Paralegal Salary Figures
As a result of the current slumping job market nationwide, many people find themselves investigating various legal jobs, and of course many want to know what the average paralegal salary is. This is quite understandable and logical – it’s a good idea to know the income level of a given profession before pulling the trigger on such a life changing decision.
So after researching paralegal salaries, I decided to put together this page, which I intend to update and add to on an ongoing basis.
Of course, as with any career, salaries are affected by many factors, including the level of training or credentials, experience level, state, locality, and more. I’ve gathered data from a couple of sources, just to give you a well rounded approximation of various paralegal salary ranges.
According to another prominent career salary resource site I found, there is an upward trend and definite growth opportunity for paralegals as they climb the ranks and gain experience. See figure below.
| Experience Level | Lowest 25% | Median Salary | Highest 25% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal I | $39,288 | $45,923 | $53,435 |
| Paralegal II | $46,388 | $53,185 | $60,387 |
| Paralegal III | $52,375 | $59,273 | $66,881 |
| Paralegal IV | $61,382 | $69,667 | $79,708 |
| Paralegal Manager | $70,359 | $84,817 | $103,656 |
One of the best sources of salary statistics is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the 2010 BLS Occupational Employment Statistics data, there are 247,940 paralegals in the U.S. with a mean hourly wage of $23.87 ($49,640/year). The middle 50% of paralegals made $22.44 (46,680/year), while the bottom 10% made $14.16 ($29,460/year), and the top 10% made $36.00 ($74,870/year).
Industries with the Highest Employment
The industries with the highest levels of employment for paralegals include: Legal Services (179,850), Federal Executive Branch (14,450), Local Government (13,300), State Government (10,230), Management of Companies and Enterprises (5,960).
Highest State Employment Numbers
The states with the highest employment numbers, presumably due to the size and/or population density of these states are: California (27,260), New York (23,350), Florida (19,690, Texas (17,610), and North Carolina (9,280).
Highest Paying States
The states with the highest mean salaries for paralegals are: District of Columbia ($65,740), California ($59,790), New York ($56,920), New Jersey ($52,870), and Illinois ($52,700).
Highest Metro Area Employment Numbers
The metro areas with the highest employment throughout the country include: New York, White Plains-Wayne, NY NJ (17,370), Washington, Arlington, Alexandria DC, VA, MD, WV (9,840), Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale CA (7,790), Chicago, Naperville, Loliet, IL (7,510), Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Murietta GA (6,130) Houston Sugar Land, Baytown TX (5,720), Boston, Cambridge, Quincy MD (4,700) Philadelphia, PA (4,530), Dallas, Plano, Irving TX (4,200) Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale AZ (4,020)
Highest Paid Metro Areas
The highest paid Metro Areas are San Francisco, San Mateo, Redwood City CA ($66,520), San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara CA ($65,280), Washington, Arlington, Alexandria DC VA MD WV ($63,890), Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario CA ($62,340), Napa CA ($62,140), Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale CA (($60,860), New York, White Plains Wayne NY NJ ($60,540), Oakland, Fremont, Hayward CA ($60,100), Trenton, Ewing NJ ($59,450), Worcester MA ($59,230).
