Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Paralegals and Legal Assistants (SOC 23-2011) earn a median $62,890 a year ($30.24 an hour) in the United States, with 392,880 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What paralegals and legal assistants do
Paralegals and legal assistants support lawyers by investigating facts, researching legal questions, and preparing documents. Typical tasks include preparing, editing, or reviewing legal documents such as briefs, pleadings, and appeals, and drafting affidavits and legal correspondence, investigating the facts of a case and searching public records and legal sources for relevant law, organizing and maintaining files and documents, and preparing for trial by organizing exhibits. They also meet with clients and other professionals about the details of cases and gather and analyze research data such as statutes, decisions, and legal articles. The documents they prepare or review can include legislation, wills, and other legal papers. The classification excludes legal secretaries and administrative assistants, who perform clerical work. Paralegals differ from lawyers, whom they assist, and from title examiners, who focus on property records.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Certified Paralegal, Corporate Paralegal, Contracts Specialist, Contract Preparer, Corporate Legal Assistant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $21.51 | $24.20 | $30.24 | $38.50 | $48.80 | $33.51 | 392,880 |
| Annual | $44,740 | $50,340 | $62,890 | $80,080 | $101,500 | $69,700 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where paralegals and legal assistants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $28.74 | $34.73 | $43.15 | $55.25 | $63.29 | $45.87 | 6,400 | 9.12 | 3.61 |
| Annual | $59,770 | $72,240 | $89,750 | $114,920 | $131,650 | $95,400 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $24.27 | $30.13 | $38.17 | $48.54 | $56.13 | $40.26 | 9,460 | 2.66 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $50,470 | $62,670 | $79,400 | $100,960 | $116,750 | $83,740 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $27.37 | $30.08 | $37.59 | $45.71 | $51.04 | $38.83 | 5,620 | 1.96 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $56,930 | $62,560 | $78,190 | $95,070 | $106,160 | $80,760 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $23.93 | $30.09 | $37.33 | $46.55 | $56.48 | $39.02 | 7,800 | 2.15 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $49,770 | $62,580 | $77,640 | $96,820 | $117,480 | $81,160 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.26 | $28.93 | $37.21 | $47.32 | $57.49 | $39.09 | 47,130 | 2.59 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $50,460 | $60,170 | $77,390 | $98,430 | $119,580 | $81,320 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $24.26 | $28.93 | $37.21 | $47.32 | $57.49 | $39.09 | 47,130 | 2.59 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $50,460 | $60,170 | $77,390 | $98,430 | $119,580 | $81,320 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.67 | $23.19 | $29.33 | $36.43 | $40.10 | $30.41 | 40,950 | 4.12 | 1.63 |
| Annual | $38,830 | $48,230 | $61,000 | $75,780 | $83,410 | $63,250 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.24 | $27.61 | $32.89 | $45.29 | $55.64 | $36.96 | 34,220 | 3.53 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $48,330 | $57,430 | $68,410 | $94,200 | $115,720 | $76,890 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.84 | $22.79 | $29.96 | $37.38 | $47.33 | $31.48 | 29,540 | 2.10 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $39,190 | $47,410 | $62,310 | $77,740 | $98,440 | $65,480 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $21.98 | $24.38 | $30.47 | $37.97 | $46.19 | $32.94 | 14,670 | 2.42 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $45,710 | $50,710 | $63,370 | $78,980 | $96,080 | $68,510 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $28.86 | $37.31 | $47.72 | $57.27 | $75.70 | $49.56 | 2,030 | 1.79 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $60,030 | $77,610 | $99,250 | $119,120 | $157,450 | $103,080 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $28.52 | $35.80 | $44.66 | $52.00 | $57.61 | $44.34 | 6,310 | 