Average Salary for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
SOC 23-2011 · Legal Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the United States is $61,010 ($29.33/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $39,710 at the 10th percentile to $98,990 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 367,220 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 26.2% since 2014.
Median Annual
$61,010
Mean Annual
$66,510
10th Pct
$39,710
75th Pct
$78,280
Employment
367,220
Salary Distribution
$40k
10th
$48k
25th
$61k
Median
$78k
75th
$99k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,740 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $85,230 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $84,950 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,550 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $79,240 |
| Midland, MI | $78,120 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $77,990 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,550 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,470 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77,170 |
| Napa, CA | $76,350 |
| Vallejo, CA | $75,560 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $75,380 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $75,080 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $74,960 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99,300 |
| Washington | $78,010 |
| Massachusetts | $74,990 |
| Colorado | $73,380 |
| California | $72,960 |
| Minnesota | $67,320 |
| New York | $66,390 |
| Oregon | $63,970 |
| Maryland | $63,560 |
| Connecticut | $63,260 |
| Vermont | $63,000 |
| New Jersey | $62,790 |
| Illinois | $62,290 |
| Nevada | $62,090 |
| Michigan | $61,490 |
| Nebraska | $61,410 |
| Arizona | $61,220 |
| Virginia | $61,200 |
| Alaska | $61,120 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,950 |
| Hawaii | $60,890 |
| New Hampshire | $60,640 |
| Florida | $60,280 |
| Delaware | $60,000 |
| North Dakota | $59,910 |
| Texas | $59,700 |
| Ohio | $58,870 |
| Missouri | $58,730 |
| Maine | $58,510 |
| South Dakota | $57,300 |
| New Mexico | $56,620 |
| Wisconsin | $56,520 |
| Utah | $55,630 |
| Tennessee | $55,270 |
| Georgia | $55,120 |
| Rhode Island | $54,540 |
| Montana | $54,230 |
| Idaho | $54,020 |
| Iowa | $53,280 |
| Indiana | $50,690 |
| Oklahoma | $50,200 |
| Virgin Islands | $50,160 |
| Wyoming | $49,980 |
| West Virginia | $49,620 |
| North Carolina | $49,390 |
| Kentucky | $49,000 |
| Kansas | $48,910 |
| South Carolina | $48,640 |
| Louisiana | $47,580 |
| Arkansas | $46,940 |
| Alabama | $46,060 |
| Guam | $43,990 |
| Mississippi | $39,120 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,640 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | $135,610 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $122,440 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $122,440 |
| Publishing Industries | $121,850 |
| Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) | $119,910 |
| Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) | $119,910 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $111,660 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $109,450 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $106,280 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | $102,950 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $102,860 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $102,340 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $102,340 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $102,100 |
| Food Manufacturing | $100,650 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $100,570 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $100,040 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $99,160 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $99,110 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $98,650 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $98,650 |
| Information | $98,080 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $96,940 |
| Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | $96,690 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $96,420 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $95,670 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $93,580 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $93,320 |
| Utilities | $92,520 |
| Utilities | $92,520 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $91,840 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $90,990 |
| Manufacturing | $90,660 |
| Land Subdivision | $90,460 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $90,050 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $89,630 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $88,740 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | $87,610 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $87,490 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $87,490 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $87,490 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $87,090 |
| Wholesale Trade | $86,690 |
| Engineering Services | $86,670 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $86,670 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $86,630 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | $86,430 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $86,170 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $85,870 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $85,800 |
| Retail Trade | $85,160 |
| Postal Service (Federal Government) | $84,610 |
| Postal Service (Federal Government) | $84,610 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $84,540 |
| Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | $84,520 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $84,030 |
| Telecommunications | $83,940 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $83,910 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $83,780 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $83,310 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $81,560 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $81,560 |
| Real Estate | $80,170 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | $80,130 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $79,910 |
| Residential Building Construction | $79,490 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $79,290 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $79,230 |
| Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities | $79,190 |
| Rail Transportation | $79,180 |
| Rail Transportation | $79,180 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services | $78,980 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | $78,680 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $77,990 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $77,940 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $77,940 |
| Other Investment Pools and Funds | $77,780 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $77,640 |
| Hospitals | $77,530 |
| Office Administrative Services | $77,380 |
| Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $77,290 |
| Construction of Buildings | $77,040 |
| Finance and Insurance | $76,960 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $76,680 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | $76,660 |
| Insurance Carriers | $76,630 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $76,440 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $76,320 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (5221 and 5223 only) | $76,250 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $75,820 |
| Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | $75,780 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $75,720 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $75,330 |
| Facilities Support Services | $75,220 |
| Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers | $74,770 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $74,630 |
| Offices of Physicians | $73,910 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $73,460 |
| Construction | $73,460 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations | $73,190 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | $72,490 |
| Junior Colleges | $72,360 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $72,240 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | $71,210 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $70,240 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $70,240 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $69,910 |
| Other Insurance Related Activities | $68,500 |
| Educational Services | $68,150 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $67,490 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $67,280 |
| Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations | $66,700 |
| Accommodation | $66,580 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $66,580 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $66,580 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $66,470 |
| Utility System Construction | $66,240 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $66,240 |
| Educational Services | $66,170 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $65,120 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $65,050 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $65,050 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $63,790 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $63,760 |
| Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles | $63,550 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $63,460 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $63,010 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $62,720 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $62,580 |
| Employment Services | $61,310 |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $61,280 |
| Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services | $61,280 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $61,110 |
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services | $61,060 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | $61,030 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,990 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $60,640 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $60,260 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $59,890 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $59,890 |
| Legal Services | $59,800 |
| Other Support Services | $59,770 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $59,380 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $58,800 |
| Temporary Help Services | $58,650 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $58,170 |
| Sound Recording Industries | $57,750 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | $57,520 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $56,650 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $56,280 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | $53,550 |
| Individual and Family Services | $52,280 |
| Social Assistance | $52,280 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services | $51,940 |
| Business Support Services | $50,970 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $46,850 |
| Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds | $39,980 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $61,010 |
| 2023 | $60,970 |
| 2022 | $59,200 |
| 2021 | $56,230 |
| 2020 | $52,920 |
| 2019 | $51,740 |
| 2018 | $50,940 |
| 2017 | $50,410 |
| 2016 | $49,500 |
| 2015 | $48,810 |
| 2014 | $48,350 |