23 Series · SOC 23-2011
Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $62,890
- Median / year
- +3.1%
- 2024→2025
- $101,500
- Top 10% earn
- +0.2%
- Growth '24–'34
- 392,880
- Estimated US jobs
Paralegals and Legal Assistants earn a median of $62,890 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $62,890, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $44,740 (10th percentile) to $101,500 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 392,880 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($89,750).
The pay verdict
Paralegals and Legal Assistants earn a median of $62,890, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 53% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Legal, it ranks #7 of 8 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.2% by 2034.
- $62,890
- Median annual wage
- Top 47%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #7 of 8
- in Legal
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $89,750. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Paralegals and Legal Assistants moved from $51,740 in May 2019 to $62,890 in May 2025 (+21.6%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants sits -2.9 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants (SOC 23-2011) has a national median of $62,890 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $44,740 to $101,500, and the published mean is $69,700. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 392,880 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 507 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $61,010 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $62,890 in May 2025, a rise of $1,880 (+3.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.2% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 39,300 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Associate's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Legal Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $89,750, which is +43% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $99,250. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$62,890
per year
Median Hourly
$30.24/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$69,700
average
Employment
392,880
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$62,890 Top 47% higher than 53% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 (this entry) | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$62,890 · 53rd percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 23-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Paralegals and Legal Assistants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Lawyers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $159670
- Paralegals and Legal…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $62890
- Title Examiners, Abs…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $58650
- Legal Support Worker…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.2%, Median annual wage $72110
- Judges, Magistrate J…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $153990
- Administrative Law J…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $117860
- Judicial Law Clerks: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $64920
- Arbitrators, Mediato…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $75530
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.2%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
39,300
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+600
376,200 (2024) → 376,800 (2034)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Legal Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.2/100K
Injury Rate
0.2/100
Danger Index
0.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Paralegals and Legal Assistants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
- ▸ Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
- ▸ Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
- ▸ Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
- ▸ Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of cases.
- ▸ Gather and analyze research data, such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles, codes, and documents.
- ▸ File pleadings with court clerks.
- ▸ Direct and coordinate law office activity, including delivery of subpoenas.
- ▸ Call upon witnesses to testify at hearings.
- ▸ Arbitrate disputes between parties and assist in the real estate closing process, such as by reviewing title searches.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $48,810 |
| 2016 | $49,500 |
| 2017 | $50,410 |
| 2018 | $50,940 |
| 2019 | $51,740 |
| 2020 | $52,920 |
| 2021 | $56,230 |
| 2022 | $59,200 |
| 2023 | $60,970 |
| 2024 | $61,010 |
| 2025 | $62,890 |
2015 median
$48,810
2025 median
$62,890
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$11,150 (+21.6%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.3%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $48,810 | First banked release | 271,930 |
| May 2016 | $49,500 | +1.4% | 277,310 |
| May 2017 | $50,410 | +1.8% | 290,410 |
| May 2018 | $50,940 | +1.1% | 309,940 |
| May 2019 | $51,740 | Classification break | 329,870 |
| May 2020 | $52,920 | +2.3% | 332,720 |
| May 2021 | $56,230 | +6.3% | 336,250 |
| May 2022 | $59,200 | +5.3% | 345,240 |
| May 2023 | $60,970 | +3.0% | 354,890 |
| May 2024 | $61,010 | +0.1% | 367,220 |
| May 2025 | $62,890 | +3.1% | 392,880 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $48,810 in May 2015 to $62,890 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 329,870 in May 2019 to 392,880 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $89,750 | +43% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $79,400 | +26% above national |
| 3 | Colorado | $78,190 | +24% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $77,640 | +23% above national |
| 5 | California | $77,390 | +23% above national |
| 6 | Minnesota | $75,570 | +20% above national |
| 7 | New Jersey | $71,500 | +14% above national |
| 8 | Alaska | $68,700 | +9% above national |
| 9 | New York | $68,410 | +9% above national |
| 10 | Vermont | $67,160 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Maryland | $65,640 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Nevada | $64,680 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Virginia | $63,990 | +2% above national |
| 14 | Connecticut | $63,820 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Illinois | $63,670 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $63,370 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Nebraska | $63,250 | +1% above national |
| 18 | Utah | $63,220 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Delaware | $63,110 | same as national |
| 20 | Hawaii | $62,840 | same as national |
| 21 | Maine | $62,420 | 1% below national |
| 22 | Georgia | $62,400 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Texas | $62,310 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Michigan | $62,170 | 1% below national |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $62,040 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Arizona | $61,630 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Oregon | $61,490 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Missouri | $61,410 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Florida | $61,000 | 3% below national |
| 30 | Ohio | $60,420 | 4% below national |
| 31 | Louisiana | $60,250 | 4% below national |
| 32 | New Mexico | $59,840 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Kentucky | $59,830 | 5% below national |
| 34 | North Dakota | $59,430 | 6% below national |
| 35 | West Virginia | $59,000 | 6% below national |
| 36 | Tennessee | $58,820 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $58,500 | 7% below national |
| 38 | South Dakota | $58,320 | 7% below national |
| 39 | North Carolina | $57,500 | 9% below national |
| 40 | Montana | $57,290 | 9% below national |
| 41 | Indiana | $57,030 | 9% below national |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $56,250 | 11% below national |
| 43 | Kansas | $55,000 | 13% below national |
| 44 | Iowa | $54,550 | 13% below national |
| 45 | South Carolina | $53,880 | 14% below national |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $53,170 | 15% below national |
| 47 | Virgin Islands | $52,140 | 17% below national |
| 48 | Idaho | $49,690 | 21% below national |
| 49 | Wyoming | $49,490 | 21% below national |
| 50 | Arkansas | $47,420 | 25% below national |
| 51 | Alabama | $47,260 | 25% below national |
| 52 | Mississippi | $46,180 | 27% below national |
| 53 | Puerto Rico | $38,770 | 38% below national |
| 54 | Guam | $37,920 | 40% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 376 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $99,250 | +58% above national |
| 2 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,900 | +48% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,030 | +34% above national |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $81,590 | +30% above national |
| 5 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $80,930 | +29% above national |
| 6 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $80,500 | +28% above national |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $79,850 | +27% above national |
| 8 | Vallejo, CA | $79,280 | +26% above national |
| 9 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $78,550 | +25% above national |
| 10 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $78,160 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,520 | +23% above national |
| 12 | Napa, CA | $77,020 | +22% above national |
| 13 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $76,400 | +21% above national |
| 14 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $76,300 | +21% above national |
| 15 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $76,220 | +21% above national |
| 16 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $75,430 | +20% above national |
| 17 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75,330 | +20% above national |
