Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary
Paralegals and Legal Assistants earn a median of $62,890 a year ($30.24/hr) in the U.S. – from $38,770 in Puerto Rico to $89,750 in District of Columbia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$30.24/hr · $62,890 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$44,740$21.51/hr
75% earn more$50,340$24.20/hr
half earn more, half less$62,890$30.24/hr
25% earn more$80,080$38.50/hr
top 10% earn more$101,500$48.80/hr
pulled up by top earners$69,700$33.51/hr
How does my pay compare?
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Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
6,400 jobs · $43.15/hr$89,750
9,460 jobs · $38.17/hr$79,400
5,620 jobs · $37.59/hr$78,190
7,800 jobs · $37.33/hr$77,640
47,130 jobs · $37.21/hr$77,390
7,400 jobs · $36.33/hr$75,570
12,010 jobs · $34.38/hr$71,500
570 jobs · $33.03/hr$68,700
34,220 jobs · $32.89/hr$68,410
660 jobs · $32.29/hr$67,160
6,460 jobs · $31.56/hr$65,640
3,620 jobs · $31.10/hr$64,680
10,250 jobs · $30.77/hr$63,990
5,210 jobs · $30.68/hr$63,820
14,130 jobs · $30.61/hr$63,670
14,670 jobs · $30.47/hr$63,370
1,630 jobs · $30.41/hr$63,250
3,250 jobs · $30.40/hr$63,220
2,480 jobs · $30.34/hr$63,110
1,170 jobs · $30.21/hr$62,840
1,210 jobs · $30.01/hr$62,420
14,160 jobs · $30.00/hr$62,400
29,540 jobs · $29.96/hr$62,310
7,730 jobs · $29.89/hr$62,170
1,430 jobs · $29.83/hr$62,040
7,890 jobs · $29.63/hr$61,630
4,870 jobs · $29.56/hr$61,490
7,130 jobs · $29.52/hr$61,410
40,950 jobs · $29.33/hr$61,000
9,270 jobs · $29.05/hr$60,420
4,890 jobs · $28.97/hr$60,250
1,740 jobs · $28.77/hr$59,840
3,540 jobs · $28.76/hr$59,830
730 jobs · $28.57/hr$59,430
1,660 jobs · $28.37/hr$59,000
6,080 jobs · $28.28/hr$58,820
4,780 jobs · $28.12/hr$58,500
600 jobs · $28.04/hr$58,320
13,650 jobs · $27.64/hr$57,500
1,010 jobs · $27.54/hr$57,290
5,910 jobs · $27.42/hr$57,030
2,070 jobs · $27.04/hr$56,250
2,210 jobs · $26.44/hr$55,000
2,980 jobs · $26.23/hr$54,550
7,420 jobs · $25.90/hr$53,880
3,110 jobs · $25.56/hr$53,170
2,030 jobs · $23.89/hr$49,690
600 jobs · $23.80/hr$49,490
1,610 jobs · $22.80/hr$47,420
5,700 jobs · $22.72/hr$47,260
2,270 jobs · $22.20/hr$46,180
1,110 jobs · $18.64/hr$38,770
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 23-2011. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make?
The median wage for paralegals and legal assistants in the U.S. was $30.24 an hour or $62,890 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $50,340 and $80,080 a year.
Which state pays paralegals and legal assistants the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for paralegals and legal assistants: $89,750 a year. The lowest published median is in Puerto Rico at $38,770. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many paralegals and legal assistants are there?
BLS estimates 392,880 paralegals and legal assistants were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.