Paralegal and Legal Assistant Salary
Paralegals and Legal Assistants earn a median $62,890 a year nationally. Legal Occupations
U.S. median
$62,890
$30.24 per hour
Range
$44,740 – $101,500
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
392,880
across the U.S.
▲3.1%
Pay trend: The median for paralegals and legal assistants in the U.S. rose from $61,010 (May 2024) to $62,890 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 0.7%.
What paralegals and legal assistants do
Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.
- Typical education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- None
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.3% (slower than average)
- Openings per year
- 40,800
- Self-employed
- 2%
Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 40,800 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Paralegal and Legal Assistant take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$52,712
per year · effective tax rate 16.2%
$4,393Monthly
$2,196Twice a month
$2,027Every 2 weeks
$25.34Hourly
- Federal income tax$5,367
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,899
- Medicare (1.45%)$912
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$52,712
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,740 | $21.51 | $38,129 |
| 25th percentile | $50,340 | $24.20 | $42,628 |
| Median (50th) | $62,890 | $30.24 | $52,712 |
| 75th percentile | $80,080 | $38.50 | $65,166 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $101,500 | $48.80 | $80,235 |
Best cities for paralegals and legal assistants (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $92,900 | $74,185 | $66,753 | 6,310 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $80,500 | $62,628 | $59,205 | 3,740 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $81,590 | $62,262 | $57,182 | 12,990 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $79,850 | $61,232 | $56,557 | 6,300 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $78,550 | $59,993 | $56,242 | 2,590 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $76,220 | $58,791 | $56,087 | 5,990 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $66,720 | $55,768 | $55,648 | 2,660 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $63,880 | $51,443 | $55,588 | 2,900 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,430 | $56,215 | $54,815 | 11,150 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $64,140 | $53,716 | $54,776 | 4,390 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA | $84,030 | $63,268 | $54,724 | 7,630 |
| 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,620 | $51,346 | $54,236 | 2,620 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $60,960 | $50,267 | $53,520 | 2,960 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $62,730 | $52,584 | $53,314 | 7,320 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | $75,430 | $56,125 | $53,238 | 3,510 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $70,550 | $55,114 | $53,202 | 11,590 |
| 17 | Nashville, TN | $60,800 | $51,033 | $52,973 | 2,660 |
| 18 | St. Louis, MO | $61,970 | $49,998 | $52,580 | 4,030 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $62,130 | $50,298 | $52,560 | 2,770 |
| 20 | San Diego, CA | $76,300 | $58,623 | $52,395 | 4,440 |
| 21 | Los Angeles, CA | $77,520 | $59,368 | $52,276 | 22,240 |
| 22 | New York, NY | $75,330 | $58,354 | $51,841 | 33,850 |
| 23 | Dallas, TX | $63,220 | $52,977 | $51,389 | 8,320 |
| 24 | Atlanta, GA | $64,080 | $50,965 | $50,936 | 10,290 |
| 25 | Raleigh, NC | $61,880 | $49,940 | $50,878 | 2,540 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- Seattle, WA — $92,900
- San Francisco, CA — $84,030
- Washington, DC — $81,590
- Denver, CO — $80,500
- Boston, MA — $79,850
- Sacramento, CA — $78,550
- Los Angeles, CA — $77,520
- San Diego, CA — $76,300
- Minneapolis, MN — $76,220
- Portland, OR — $75,430
- New York, NY — $75,330
- Chicago, IL — $70,550
- Philadelphia, PA — $70,430
- Las Vegas, NV — $66,720
- Baltimore, MD — $65,640
Paralegal and Legal Assistant salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89,750 | −9.6% | $67,309 | $59,770 – $131,650 | 6,400 |
| Washington | $79,400 | +1.8% | $64,688 | $50,470 – $116,750 | 9,460 |
| Colorado | $78,190 | +6.6% | $61,105 | $56,930 – $106,160 | 5,620 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 | +3.5% | $59,788 | $49,770 – $117,480 | 7,800 |
| California | $77,390 | +6.1% | $59,289 | $50,460 – $119,580 | 47,130 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 | +12.3% | $58,378 | $47,730 – $102,920 | 7,400 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | +13.9% | $56,728 | $47,070 – $99,900 | 12,010 |
| Alaska | $68,700 | +12.4% | $57,160 | $53,830 – $99,320 | 570 |
| New York | $68,410 | +3.0% | $53,859 | $48,330 – $115,720 | 34,220 |