3.03 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $59,320 | $74,470 | $92,900 | $108,160 | $119,820 | $92,230 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $28.17 | $35.60 | $40.40 | $49.55 | $63.37 | $44.63 | 7,630 | 3.21 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $58,590 | $74,050 | $84,030 | $103,060 | $131,820 | $92,830 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $27.48 | $30.85 | $39.23 | $51.44 | $60.59 | $42.26 | 12,990 | 4.14 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $57,160 | $64,180 | $81,590 | $106,990 | $126,020 | $87,900 | ||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | $27.85 | $30.05 | $38.91 | $43.79 | $46.87 | $38.38 | 360 | 1.77 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $57,930 | $62,500 | $80,930 | $91,070 | $97,500 | $79,840 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.64 | $29.35 | $36.22 | $46.98 | $58.26 | $38.59 | 33,850 | 3.57 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $49,180 | $61,040 | $75,330 | $97,720 | $121,170 | $80,260 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $24.62 | $28.70 | $37.27 | $47.33 | $53.92 | $38.25 | 22,240 | 3.55 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $51,200 | $59,690 | $77,520 | $98,440 | $112,160 | $79,550 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $18.51 | $24.20 | $29.85 | $37.37 | $44.23 | $31.79 | 17,820 | 6.32 | 2.50 |
| Annual | $38,500 | $50,330 | $62,090 | $77,730 | $91,990 | $66,130 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $27.48 | $30.85 | $39.23 | $51.44 | $60.59 | $42.26 | 12,990 | 4.14 | 1.64 |
| Annual | $57,160 | $64,180 | $81,590 | $106,990 | $126,020 | $87,900 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $24.11 | $28.24 | $33.92 | $40.89 | $50.98 | $36.02 | 11,590 | 2.57 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $50,160 | $58,740 | $70,550 | $85,040 | $106,040 | $74,920 | ||||
Top industries employing paralegals and legal assistants
Legal Services employ 77.6% of paralegals and legal assistants nationally (304,820 jobs) at a median $61,770 a year ($29.70 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (5.0%) and Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (4.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Services NAICS 541100 | 304,820 | 77.6% | $61,770 | $29.70 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 19,620 | 5.0% | $63,370 | $30.47 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 15,960 | 4.1% | $81,470 | $39.17 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 12,090 | 3.1% | $59,320 | $28.52 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 6,970 | 1.8% | $94,570 | $45.46 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (392,880). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $56,230 for paralegals and legal assistants in May 2021 and $62,890 in May 2025, with employment of 336,250 and 392,880.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $56,230 | $27.03 | 336,250 |
| May 2022 | $59,200 | $28.46 | 345,240 |
| May 2023 | $60,970 | $29.31 | 354,890 |
| May 2024 | $61,010 | $29.33 | 367,220 |
| May 2025 | $62,890 | $30.24 | 392,880 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $43.15 | $89,750 | $59,770 | $131,650 | 6,400 | 9.12 | 3.61 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $38.17 | $79,400 | $50,470 | $116,750 | 9,460 | 2.66 | 1.05 |
| 3 | Colorado profile | $37.59 | $78,190 | $56,930 | $106,160 | 5,620 | 1.96 | 0.77 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $37.33 | $77,640 | $49,770 | $117,480 | 7,800 | 2.15 | 0.85 |
| 5 | California profile | $37.21 | $77,390 | $50,460 | $119,580 | 47,130 | 2.59 | 1.02 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $36.33 | $75,570 | $47,730 | $102,920 | 7,400 | 2.51 | 0.99 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $34.38 | $71,500 | $47,070 | $99,900 | 12,010 | 2.80 | 1.11 |
| 8 | Alaska profile | $33.03 | $68,700 | $53,830 | $99,320 | 570 | 1.75 | 0.69 |
| 9 | New York profile | $32.89 | $68,410 | $48,330 | $115,720 | 34,220 | 3.53 | 1.40 |
