Paralegals and Legal Assistants · Maryland

Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in Maryland

Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Maryland earn a median annual wage of $65,640 —4.4% above the national median of $62,890. That ranks MD #11 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$65,640
Median hourly
$31.56
Entry level (P10)
$48,260
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$108,380
90th percentile
Employment
6,460
2.3 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+4.4%
U.S. $62,890

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$48,260
$51,660
$65,640
$84,700
$48,260$65,640$108,380
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $65,640.

Employment concentration (0.93×) is close to the national average.

Highest-paying states for paralegals and legal assistants

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Maryland is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1District of Columbia$89,750$43.156,4003.61
2Washington$79,400$38.179,4601.05
3Colorado$78,190$37.595,6200.77
4Massachusetts$77,640$37.337,8000.85
5California$77,390$37.2147,1301.02
6Minnesota$75,570$36.337,4000.99
7New Jersey$71,500$34.3812,0101.11
8Alaska$68,700$33.035700.69
9New York$68,410$32.8934,2201.40
10Vermont$67,160$32.296600.86

Related occupations in Maryland

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Maryland.

OccupationMaryland medianU.S. median
Lawyers$139,110$159,670
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$55,460$58,650
Legal Support Workers, All Other—$72,110
Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$172,190$153,990
Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$133,460$117,860
Judicial Law Clerks$70,110$64,920

Frequently asked questions

How much do paralegals and legal assistants make in Maryland?

The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants in Maryland is $65,640, or $31.56 per hour. That is 4.4% above the national median of $62,890.

What is the entry-level paralegals and legal assistants salary in Maryland?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $48,260 per year ($23.20/hour). The 25th percentile is $51,660.

How many people work as paralegals and legal assistants in Maryland?

About 6,460 people work in this occupation in Maryland, or 2.3 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Maryland a good state for paralegals and legal assistants?

Maryland ranks #11 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment concentration (0.93x) is close to the national average.

Which state pays paralegals and legal assistants the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median wage at $89,750 per year, followed by Washington ($79,400) and Colorado ($78,190).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes