The average salary for a paralegal in the United States is around $44,023 per year.
Avg Salary
Paralegals earn an average yearly salary of $44,023.
Wages typically start from $28,673 and go up to $67,593.
30% below national average Updated in 2023
Paralegal earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$32.50 per hour
$67,593 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$26.52 per hour
$55,168 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$21.17 per hour
$44,023 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$16.89 per hour
$35,130 per year
10th percentile
Starting level paralegal earnings begin at:
$13.78 per hour
$28,673 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Paralegal salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $77,840 |
| Washington | $64,160 |
| California | $63,370 |
| Alaska | $61,680 |
| Massachusetts | $61,410 |
| New Jersey | $60,880 |
| Oregon | $60,640 |
| Colorado | $60,360 |
| New York | $60,030 |
| Minnesota | $60,000 |
| Connecticut | $59,700 |
| Maryland | $59,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,610 |
| Nevada | $59,590 |
| New Hampshire | $58,800 |
| Illinois | $58,510 |
| Delaware | $58,500 |
| Rhode Island | $58,490 |
| Utah | $50,070 |
| Hawaii | $49,870 |
| Arizona | $49,390 |
| Michigan | $49,260 |
| Vermont | $49,260 |
| Texas | $49,050 |
| Florida | $48,820 |
| Missouri | $48,730 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $48,520 |
| Virginia | $48,370 |
| Nebraska | $48,340 |
| South Dakota | $47,510 |
| Wisconsin | $47,510 |
| Iowa | $47,430 |
| Georgia | $47,360 |
| North Dakota | $47,290 |
| Maine | $47,280 |
| Idaho | $47,040 |
| Alabama | $46,990 |
| North Carolina | $46,990 |
| Montana | $46,980 |
| Oklahoma | $46,980 |
| Ohio | $46,940 |
| Indiana | $46,910 |
| New Mexico | $46,770 |
| Tennessee | $46,770 |
| Louisiana | $46,720 |
| Kansas | $46,400 |
| Kentucky | $46,390 |
| Wyoming | $46,340 |
| West Virginia | $46,280 |
| South Carolina | $43,200 |
| Guam | $38,480 |
| Mississippi | $37,530 |
| Arkansas | $36,820 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,550 |
How do paralegal salaries compare to similar careers?
Paralegals earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than detectives but more than transit police officers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Detective salary | $55K |
| Private detective salary | $58K |
| Bailiff salary | $53K |
| Arbitrator salary | $49K |
| Legislator salary | $40K |
| Paralegal salary | $44K |
| Sheriff salary | $43K |
| Probation officer salary | $39K |
| Correctional officer salary | $39K |
| Transit police officer salary | $38K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)