The average salary for a paralegal in the United States is around $62,890 per year.
Avg Salary
Paralegals earn an average yearly salary of $62,890.
Wages typically start from $44,740 and go up to $101,500.
1% above national average Updated in 2025
Paralegal earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$48.80 per hour
$101,500 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$38.50 per hour
$80,080 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$30.24 per hour
$62,890 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$24.20 per hour
$50,340 per year
10th percentile
Starting level paralegal earnings begin at:
$21.51 per hour
$44,740 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Paralegal salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89,750 |
| Washington | $79,400 |
| Colorado | $78,190 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 |
| California | $77,390 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 |
| Alaska | $68,700 |
| New York | $68,410 |
| Vermont | $67,160 |
| Maryland | $65,640 |
| Nevada | $64,680 |
| Virginia | $63,990 |
| Connecticut | $63,820 |
| Illinois | $63,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 |
| Nebraska | $63,250 |
| Utah | $63,220 |
| Delaware | $63,110 |
| Hawaii | $62,840 |
| Maine | $62,420 |
| Georgia | $62,400 |
| Texas | $62,310 |
| Michigan | $62,170 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 |
| Arizona | $61,630 |
| Oregon | $61,490 |
| Missouri | $61,410 |
| Florida | $61,000 |
| Ohio | $60,420 |
| Louisiana | $60,250 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 |
| Kentucky | $59,830 |
| North Dakota | $59,430 |
| West Virginia | $59,000 |
| Tennessee | $58,820 |
| Wisconsin | $58,500 |
| South Dakota | $58,320 |
| North Carolina | $57,500 |
| Montana | $57,290 |
| Indiana | $57,030 |
| Rhode Island | $56,250 |
| Kansas | $55,000 |
| Iowa | $54,550 |
| South Carolina | $53,880 |
| Oklahoma | $53,170 |
| Idaho | $49,690 |
| Wyoming | $49,490 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $48,520 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 |
| Alabama | $47,260 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 |
| Guam | $38,480 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,550 |
How do paralegal salaries compare to similar careers?
Paralegals earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than sheriffs but more than private detectives.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Sheriff salary | $76K |
| Court reporter salary | $72K |
| Fish and game warden salary | $74K |
| Probation officer salary | $66K |
| Judicial law clerk salary | $65K |
| Paralegal salary | $63K |
| Correctional officer salary | $59K |
| Bailiff salary | $57K |
| Legal secretary salary | $56K |
| Private detective salary | $51K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)