| 18 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $75,230 | +20% above national |
| 19 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $75,200 | +20% above national |
| 20 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $74,780 | +19% above national |
| 21 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $73,250 | +16% above national |
| 22 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $71,390 | +14% above national |
| 23 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $71,310 | +13% above national |
| 24 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $71,160 | +13% above national |
| 25 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $71,140 | +13% above national |
| 26 | Worcester, MA | $70,990 | +13% above national |
| 27 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $70,550 | +12% above national |
| 28 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $70,520 | +12% above national |
| 29 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $70,430 | +12% above national |
| 30 | Carson City, NV | $70,010 | +11% above national |
| 31 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $69,600 | +11% above national |
| 32 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $69,440 | +10% above national |
| 33 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $67,500 | +7% above national |
| 34 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $67,480 | +7% above national |
| 35 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $66,720 | +6% above national |
| 36 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $66,540 | +6% above national |
| 37 | Iowa City, IA | $66,400 | +6% above national |
| 38 | Anchorage, AK | $66,210 | +5% above national |
| 39 | Boulder, CO | $66,090 | +5% above national |
| 40 | Springfield, MA | $65,820 | +5% above national |
| 41 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $65,640 | +4% above national |
| 42 | Colorado Springs, CO | $64,830 | +3% above national |
| 43 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $64,780 | +3% above national |
| 44 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $64,690 | +3% above national |
| 45 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $64,670 | +3% above national |
| 46 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $64,660 | +3% above national |
| 47 | Greeley, CO | $64,620 | +3% above national |
| 48 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $64,570 | +3% above national |
| 49 | Midland, TX | $64,500 | +3% above national |
| 50 | Visalia, CA | $64,380 | +2% above national |
| 51 | Las Cruces, NM | $64,370 | +2% above national |
| 52 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $64,330 | +2% above national |
| 53 | Barnstable Town, MA | $64,310 | +2% above national |
| 54 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,280 | +2% above national |
| 55 | Omaha, NE-IA | $64,230 | +2% above national |
| 56 | Helena, MT | $64,210 | +2% above national |
| 57 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $64,140 | +2% above national |
| 58 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $64,080 | +2% above national |
| 59 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $64,050 | +2% above national |
| 60 | Bellingham, WA | $63,950 | +2% above national |
| 61 | Salinas, CA | $63,950 | +2% above national |
| 62 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $63,880 | +2% above national |
| 63 | Lexington Park, MD | $63,770 | +1% above national |
| 64 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $63,640 | +1% above national |
| 65 | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,620 | +1% above national |
| 66 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $63,420 | +1% above national |
| 67 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $63,400 | +1% above national |
| 68 | New Haven, CT | $63,390 | +1% above national |
| 69 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $63,290 | +1% above national |
| 70 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,220 | +1% above national |
| 71 | Yakima, WA | $63,140 | same as national |
| 72 | El Centro, CA | $63,000 | same as national |
| 73 | Richmond, VA | $62,940 | same as national |
| 74 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $62,840 | same as national |
| 75 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $62,730 | same as national |
| 76 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $62,620 | same as national |
| 77 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $62,500 | 1% below national |
| 78 | Jacksonville, FL | $62,480 | 1% below national |
| 79 | Fresno, CA | $62,450 | 1% below national |
| 80 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $62,370 | 1% below national |
| 81 | Kingston, NY | $62,210 | 1% below national |
| 82 | Pittsfield, MA | $62,210 | 1% below national |
| 83 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $62,130 | 1% below national |
| 84 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $62,090 | 1% below national |