| Vermont | $67,160 | +6.6% | $54,105 | $48,650 – $87,390 | 660 |
| Maryland | $65,640 | +3.3% | $52,167 | $48,260 – $108,380 | 6,460 |
| Nevada | $64,680 | +4.2% | $54,150 | $47,640 – $82,160 | 3,620 |
| Virginia | $63,990 | +4.6% | $50,731 | $47,860 – $100,550 | 10,250 |
| Connecticut | $63,820 | +0.9% | $51,512 | $46,440 – $100,040 | 5,210 |
| Illinois | $63,670 | +2.2% | $50,332 | $46,860 – $104,580 | 14,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 | +4.0% | $51,152 | $45,710 – $96,080 | 14,670 |
| Nebraska | $63,250 | +3.0% | $51,003 | $44,230 – $86,990 | 1,630 |
| Utah | $63,220 | +13.6% | $51,098 | $43,930 – $100,510 | 3,250 |
| Delaware | $63,110 | +5.2% | $50,063 | $48,880 – $99,390 | 2,480 |
| Hawaii | $62,840 | +3.2% | $49,426 | $47,010 – $85,440 | 1,170 |
| Maine | $62,420 | +6.7% | $49,303 | $48,260 – $80,550 | 1,210 |
| Georgia | $62,400 | +13.2% | $49,703 | $39,530 – $101,210 | 14,160 |
| Texas | $62,310 | +4.4% | $52,246 | $39,190 – $98,440 | 29,540 |
| Michigan | $62,170 | +1.1% | $49,742 | $46,590 – $96,610 | 7,730 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 | +2.3% | $52,029 | $46,870 – $86,190 | 1,430 |
| Arizona | $61,630 | +0.7% | $50,368 | $45,700 – $96,340 | 7,890 |
| Oregon | $61,490 | −3.9% | $47,036 | $48,250 – $98,640 | 4,870 |
| Missouri | $61,410 | +4.6% | $49,574 | $42,150 – $96,820 | 7,130 |
| Florida | $61,000 | +1.2% | $51,194 | $38,830 – $83,410 | 40,950 |
| Ohio | $60,420 | +2.6% | $49,848 | $41,720 – $94,660 | 9,270 |
| Louisiana | $60,250 | +26.6% | $49,170 | $36,960 – $78,230 | 4,890 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 | +5.7% | $48,615 | $43,660 – $80,490 | 1,740 |
| Kentucky | $59,830 | +22.1% | $48,277 | $36,560 – $78,730 | 3,540 |
| North Dakota | $59,430 | −0.8% | $49,932 | $45,300 – $78,430 | 730 |
| West Virginia | $59,000 | +18.9% | $47,666 | $35,770 – $107,310 | 1,660 |
| Tennessee | $58,820 | +6.4% | $49,442 | $43,570 – $83,100 | 6,080 |
| Wisconsin | $58,500 | +3.5% | $47,392 | $45,220 – $86,210 | 4,780 |
| South Dakota | $58,320 | +1.8% | $49,040 | $48,890 – $84,090 | 600 |
| North Carolina | $57,500 | +16.4% | $46,596 | $38,570 – $84,410 | 13,650 |
| Montana | $57,290 | +5.6% | $46,277 | $46,140 – $76,660 | 1,010 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | +12.5% | $46,351 | $40,650 – $92,160 | 5,910 |
| Rhode Island | $56,250 | +3.1% | $45,884 | $43,370 – $79,650 | 2,070 |
| Kansas | $55,000 | +12.5% | $44,103 | $38,860 – $79,090 | 2,210 |
| Iowa | $54,550 | +2.4% | $44,590 | $37,900 – $83,520 | 2,980 |
| South Carolina | $53,880 | +10.8% | $43,397 | $38,020 – $75,640 | 7,420 |
| Oklahoma | $53,170 | +5.9% | $43,055 | $36,020 – $82,060 | 3,110 |
| Idaho | $49,690 | −8.0% | $40,581 | $36,930 – $75,420 | 2,030 |
| Wyoming | $49,490 | −1.0% | $41,945 | $35,890 – $64,780 | 600 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 | +1.0% | $38,645 | $36,290 – $81,700 | 1,610 |
| Alabama | $47,260 | +2.6% | $38,055 | $30,750 – $77,100 | 5,700 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 | +18.0% | $38,170 | $35,660 – $67,960 | 2,270 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $58,650 | High school diploma or equivalent | +2.1% |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $72,110 | Associate's degree | -0.3% |
| Judicial Law Clerk | $64,920 | Doctoral or professional degree | +2.8% |
| Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators | $75,530 | Bachelor's degree | +4.7% |
| Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | $117,860 | Doctoral or professional degree | 0.0% |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $153,990 | Doctoral or professional degree | +2.8% |
| Lawyer | $159,670 | Doctoral or professional degree | +4.7% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a paralegal and legal assistant make?
The national median salary for paralegals and legal assistants is $62,890 a year ($30.24 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $44,740 and the top 10% earn over $101,500. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays paralegals and legal assistants the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median pay at $89,750. After taxes and local prices, Seattle, WA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many paralegals and legal assistants are there in the U.S.?
About 392,880 people work as paralegals and legal assistants nationwide.
All 36 cities
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Birmingham, AL
- Boston, MA
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cleveland, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Kansas City, MO
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- Orlando, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Providence, RI
- Raleigh, NC
- Riverside, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Washington, DC