SOC 23-2011 · BLS occupation: Paralegal & Legal Assistant · May 2025
Paralegal Salary
Paralegal & Legal Assistants in the US earn a median of $62,890 a year ($33.51 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Paralegal & Legal Assistant pay climbed from $55,020 in 2019 to $69,700 in 2025, a +26.7% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$62,890
Half of all Paralegal & Legal Assistants in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+26.7% since 2019 · +4.8% YoY
Hourly
$33.51
Job growth 2025-35
-0.3%
US workers
392,880
BLS series
Annual median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Paralegal & Legal Assistants is $44,740 – $101,500.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$44,740
25th
$50,340
Median
$62,890
75th
$80,080
90th
$101,500
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Paralegal & Legal Assistants. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $44,740 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $50,340 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $62,890 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $80,080 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $101,500 |
Geography
Paralegal & Legal Assistant pay by state
Paralegal & Legal Assistants earn the most in D.C. ($89,750, +43% against the national median) and the least in Mississippi ($46,180). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$62,890
Highest-paying states for paralegal & legal assistants
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $89,750 | +43% | 6,400 |
| Washington | $79,400 | +26% | 9,460 |
| Colorado | $78,190 | +24% | 5,620 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 | +23% | 7,800 |
| California | $77,390 | +23% | 47,130 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 | +20% | 7,400 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | +14% | 12,010 |
| Alaska | $68,700 | +9% | 570 |
| New York | $68,410 | +9% | 34,220 |
| Vermont | $67,160 | +7% | 660 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. | $89,750 | 6,400 |
| Washington | $79,400 | 9,460 |
| Colorado | $78,190 | 5,620 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 | 7,800 |
| California | $77,390 | 47,130 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 | 7,400 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | 12,010 |
| Alaska | $68,700 | 570 |
| New York | $68,410 | 34,220 |
| Vermont | $67,160 | 660 |
| Maryland | $65,640 | 6,460 |
| Nevada | $64,680 | 3,620 |
| Virginia | $63,990 | 10,250 |
| Connecticut | $63,820 | 5,210 |
| Illinois | $63,670 | 14,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 | 14,670 |
| Nebraska | $63,250 | 1,630 |
| Utah | $63,220 | 3,250 |
| Delaware | $63,110 | 2,480 |
| Hawaii | $62,840 | 1,170 |
| Maine | $62,420 | 1,210 |
| Georgia | $62,400 | 14,160 |
| Texas | $62,310 | 29,540 |
| Michigan | $62,170 | 7,730 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 | 1,430 |
| Arizona | $61,630 | 7,890 |
| Oregon | $61,490 | 4,870 |
| Missouri | $61,410 | 7,130 |
| Florida | $61,000 | 40,950 |
| Ohio | $60,420 | 9,270 |
| Louisiana | $60,250 | 4,890 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 | 1,740 |
| Kentucky | $59,830 | 3,540 |
| North Dakota | $59,430 | 730 |
| West Virginia | $59,000 | 1,660 |
| Tennessee | $58,820 | 6,080 |
| Wisconsin | $58,500 | 4,780 |
| South Dakota | $58,320 | 600 |
| North Carolina | $57,500 | 13,650 |
| Montana | $57,290 | 1,010 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | 5,910 |
| Rhode Island | $56,250 | 2,070 |
| Kansas | $55,000 | 2,210 |
| Iowa | $54,550 | 2,980 |
| South Carolina | $53,880 | 7,420 |
| Oklahoma | $53,170 | 3,110 |
| Idaho | $49,690 | 2,030 |
| Wyoming | $49,490 | 600 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 | 1,610 |
| Alabama | $47,260 | 5,700 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 | 2,270 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Paralegal & Legal Assistants
Paralegals assist lawyers with case research, document preparation, and trial logistics. Most complete an associate's or bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, or earn a certificate after a related degree.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $44,740 – $101,500. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are D.C., Washington and Colorado. Pay in D.C. runs 1.9 times the level in Mississippi, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as associate's degree, and projects about 40,800 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to shrink 0.3% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Paralegal & Legal Assistant salary in the US?
How much does a Paralegal & Legal Assistant make an hour?
How much do Paralegal & Legal Assistants make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Paralegal & Legal Assistants the most?
Is the average Paralegal & Legal Assistant salary higher than the median?
Is Paralegal & Legal Assistant a growing career?
Open positions
Open Paralegal & Legal Assistant roles hiring now
Browse current Paralegal & Legal Assistant listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 23-2011. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.