| 85 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $62,040 | 1% below national |
| 86 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $61,970 | 1% below national |
| 87 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $61,880 | 2% below national |
| 88 | Morgantown, WV | $61,840 | 2% below national |
| 89 | Lancaster, PA | $61,780 | 2% below national |
| 90 | Ann Arbor, MI | $61,480 | 2% below national |
| 91 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $61,460 | 2% below national |
| 92 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $61,450 | 2% below national |
| 93 | Lincoln, NE | $61,440 | 2% below national |
| 94 | Grand Junction, CO | $61,420 | 2% below national |
| 95 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $61,350 | 2% below national |
| 96 | Merced, CA | $61,320 | 2% below national |
| 97 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,270 | 3% below national |
| 98 | Rochester, MN | $61,230 | 3% below national |
| 99 | Peoria, IL | $61,220 | 3% below national |
| 100 | Syracuse, NY | $61,150 | 3% below national |
| 101 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $61,000 | 3% below national |
| 102 | Cleveland, OH | $60,960 | 3% below national |
| 103 | Madison, WI | $60,800 | 3% below national |
| 104 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $60,800 | 3% below national |
| 105 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $60,700 | 3% below national |
| 106 | Yuma, AZ | $60,700 | 3% below national |
| 107 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $60,680 | 4% below national |
| 108 | Yuba City, CA | $60,650 | 4% below national |
| 109 | Ithaca, NY | $60,550 | 4% below national |
| 110 | Elizabethtown, KY | $60,540 | 4% below national |
| 111 | Columbus, OH | $60,430 | 4% below national |
| 112 | Binghamton, NY | $60,420 | 4% below national |
| 113 | Fayetteville, NC | $60,370 | 4% below national |
| 114 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $60,370 | 4% below national |
| 115 | Savannah, GA | $60,370 | 4% below national |
| 116 | Vineland, NJ | $60,370 | 4% below national |
| 117 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $60,360 | 4% below national |
| 118 | Bend, OR | $60,340 | 4% below national |
| 119 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $60,340 | 4% below national |
| 120 | Santa Fe, NM | $60,320 | 4% below national |
| 121 | Akron, OH | $60,290 | 4% below national |
| 122 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $60,220 | 4% below national |
| 123 | Bloomington, IL | $60,160 | 4% below national |
| 124 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $60,150 | 4% below national |
| 125 | Walla Walla, WA | $60,120 | 4% below national |
| 126 | Bismarck, ND | $60,110 | 4% below national |
| 127 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $60,080 | 4% below national |
| 128 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $60,070 | 4% below national |
| 129 | Roanoke, VA | $60,060 | 4% below national |
| 130 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $60,060 | 4% below national |
| 131 | Springfield, IL | $59,990 | 5% below national |
| 132 | Toledo, OH | $59,960 | 5% below national |
| 133 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $59,950 | 5% below national |
| 134 | Odessa, TX | $59,890 | 5% below national |
| 135 | St. Cloud, MN | $59,890 | 5% below national |
| 136 | Pueblo, CO | $59,880 | 5% below national |
| 137 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $59,870 | 5% below national |
| 138 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $59,790 | 5% below national |
| 139 | Amarillo, TX | $59,740 | 5% below national |
| 140 | Charlottesville, VA | $59,740 | 5% below national |
| 141 | Rockford, IL | $59,700 | 5% below national |
| 142 | Decatur, IL | $59,690 | 5% below national |
| 143 | Redding, CA | $59,620 | 5% below national |
| 144 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $59,540 | 5% below national |
| 145 | Lebanon, PA | $59,490 | 5% below national |
| 146 | Mankato, MN | $59,490 | 5% below national |
| 147 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $59,470 | 5% below national |
| 148 | Minot, ND | $59,430 | 6% below national |
| 149 | York-Hanover, PA | $59,400 | 6% below national |
| 150 | Farmington, NM | $59,380 | 6% below national |
| 151 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,370 | 6% below national |
| 152 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $59,290 | 6% below national |
| 153 | Bowling Green, KY | $59,170 | 6% below national |
| 154 | Glens Falls, NY | $59,170 | 6% below national |
| 155 | Bozeman, MT | $59,120 | 6% below national |
| 156 | Paducah, KY-IL | $59,110 | 6% below national |
| 157 | Baton Rouge, LA | $59,030 | 6% below national |
| 158 | Jackson, MI | $59,030 | 6% below national |
| 159 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $58,970 | 6% below national |
| 160 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $58,900 | 6% below national |
| 161 | Fort Wayne, IN | $58,870 | 6% below national |
