The average salary for a paralegal in District of Columbia is around $89,750 per year.
Avg Salary
Paralegals earn an average yearly salary of $89,750.
Wages typically start from $59,770 and go up to $131,650.
6% above national average Updated in 2025
Paralegal earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$63.29 per hour
$131,650 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$55.25 per hour
$114,920 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$43.15 per hour
$89,750 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level paralegal earnings begin at:
$34.73 per hour
$72,240 per year
10th percentile
Starting level paralegal earnings begin at:
$28.74 per hour
$59,770 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 16% less than similar careers in District of Columbia. On average, they make less than detectives but more than private detectives.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Detective salary | $161K |
| Customs inspector salary | $161K |
| Special agent salary | $161K |
| Arbitrator salary | $110K |
| Coroner salary | $111K |
| Paralegal salary | $90K |
| Legal secretary salary | $99K |
| Police officer salary | $89K |
| Sheriff salary | $89K |
| Private detective salary | $73K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)