| 10 | Vermont profile | $32.29 | $67,160 | $48,650 | $87,390 | 660 | 2.16 | 0.86 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $31.56 | $65,640 | $48,260 | $108,380 | 6,460 | 2.34 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Nevada profile | $31.10 | $64,680 | $47,640 | $82,160 | 3,620 | 2.34 | 0.92 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $30.77 | $63,990 | $47,860 | $100,550 | 10,250 | 2.50 | 0.99 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | $30.68 | $63,820 | $46,440 | $100,040 | 5,210 | 3.07 | 1.21 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $30.61 | $63,670 | $46,860 | $104,580 | 14,130 | 2.32 | 0.92 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania profile | $30.47 | $63,370 | $45,710 | $96,080 | 14,670 | 2.42 | 0.96 |
| 17 | Nebraska profile | $30.41 | $63,250 | $44,230 | $86,990 | 1,630 | 1.59 | 0.63 |
| 18 | Utah profile | $30.40 | $63,220 | $43,930 | $100,510 | 3,250 | 1.87 | 0.74 |
| 19 | Delaware profile | $30.34 | $63,110 | $48,880 | $99,390 | 2,480 | 5.12 | 2.03 |
| 20 | Hawaii profile | $30.21 | $62,840 | $47,010 | $85,440 | 1,170 | 1.86 | 0.74 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $30.01 | $62,420 | $48,260 | $80,550 | 1,210 | 1.89 | 0.75 |
| 22 | Georgia profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $39,530 | $101,210 | 14,160 | 2.90 | 1.15 |
| 23 | Texas profile | $29.96 | $62,310 | $39,190 | $98,440 | 29,540 | 2.10 | 0.83 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $29.89 | $62,170 | $46,590 | $96,610 | 7,730 | 1.75 | 0.69 |
| 25 | New Hampshire profile | $29.83 | $62,040 | $46,870 | $86,190 | 1,430 | 2.10 | 0.83 |
| 26 | Arizona profile | $29.63 | $61,630 | $45,700 | $96,340 | 7,890 | 2.44 | 0.96 |
| 27 | Oregon profile | $29.56 | $61,490 | $48,250 | $98,640 | 4,870 | 2.47 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Missouri profile | $29.52 | $61,410 | $42,150 | $96,820 | 7,130 | 2.43 | 0.96 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $29.33 | $61,000 | $38,830 | $83,410 | 40,950 | 4.12 | 1.63 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | $29.05 | $60,420 | $41,720 | $94,660 | 9,270 | 1.67 | 0.66 |
| 31 | Louisiana profile | $28.97 | $60,250 | $36,960 | $78,230 | 4,890 | 2.53 | 1.00 |
| 32 | New Mexico profile | $28.77 | $59,840 | $43,660 | $80,490 | 1,740 | 2.00 | 0.79 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $28.76 | $59,830 | $36,560 | $78,730 | 3,540 | 1.77 | 0.70 |
| 34 | North Dakota profile | $28.57 | $59,430 | $45,300 | $78,430 | 730 | 1.69 | 0.67 |
| 35 | West Virginia profile | $28.37 | $59,000 | $35,770 | $107,310 | 1,660 | 2.36 | 0.93 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $28.28 | $58,820 | $43,570 | $83,100 | 6,080 | 1.86 | 0.73 |
| 37 | Wisconsin profile | $28.12 | $58,500 | $45,220 | $86,210 | 4,780 | 1.63 | 0.64 |
| 38 | South Dakota profile | $28.04 | $58,320 | $48,890 | $84,090 | 600 | 1.30 | 0.52 |
| 39 | North Carolina profile | $27.64 | $57,500 | $38,570 | $84,410 | 13,650 | 2.76 | 1.09 |
| 40 | Montana profile | $27.54 | $57,290 | $46,140 | $76,660 | 1,010 | 1.98 | 0.78 |
| 41 | Indiana profile | $27.42 | $57,030 | $40,650 | $92,160 | 5,910 | 1.85 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Rhode Island profile | $27.04 | $56,250 | $43,370 | $79,650 | 2,070 | 4.13 | 1.63 |
| 43 | Kansas profile | $26.44 | $55,000 | $38,860 | $79,090 | 2,210 | 1.54 | 0.61 |
| 44 | Iowa profile | $26.23 | $54,550 | $37,900 | $83,520 | 2,980 | 1.91 | 0.76 |
| 45 | South Carolina profile | $25.90 | $53,880 | $38,020 | $75,640 | 7,420 | 3.22 | 1.27 |
| 46 | Oklahoma profile | $25.56 | $53,170 | $36,020 | $82,060 | 3,110 | 1.82 | 0.72 |
| 47 | Idaho profile | $23.89 | $49,690 | $36,930 | $75,420 | 2,030 | 2.36 | 0.94 |
| 48 | Wyoming profile | $23.80 | $49,490 | $35,890 | $64,780 | 600 | 2.13 | 0.84 |
| 49 | Arkansas profile | $22.80 | $47,420 | $36,290 | $81,700 | 1,610 | 1.23 | 0.49 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $22.72 | $47,260 | $30,750 | $77,100 | 5,700 | 2.70 | 1.07 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $22.20 | $46,180 | $35,660 | $67,960 | 2,270 | 1.95 | 0.77 |
Part of Legal Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 23-2011 Paralegals and Legal Assistants.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 23-2011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 23-2011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.