| 162 | Bloomington, IN | $58,850 | 6% below national |
| 163 | Dover, DE | $58,830 | 6% below national |
| 164 | Modesto, CA | $58,820 | 6% below national |
| 165 | Abilene, TX | $58,700 | 7% below national |
| 166 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $58,680 | 7% below national |
| 167 | Billings, MT | $58,670 | 7% below national |
| 168 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $58,650 | 7% below national |
| 169 | Winchester, VA-WV | $58,640 | 7% below national |
| 170 | Waco, TX | $58,620 | 7% below national |
| 171 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $58,580 | 7% below national |
| 172 | Reading, PA | $58,570 | 7% below national |
| 173 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $58,430 | 7% below national |
| 174 | Johnstown, PA | $58,390 | 7% below national |
| 175 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $58,320 | 7% below national |
| 176 | Bangor, ME | $58,280 | 7% below national |
| 177 | Chico, CA | $58,280 | 7% below national |
| 178 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $58,270 | 7% below national |
| 179 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $58,250 | 7% below national |
| 180 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $58,070 | 8% below national |
| 181 | Kokomo, IN | $57,960 | 8% below national |
| 182 | Duluth, MN-WI | $57,790 | 8% below national |
| 183 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $57,780 | 8% below national |
| 184 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $57,740 | 8% below national |
| 185 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $57,730 | 8% below national |
| 186 | State College, PA | $57,680 | 8% below national |
| 187 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $57,600 | 8% below national |
| 188 | Fargo, ND-MN | $57,550 | 8% below national |
| 189 | Oklahoma City, OK | $57,550 | 8% below national |
| 190 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $57,510 | 9% below national |
| 191 | Asheville, NC | $57,500 | 9% below national |
| 192 | Appleton, WI | $57,450 | 9% below national |
| 193 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $57,420 | 9% below national |
| 194 | Grants Pass, OR | $57,380 | 9% below national |
| 195 | Tyler, TX | $57,320 | 9% below national |
| 196 | Rochester, NY | $57,250 | 9% below national |
| 197 | Salem, OR | $57,230 | 9% below national |
| 198 | Columbia, SC | $57,220 | 9% below national |
| 199 | Medford, OR | $57,200 | 9% below national |
| 200 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $57,110 | 9% below national |
| 201 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $57,100 | 9% below national |
| 202 | Great Falls, MT | $57,090 | 9% below national |
| 203 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $57,030 | 9% below national |
| 204 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $57,030 | 9% below national |
| 205 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $56,960 | 9% below national |
| 206 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $56,850 | 10% below national |
| 207 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $56,780 | 10% below national |
| 208 | Alexandria, LA | $56,760 | 10% below national |
| 209 | Rapid City, SD | $56,720 | 10% below national |
| 210 | Tallahassee, FL | $56,660 | 10% below national |
| 211 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $56,340 | 10% below national |
| 212 | Traverse City, MI | $56,270 | 11% below national |
| 213 | Elmira, NY | $56,230 | 11% below national |
| 214 | Gainesville, GA | $56,200 | 11% below national |
| 215 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $56,190 | 11% below national |
| 216 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $56,140 | 11% below national |
| 217 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $56,120 | 11% below national |
| 218 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $56,100 | 11% below national |
| 219 | Wilmington, NC | $56,060 | 11% below national |
| 220 | Erie, PA | $56,040 | 11% below national |
| 221 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $56,010 | 11% below national |
| 222 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $55,960 | 11% below national |
| 223 | El Paso, TX | $55,830 | 11% below national |
| 224 | Dubuque, IA | $55,740 | 11% below national |
| 225 | Albany, OR | $55,580 | 12% below national |
| 226 | Reno, NV | $55,410 | 12% below national |
| 227 | Flint, MI | $55,370 | 12% below national |
| 228 | Corvallis, OR | $55,210 | 12% below national |
| 229 | Spartanburg, SC | $55,000 | 13% below national |
| 230 | Kenosha, WI | $54,940 | 13% below national |
| 231 | Utica-Rome, NY | $54,850 | 13% below national |
| 232 | Charleston, WV | $54,780 | 13% below national |
| 233 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $54,210 | 14% below national |
| 234 | Bay City, MI | $54,170 | 14% below national |
| 235 | Ogden, UT | $54,020 | 14% below national |
| 236 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $53,930 | 14% below national |
