Paralegals and legal assistants salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,740 | $21.51 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Mean (average) | $69,700 | $33.51 |
| 90th percentile | $101,500 | $48.80 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Paralegals and legal assistants pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,260 | $30,750 | $77,100 | 5,700 | 1.07 |
| Alaska | $68,700 | $53,830 | $99,320 | 570 | 0.69 |
| Arizona | $61,630 | $45,700 | $96,340 | 7,890 | 0.96 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 | $36,290 | $81,700 | 1,610 | 0.49 |
| California | $77,390 | $50,460 | $119,580 | 47,130 | 1.02 |
| Colorado | $78,190 | $56,930 | $106,160 | 5,620 | 0.77 |
| Connecticut | $63,820 | $46,440 | $100,040 | 5,210 | 1.21 |
| Delaware | $63,110 | $48,880 | $99,390 | 2,480 | 2.03 |
| District of Columbia | $89,750 | $59,770 | $131,650 | 6,400 | 3.61 |
| Florida | $61,000 | $38,830 | $83,410 | 40,950 | 1.63 |
| Georgia | $62,400 | $39,530 | $101,210 | 14,160 | 1.15 |
| Guam | $37,920 | $28,600 | $70,410 | 110 | 0.65 |
| Hawaii | $62,840 | $47,010 | $85,440 | 1,170 | 0.74 |
| Idaho | $49,690 | $36,930 | $75,420 | 2,030 | 0.94 |
| Illinois | $63,670 | $46,860 | $104,580 | 14,130 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | $40,650 | $92,160 | 5,910 | 0.73 |
| Iowa | $54,550 | $37,900 | $83,520 | 2,980 | 0.76 |
| Kansas | $55,000 | $38,860 | $79,090 | 2,210 | 0.61 |
| Kentucky | $59,830 | $36,560 | $78,730 | 3,540 | 0.7 |
| Louisiana | $60,250 | $36,960 | $78,230 | 4,890 | 1 |
| Maine | $62,420 | $48,260 | $80,550 | 1,210 | 0.75 |
| Maryland | $65,640 | $48,260 | $108,380 | 6,460 | 0.93 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 | $49,770 | $117,480 | 7,800 | 0.85 |
| Michigan | $62,170 | $46,590 | $96,610 | 7,730 | 0.69 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 | $47,730 | $102,920 | 7,400 | 0.99 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 | $35,660 | $67,960 | 2,270 | 0.77 |
| Missouri | $61,410 | $42,150 | $96,820 | 7,130 | 0.96 |
| Montana | $57,290 | $46,140 | $76,660 | 1,010 | 0.78 |
| Nebraska | $63,250 | $44,230 | $86,990 | 1,630 | 0.63 |
| Nevada | $64,680 | $47,640 | $82,160 | 3,620 | 0.92 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 | $46,870 | $86,190 | 1,430 | 0.83 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | $47,070 | $99,900 | 12,010 | 1.11 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 | $43,660 | $80,490 | 1,740 | 0.79 |
| New York | $68,410 | $48,330 | $115,720 | 34,220 | 1.4 |
| North Carolina | $57,500 | $38,570 | $84,410 | 13,650 | 1.09 |
| North Dakota | $59,430 | $45,300 | $78,430 | 730 | 0.67 |
| Ohio | $60,420 | $41,720 | $94,660 | 9,270 | 0.66 |
| Oklahoma | $53,170 | $36,020 | $82,060 | 3,110 | 0.72 |
| Oregon | $61,490 | $48,250 | $98,640 | 4,870 | 0.98 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 | $45,710 | $96,080 | 14,670 | 0.96 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,770 | $29,160 | $73,550 | 1,110 | 0.47 |
| Rhode Island | $56,250 | $43,370 | $79,650 | 2,070 | 1.63 |
| South Carolina | $53,880 | $38,020 | $75,640 | 7,420 | 1.27 |
| South Dakota | $58,320 | $48,890 | $84,090 | 600 | 0.52 |
| Tennessee | $58,820 | $43,570 | $83,100 | 6,080 | 0.73 |
| Texas | $62,310 | $39,190 | $98,440 | 29,540 | 0.83 |
| Utah | $63,220 | $43,930 | $100,510 | 3,250 | 0.74 |
| Vermont | $67,160 | $48,650 | $87,390 | 660 | 0.86 |
| Virgin Islands | $52,140 | $50,890 | $73,920 | 90 | 1.11 |
| Virginia | $63,990 | $47,860 | $100,550 | 10,250 | 0.99 |
| Washington | $79,400 | $50,470 | $116,750 | 9,460 | 1.05 |
| West Virginia | $59,000 | $35,770 | $107,310 | 1,660 | 0.93 |
| Wisconsin | $58,500 | $45,220 | $86,210 | 4,780 | 0.64 |
| Wyoming | $49,490 | $35,890 | $64,780 | 600 | 0.84 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for paralegals and legal assistants
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 40,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for paralegals and legal assistants
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Legal Studies CIP 22.0000
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal CIP 22.0302
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Orion Law Management Systems Orion (in demand)
- Thomson Reuters Westlaw (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Google Workspace software (hot technology)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Zoom (hot technology)
- AbacusNext HotDocs
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Immigration Paralegal, Law Associate, Legal Analyst, Legal Assistant, Legal Clerk, Legal Processing Assistant, Litigation Paralegal, Paralegal, Paralegal Specialist, Real Estate Paralegal.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make?
The national median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants was $62,890 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,740 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $101,500. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do paralegals and legal assistants need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is paralegals and legal assistants a growing career?
BLS projects employment of paralegals and legal assistants to change -0.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 40,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay paralegals and legal assistants the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($89,750), Washington ($79,400), Colorado ($78,190). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.