Paralegals and Legal Assistants · Wisconsin

Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in Wisconsin

Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Wisconsin earn a median annual wage of $58,500 —7.0% below the national median of $62,890. That ranks WI #37 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$58,500
Median hourly
$28.12
Entry level (P10)
$45,220
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$86,210
90th percentile
Employment
4,780
1.6 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-7.0%
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
$45,220
$47,690
$58,500
$71,130
$45,220$58,500$86,210
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $58,500.

Employment is only 0.64× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Wisconsin.

Highest-paying states for paralegals and legal assistants

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Wisconsin.

Frequently asked questions

How much do paralegals and legal assistants make in Wisconsin?

The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants in Wisconsin is $58,500, or $28.12 per hour. That is 7.0% below the national median of $62,890.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $45,220 per year ($21.74/hour). The 25th percentile is $47,690.

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

About 4,780 people work in this occupation in Wisconsin, or 1.6 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Wisconsin a good state for paralegals and legal assistants?

Wisconsin ranks #37 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.64x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Wisconsin.

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