Extremely Limited H-1B Hiring for Speech-Language Pathologists
Explore H-1B visa filings for Speech-Language Pathologists. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 13 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 13 |
| Approval Rate | 92% |
| Average Salary | $89,343 |
| Salary Range | $61,318 - $112,778 |
| Top Sponsor | The Speech Pathology Group, Inc. |
| Primary Location | California |
Speech-Language Pathologists is one of the H-1B visa categories with 1 filings and an average salary of $86,778. H-1B hiring for Speech-Language Pathologists is currently very limited, with only one instance recorded in FY2025. The single recorded instance is in California, indicating a potential geographic concentration for H-1B employment in this role. The data suggests a nascent or highly specialized H-1B market for Speech-Language Pathologists, rather than established widespread hiring.
| Total Filings | 13 |
| Approval Rate | 92% |
| Average Salary | $89,343 |
| Median Salary | $86,778 |
| 25th Percentile | $78,540 |
| 75th Percentile | $105,726 |
| Minimum Salary | $61,318 |
| Maximum Salary | $112,778 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,496 |
| 25th Percentile | $78,540 |
| Median (50th) | $86,778 |
| 75th Percentile | $105,726 |
| 90th Percentile | $108,160 |
| Average | $89,343 |
| Sample Size | 13 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 13 |
How do H-1B salaries for Speech-Language Pathologists compare to the overall U.S. workforce? Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024 OEWS) compared to H-1B LCA filings.
| Percentile | H-1B Salary | U.S. Domestic (BLS) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $67,496 | $60,480 | +12% |
| 25th | $78,540 | $75,310 | +4% |
| Median | $86,778 | $95,410 | -9% |
| 75th | $105,726 | $112,510 | -6% |
| 90th | $108,160 | $132,850 | -19% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. H-1B data from DOL LCA filings.
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 7 |
| New York | 3 |
| Arizona | 1 |
| Maryland | 1 |
| New Mexico | 1 |
Focus on states with known demand for Speech-Language Pathologists and be prepared for a highly competitive and specialized H-1B application process due to the limited current data.
The average H-1B salary for Speech-Language Pathologists is $86,778, with a median of $86,778. The 25th-75th percentile range is $86,778 to $86,778.
Top H-1B sponsors for Speech-Language Pathologists include Oak Grove School District. A total of 1 employers have filed for this role.
There are 1 H-1B filings on record for Speech-Language Pathologists positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Speech-Language Pathologists positions are California (1).
Yes, Speech-Language Pathologists is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 1 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Speech-Language Pathologists salaries range from $86,778 to $86,778. The median salary is $86,778.
The approval rate for Speech-Language Pathologists H-1B petitions is 100.0%. The dataset shows a single H-1B petition for a Speech-Language Pathologist in FY2025.
California is the only state with a recorded H-1B employer for this role.
Focus on states with known demand for Speech-Language Pathologists and be prepared for a highly competitive and specialized H-1B application process due to the limited current data.
The total number of petitions (sa, sm, sn, sx) is consistently one, reinforcing the scarcity of data.
The Speech-Language Pathologists occupation (SOC code 29-1127) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Speech-Language Pathologists positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Speech-Language Pathologists positions is Not Specified (13 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 13 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Speech-Language Pathologists positions show an average offered salary of $89,343, with a range from $61,318 at the entry level to $112,778 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (7 filings) and New York (3 filings). According to BLS data, there are approximately 178,790 workers employed in this occupation across the United States.
Career outlook for Speech-Language Pathologists professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Speech-Language Pathologists role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Speech-Language Pathologists roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Speech-Language Pathologists positions, the average offered salary of $89,343 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 20.9%, with 85% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Speech-Language Pathologists positions is 92%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Speech-Language Pathologists positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Speech-Language Pathologists H-1B filings is approximately 36 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Speech-Language Pathologists positions.