| 237 | Boise City, ID | $53,470 | 15% below national |
| 238 | Owensboro, KY | $53,320 | 15% below national |
| 239 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $53,300 | 15% below national |
| 240 | Ames, IA | $53,180 | 15% below national |
| 241 | Birmingham, AL | $53,160 | 15% below national |
| 242 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $53,090 | 16% below national |
| 243 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $52,590 | 16% below national |
| 244 | Lawrence, KS | $52,530 | 16% below national |
| 245 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $52,500 | 17% below national |
| 246 | Tucson, AZ | $52,430 | 17% below national |
| 247 | Columbus, GA-AL | $52,280 | 17% below national |
| 248 | Lafayette, LA | $52,130 | 17% below national |
| 249 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $52,000 | 17% below national |
| 250 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $51,880 | 18% below national |
| 251 | Niles, MI | $51,820 | 18% below national |
| 252 | Jacksonville, NC | $51,630 | 18% below national |
| 253 | Burlington, NC | $51,620 | 18% below national |
| 254 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $51,560 | 18% below national |
| 255 | Green Bay, WI | $51,520 | 18% below national |
| 256 | Sheboygan, WI | $51,410 | 18% below national |
| 257 | St. George, UT | $51,350 | 18% below national |
| 258 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $51,340 | 18% below national |
| 259 | Corpus Christi, TX | $51,290 | 18% below national |
| 260 | Sebring, FL | $51,230 | 19% below national |
| 261 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $51,150 | 19% below national |
| 262 | Flagstaff, AZ | $51,140 | 19% below national |
| 263 | Evansville, IN | $51,110 | 19% below national |
| 264 | Terre Haute, IN | $51,070 | 19% below national |
| 265 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $50,950 | 19% below national |
| 266 | Ocala, FL | $50,900 | 19% below national |
| 267 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $50,890 | 19% below national |
| 268 | Harrisonburg, VA | $50,870 | 19% below national |
| 269 | Muncie, IN | $50,810 | 19% below national |
| 270 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $50,780 | 19% below national |
| 271 | Tulsa, OK | $50,740 | 19% below national |
| 272 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $50,690 | 19% below national |
| 273 | Winston-Salem, NC | $50,680 | 19% below national |
| 274 | Missoula, MT | $50,670 | 19% below national |
| 275 | Lynchburg, VA | $50,660 | 19% below national |
| 276 | Columbus, IN | $50,500 | 20% below national |
| 277 | Jackson, MS | $50,470 | 20% below national |
| 278 | Johnson City, TN | $50,450 | 20% below national |
| 279 | Salisbury, MD | $50,420 | 20% below national |
| 280 | Topeka, KS | $50,350 | 20% below national |
| 281 | Warner Robins, GA | $50,340 | 20% below national |
| 282 | Wichita, KS | $50,240 | 20% below national |
| 283 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $50,140 | 20% below national |
| 284 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $50,040 | 20% below national |
| 285 | Williamsport, PA | $50,010 | 20% below national |
| 286 | Lawton, OK | $49,940 | 21% below national |
| 287 | Morristown, TN | $49,940 | 21% below national |
| 288 | Goldsboro, NC | $49,890 | 21% below national |
| 289 | Hinesville, GA | $49,780 | 21% below national |
| 290 | Knoxville, TN | $49,780 | 21% below national |
| 291 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $49,780 | 21% below national |
| 292 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $49,760 | 21% below national |
| 293 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $49,720 | 21% below national |
| 294 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $49,650 | 21% below national |
| 295 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $49,520 | 21% below national |
| 296 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $49,500 | 21% below national |
| 297 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $49,500 | 21% below national |
| 298 | Chambersburg, PA | $49,490 | 21% below national |
| 299 | Mobile, AL | $49,460 | 21% below national |
| 300 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $49,430 | 21% below national |
| 301 | Columbia, MO | $49,390 | 21% below national |
| 302 | Casper, WY | $49,360 | 22% below national |
| 303 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $49,330 | 22% below national |
| 304 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $49,300 | 22% below national |
| 305 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $49,290 | 22% below national |
| 306 | Albany, GA | $49,210 | 22% below national |
| 307 | Springfield, MO | $49,210 | 22% below national |
| 308 | Rocky Mount, NC | $49,140 | 22% below national |
| 309 | Rome, GA | $49,140 | 22% below national |
| 310 | Altoona, PA | $49,110 | 22% below national |
| 311 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $49,090 | 22% below national |
