How much does a paralegal and legal assistant make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $30.24 an hour or $5,241 a month.
- Hourly
- $30.24
- Average (mean)
- $69,700
- Jobs
- 392,880
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,740 | $21.51 | |
| 25th | $50,340 | $24.20 | |
| Median | $62,890 | $30.24 | |
| 75th | $80,080 | $38.50 | |
| 90th | $101,500 | $48.80 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| 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 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 |
| Alabama | $47,260 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| San Jose, CA | $99,250 |
| Seattle, WA | $92,900 |
| San Francisco, CA | $84,030 |
| Washington, DC | $81,590 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $80,930 |
| Denver, CO | $80,500 |
| Boston, MA | $79,850 |
| Vallejo, CA | $79,280 |
| Sacramento, CA | $78,550 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $78,160 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $77,520 |
| Napa, CA | $77,020 |
| Parkersburg, WV | $76,400 |
| San Diego, CA | $76,300 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $76,220 |
In other countries
Paralegal and Legal Assistant belongs to the international group "Legal and related associate professionals".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Title Examiner$58,650
- Legal Support Worker$72,110
Frequently asked questions
How much does a paralegal and legal assistant make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $30.24 ($62,890 a year).
How much does a paralegal and legal assistant make a month?
About $5,241 a month before tax, based on a median of $62,890 a year.
How much does a paralegal and legal assistant make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $44,740 or less a year ($21.51 an hour); the top 10% make $101,500 or more.
Which state pays paralegal and legal assistants the most?
District of Columbia, with a median of $89,750 a year, followed by Washington ($79,400) and Colorado ($78,190).
Which city pays paralegal and legal assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $99,250 a year.
How many paralegal and legal assistants are there in the United States?
About 392,880 people work as paralegal and legal assistants.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.