Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants is $62,890, or $30.24 per hour. About 392,880 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $89,750 in District of Columbia to $46,180 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $89,750 | $43.15 | 6,400 | 3.61 |
| 2 | Washington | $79,400 | $38.17 | 9,460 | 1.05 |
| 3 | Colorado | $78,190 | $37.59 | 5,620 | 0.77 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $77,640 | $37.33 | 7,800 | 0.85 |
| 5 | California | $77,390 | $37.21 | 47,130 | 1.02 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $75,570 | $36.33 | 7,400 | 0.99 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $71,500 | $34.38 | 12,010 | 1.11 |
| 8 | Alaska | $68,700 | $33.03 | 570 | 0.69 |
| 9 | New York | $68,410 | $32.89 | 34,220 | 1.40 |
| 10 | Vermont | $67,160 | $32.29 | 660 | 0.86 |
| 11 | Maryland | $65,640 | $31.56 | 6,460 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Nevada | $64,680 | $31.10 | 3,620 | 0.92 |
| 13 | Virginia | $63,990 | $30.77 | 10,250 | 0.99 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $63,820 | $30.68 | 5,210 | 1.21 |
| 15 | Illinois | $63,670 | $30.61 | 14,130 | 0.92 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $63,370 | $30.47 | 14,670 | 0.96 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $63,250 | $30.41 | 1,630 | 0.63 |
| 18 | Utah | $63,220 | $30.40 | 3,250 | 0.74 |
| 19 | Delaware | $63,110 | $30.34 | 2,480 | 2.03 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $62,840 | $30.21 | 1,170 | 0.74 |
| 21 | Maine | $62,420 | $30.01 | 1,210 | 0.75 |
| 22 | Georgia | $62,400 | $30.00 | 14,160 | 1.15 |
| 23 | Texas | $62,310 | $29.96 | 29,540 | 0.83 |
| 24 | Michigan | $62,170 | $29.89 | 7,730 | 0.69 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $62,040 | $29.83 | 1,430 | 0.83 |
| 26 | Arizona | $61,630 | $29.63 | 7,890 | 0.96 |
| 27 | Oregon | $61,490 | $29.56 | 4,870 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Missouri | $61,410 | $29.52 | 7,130 | 0.96 |
| 29 | Florida | $61,000 | $29.33 | 40,950 | 1.63 |
| 30 | Ohio | $60,420 | $29.05 | 9,270 | 0.66 |
| 31 | Louisiana | $60,250 | $28.97 | 4,890 | 1.00 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $59,840 | $28.77 | 1,740 | 0.79 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $59,830 | $28.76 | 3,540 | 0.70 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $59,430 | $28.57 | 730 | 0.67 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $59,000 | $28.37 | 1,660 | 0.93 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $58,820 | $28.28 | 6,080 | 0.73 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $58,500 | $28.12 | 4,780 | 0.64 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $58,320 | $28.04 | 600 | 0.52 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $57,500 | $27.64 | 13,650 | 1.09 |
| 40 | Montana | $57,290 | $27.54 | 1,010 | 0.78 |
| 41 | Indiana | $57,030 | $27.42 | 5,910 | 0.73 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $56,250 | $27.04 | 2,070 | 1.63 |
| 43 | Kansas | $55,000 | $26.44 | 2,210 | 0.61 |
| 44 | Iowa | $54,550 | $26.23 | 2,980 | 0.76 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $53,880 | $25.90 | 7,420 | 1.27 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $53,170 | $25.56 | 3,110 | 0.72 |
| 47 | Idaho | $49,690 | $23.89 | 2,030 | 0.94 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $49,490 | $23.80 | 600 | 0.84 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $47,420 | $22.80 | 1,610 | 0.49 |
| 50 | Alabama | $47,260 | $22.72 | 5,700 | 1.07 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $46,180 | $22.20 | 2,270 | 0.77 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make?
The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants in the United States is $62,890, or $30.24 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $44,740, and the top 10% earn $101,500.
How many paralegals and legal assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 392,880 people work as paralegals and legal assistants nationwide.
Which state pays paralegals and legal assistants the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $89,750, followed by Washington ($79,400) and Colorado ($78,190).
Which state pays paralegals and legal assistants the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $46,180.
Where are paralegals and legal assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 3.61×.