If a speech pathologist earned the national full-time average of $108,352, their weekly pre-tax pay would be $2,083.70. On a 38-hour week (the standard used on this site), that equates to $54.83 per hour. After applying 2026–27 resident tax rates (nil up to $18,200, 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, plus 2% Medicare levy), the annual tax would be about $24,288, leaving approximately $84,064 after tax and Medicare. This is a rough estimate; actual take-home depends on deductions, offsets, and whether the salary is above or below the average.
State-by-state comparison
State full-time averages vary. For a speech pathologist working in the Australian Capital Territory, the state average is about $119,090 – the highest. In Western Australia it is $115,825, and in New South Wales $109,658. The lowest is Tasmania at $96,008. These figures are for all full-time adults, not the occupation specifically, but they give a sense of regional pay differences. States and territories page has more detail.
Where to find more
Because the ABS does not publish a median for speech pathologists, the best approach is to Place a salary on the line and see how it compares to the national average. You can also browse Job medians for other health professions that do have published figures, such as audiologists or physiotherapists. For award rates, check the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool.
Summary
Speech pathology salaries are not separately published by the ABS, so the national full-time average of $108,352 is the most reliable benchmark. The occupation is young, female-dominated, and has a lower full-time share than average, which may pull actual earnings below the all-occupations average. Use the tools on this site to test different salary figures against the national line.