| 312 | Eau Claire, WI | $49,050 | 22% below national |
| 313 | Jackson, TN | $48,970 | 22% below national |
| 314 | Lake Charles, LA | $48,970 | 22% below national |
| 315 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $48,940 | 22% below national |
| 316 | Punta Gorda, FL | $48,910 | 22% below national |
| 317 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $48,890 | 22% below national |
| 318 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $48,840 | 22% below national |
| 319 | Saginaw, MI | $48,740 | 22% below national |
| 320 | Cleveland, TN | $48,640 | 23% below national |
| 321 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $48,530 | 23% below national |
| 322 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $48,410 | 23% below national |
| 323 | Montgomery, AL | $48,350 | 23% below national |
| 324 | Sandusky, OH | $48,350 | 23% below national |
| 325 | Cheyenne, WY | $48,260 | 23% below national |
| 326 | Florence, SC | $48,230 | 23% below national |
| 327 | Valdosta, GA | $48,150 | 23% below national |
| 328 | Lima, OH | $48,140 | 23% below national |
| 329 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $48,110 | 24% below national |
| 330 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $48,030 | 24% below national |
| 331 | Longview, TX | $47,990 | 24% below national |
| 332 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $47,940 | 24% below national |
| 333 | Manhattan, KS | $47,890 | 24% below national |
| 334 | Gainesville, FL | $47,840 | 24% below national |
| 335 | Jefferson City, MO | $47,840 | 24% below national |
| 336 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $47,830 | 24% below national |
| 337 | Dalton, GA | $47,780 | 24% below national |
| 338 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $47,690 | 24% below national |
| 339 | Springfield, OH | $47,680 | 24% below national |
| 340 | Greenville, NC | $47,530 | 24% below national |
| 341 | Fond du Lac, WI | $47,420 | 25% below national |
| 342 | Wichita Falls, TX | $47,360 | 25% below national |
| 343 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $47,330 | 25% below national |
| 344 | Dothan, AL | $47,260 | 25% below national |
| 345 | Mansfield, OH | $47,150 | 25% below national |
| 346 | Monroe, LA | $47,070 | 25% below national |
| 347 | Laredo, TX | $47,060 | 25% below national |
| 348 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $47,040 | 25% below national |
| 349 | Twin Falls, ID | $46,870 | 25% below national |
| 350 | Sumter, SC | $46,750 | 26% below national |
| 351 | Pocatello, ID | $46,670 | 26% below national |
| 352 | Idaho Falls, ID | $46,640 | 26% below national |
| 353 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $46,620 | 26% below national |
| 354 | Joplin, MO-KS | $46,620 | 26% below national |
| 355 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $46,590 | 26% below national |
| 356 | Huntsville, AL | $46,580 | 26% below national |
| 357 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $46,560 | 26% below national |
| 358 | Logan, UT-ID | $46,290 | 26% below national |
| 359 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $46,240 | 26% below national |
| 360 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $46,160 | 27% below national |
| 361 | Eagle Pass, TX | $46,030 | 27% below national |
| 362 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $45,860 | 27% below national |
| 363 | Lubbock, TX | $45,780 | 27% below national |
| 364 | Wausau, WI | $45,590 | 28% below national |
| 365 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $45,540 | 28% below national |
| 366 | Jonesboro, AR | $45,520 | 28% below national |
| 367 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $45,480 | 28% below national |
| 368 | Enid, OK | $45,460 | 28% below national |
| 369 | Hattiesburg, MS | $45,050 | 28% below national |
| 370 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $43,990 | 30% below national |
| 371 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $43,280 | 31% below national |
| 372 | Decatur, AL | $42,510 | 32% below national |
| 373 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $39,270 | 38% below national |
| 374 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $38,780 | 38% below national |
| 375 | Gadsden, AL | $37,980 | 40% below national |
| 376 | Beckley, WV | $35,900 | 43% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 23 (Legal Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
SOC 23-1021
Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
SOC 23-1022
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
SOC 23-1023
Judicial Law Clerks
SOC 23-1012
Lawyers
SOC 23-1011
Showing 5 of 7 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Legal Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($62,890 here) and reported employment (392,880 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $80,080/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $89,750/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.