paralegal

Paralegal Salaries By State – Pursue A Career As A Paralegal

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Paralegal Salaries By State – Pursue A Career As A Paralegal

Below is a comprehensive state by state review of the competitive salaries in the Paralegal field. There is a an immense amount of room for growth within this field, as experienced paralegals may find themselves in positions for promotions to higher positions such as administrative and managerial roles. Paralegal roles are suited for those seeking a challenging and engaging line of work in an ever growing field.

Paralegals  heavily assist lawyers in preparation for trials, hearings and meetings. They may be present while questioning of the witness takes place in order to take notes, which allows them to be prepared to conduct witness interviews following the interviewing process the paralegal will be required to prepare a memo summarizing the testimony for the attorney.

We will discuss  in detail How much do paralegals earn? Find paralegal salary and job growth information by state. See what your state has to offer paralegals and legal assistants.

Paralegals are an important pillar in the US legal system. They are responsible for preparing important legal documents such as:

  • Correspondence
  • Pleadings
  • Interrogatories
  • Testimonies

Paralegal salary is a set of different types of salaries clubbed together. They include base salary, bonus and overtime pay. It is assumed that paralegals earn a fair amount of money in today’s environment. The Paralegal salary is estimated to be around $34,000 to $70,000. To expect such a massive amount of compensation, it is essential to know precisely the paralegal work. The most common functions of a paralegal include meeting with the clients and witnesses, researching the laws pertinent to a case, drafting legal documents, and assisting attorneys with the trial preparation and during legal proceedings.

Most paralegals have either an associate’s degree in legal assisting or a bachelor’s degree in another field, with a legal assisting certificate. Many community colleges offer paralegal training programs and legal assisting certification programs. The National Association of Legal Assistants offers a two-day exam; candidates who pass them successfully may use either the Certified Legal Assistant or Certified Paralegal designation. And thus these designations define the Paralegal salary earn by the person.

Paralegal salary range

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2009, the median annual Paralegal salary was $46,980. But the salary range differs from industries to the state you are practising it. The top-paying industries include petroleum & coal products manufacturing which pays around $81,150 Paralegal salary; medical and diagnostic labs pay roughly $72,550; software publishers: $70,660; professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers: $69,650; computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing offers $69,200 as Paralegal salary.

Certain states offer handsome Paralegal salary to professionals. They include Columbia, offering $64,760; New York with $60,140; California: $59,690; Illinois offering $54,690 and Alaska offering Paralegal salary of $52,640.

Bonuses in Paralegal salary

Apart from the basic salary, everyone loves receiving bonuses, and this same is applied when distributing Paralegal salary. Law firms compensate Paralegals based on their work’s quantity and quality and the value of that work to the law practice. Paralegal salary also comprises of the referral fee. This referral fee is given to those paralegals, which refer the clients to the firm. A paralegal can earn as much as they want, once they gain experience and learn to do their job efficiently and effectively. All these factors will help a paralegal to calculate its Paralegal salary.

National estimates for A Paralegal: 

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1)Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
309,9401.1 %$26.20$54,5000.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile10%25%50%
(Median)
75%90%
Hourly Wage$15.10$18.68$24.49$31.29$39.45
Annual Wage (2)$31,400$38,860$50,940$65,080$82,050

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States with highest level of employment in this occupation:

  • California
  • Florida
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Illinois

States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • South Carolina
  • Connecticut
  • New York

Top paying States for this occupation:

  • District of Columbia
  • Connecticut
  • California
  • Washington
  • Massachusetts

Best-Paying States for Paralegals

The states and districts that pay Paralegals the highest mean salary are District of Columbia ($83,420), Washington ($71,900), California ($70,290), Massachusetts ($66,820), and New Jersey ($65,950).

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

IndustryEmployment (1)Percent of industry employmentHourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
Legal Services238,04020.92$25.20$52,410
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)13,9300.25$26.36$54,820
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)12,9000.64$33.91$70,540
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)10,3400.47$23.66$49,220
Management of Companies and Enterprises6,5200.27$33.19$69,040

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

IndustryEmployment (1)Percent of industry employmentHourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
Legal Services238,04020.92$25.20$52,410
Other Investment Pools and Funds1201.38$27.60$57,410
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)1700.78$29.99$62,380
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)12,9000.64$33.91$70,540
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)10,3400.47$23.66$49,220

Top paying industries for this occupation:

IndustryEmployment (1)Percent of industry employmentHourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
Grantmaking and Giving Services900.07$45.54$94,710
Software Publishers3600.09$39.76$82,700
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing300.01$39.69$82,560
Natural Gas Distribution700.07$39.50$82,160
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing1800.06$38.61$80,320

 

Top paying States for Paralegal:

StateEmployment (1)Employment per thousand jobsLocation quotient (9)Hourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia5,3307.483.49$38.69$80,470
Connecticut4,7802.881.34$30.17$62,760
California33,3901.960.92$29.44$61,240
Washington6,2201.910.89$29.30$60,940
Massachusetts7,3302.050.96$29.00$60,320

 

Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Paralegal :

Metropolitan areaEmployment (1)Employment per thousand jobsLocation quotient (9)Hourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA26,2502.761.29$29.18$60,700
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA15,9602.611.22$26.73$55,590
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL13,1005.062.36$25.74$53,540
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI11,6802.521.18$27.68$57,570
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV11,5403.681.72$33.09$68,820
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD8,8203.091.45$26.80$55,740
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA7,2902.721.27$26.86$55,870
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX7,2802.040.95$31.20$64,900
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX6,1602.060.96$28.75$59,800
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH6,0402.191.02$29.89$62,170

 

Top paying metropolitan areas for Paralegal:

Metropolitan areaEmployment (1)Employment per thousand jobsLocation quotient (9)Hourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA1,8801.680.78$41.65$86,630
Napa, CA500.620.29$37.73$78,480
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA3401.100.51$35.99$74,860
Trenton, NJ6402.751.28$33.38$69,430
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV11,5403.681.72$33.09$68,820
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA5,5402.291.07$33.04$68,730
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA2,8401.940.91$32.90$68,440
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA4,1102.070.97$31.72$65,980
Reno, NV3301.430.67$31.59$65,700
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT2,1303.651.70$31.38$65,280

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Alabama:

Employment: 3,000

Location quotient: 0.72

Employment per 1,000: 1.55

Annual mean salary: $45,530

Alaska:

Employment: 690

Location quotient: 1.02

Employment per 1,000: 2.17

Annual mean wage: $59,140

Arizona:

Employment: 7,280

Location quotient: 1.22

Employment per 1,000: 2.61

Annual mean wage: $48,370

Arkansas:

Employment: 1,890

Location quotient: 0.73

Employment per 1,000: 1.56

Annual mean wage: $42,050

California:

Employment: 33,390

Location quotient: 0.92

Employment per 1,000: 1.96

Annual mean wage: $61,240

Colorado:

Employment: 5,250

Location quotient: 0.94

Employment per 1,000: 2.00

Annual mean wage: $58,350

Connecticut:

Employment: 4,780

Location quotient: 1.34

Employment per 1,000: 2.88

Annual mean wage: $62,760

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Delaware:

Employment: 1,210

Location quotient: 1.26

Employment per 1,000: 2.69

Annual mean wage: $57,290

Florida:

Employment: 30,230

Location quotient: 1.64

Employment per 1,000: 3.51

Annual mean wage: $50,120

Georgia:

Employment: 9,140

Location quotient: 0.97

Employment per 1,000: 2.08

Annual mean wage: $54,130

Hawaii:

Employment: 1,050

Location quotient: 0.76

Employment per 1,000: 1.63

Annual mean wage: $52,280

Idaho:

Employment: 1,170

Location quotient: 0.77

Employment per 1,000: 1.66

Annual mean wage: $46,510

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Illinois:

Employment: 13,540

Location quotient: 1.06

Employment per 1,000: 2.26

Annual mean wage: $57,180

Indiana:

Employment: 3,970

Location quotient: 0.61

Employment per 1,000: 1.30

Annual mean wage: $49,090

Iowa:

Employment: 2,350

Location quotient: 0.71

Employment per 1,000: 1.52

Annual mean wage: $46,990

Kansas:

Employment: 2,240

Location quotient: 0.76

Employment per 1,000: 1.63

Annual mean wage: $43,790

Kentucky:

Employment: 2,940

Location quotient: 0.73

Employment per 1,000: 1.55

Annual mean wage: $46,130

Louisiana:

Employment: 4,550

Location quotient: 1.11

Employment per 1,000: 2.38

Annual mean wage: $50,540

Maine:

Employment: 1,330

Location quotient: 1.03

Employment per 1,000: 2.20

Annual mean wage: $49,490

Maryland:

Employment: 7,060

Location quotient: 1.23

Employment per 1,000: 2.63

Annual mean wage: $55,950

Massachusetts:

Employment: 7,330

Location quotient: 0.96

Employment per 1,000: 2.05

Annual mean wage: $60,320

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Michigan:

Employment: 6,110

Location quotient: 0.66

Employment per 1,000: 1.42

Annual mean wage: $50,590

Minnesota:

Employment: 4,890

Location quotient: 0.80

Employment per 1,000: 1.70

Annual mean wage: $56,880

Mississippi:

Employment: 1,820

Location quotient: 0.76

Employment per 1,000: 1.62

Annual mean wage: $44,300

Missouri:

Employment: 4,630

Location quotient: 0.77

Employment per 1,000: 1.65

Annual mean wage: $53,110

Montana:

Employment: 950

Location quotient: 0.96

Employment per 1,000: 2.05

Annual mean wage: $44,330

Nebraska:

Employment: 1,740

Location quotient: 0.83

Employment per 1,000: 1.78

Annual mean wage: $49,250

Nevada:

Employment: 2,440

Location quotient: 0.85

Employment per 1,000: 1.81

Annual mean wage: $57,600

New Hampshire:

Employment: 1,140

Location quotient: 0.81

Employment per 1,000: 1.74

Annual mean wage: $54,550

New Jersey:

Location quotient: 0.94

Employment per 1,000: 2.01

Employment: 8,120

Annual mean wage: $58,260

New Mexico:

Employment: 1,310

Location quotient: 0.75

Employment per 1,000: 1.61

Annual mean wage: $48,050

New York:

Location quotient: 1.27

Employment per 1,000: 2.72

Employment: 25,500

Annual mean wage: $58,750

North Carolina:

Employment: 10,160

Location quotient: 1.08

Employment per 1,000: 2.32

Annual mean wage: $47,210

North Dakota:

Employment: 650

Location quotient: 0.72

Employment per 1,000: 1.55

Annual mean wage: $45,870

Ohio:

Employment: 9,150

Location quotient: 0.79

Employment per 1,000: 1.69

Annual mean wage: $49,200

Oklahoma:

Employment: 2,920

Location quotient: 0.85

Employment per 1,000: 1.83

Annual mean wage: $48,330

Oregon:

Employment: 4,060

Location quotient: 1.01

Employment per 1,000: 2.15

Annual mean wage: $55,850

Pennsylvania:

Employment: 12,440

Location quotient: 0.99

Employment per 1,000: 2.13

Annual mean wage: $52,780

Rhode Island:

Employment: 1,100

Location quotient: 1.06

Employment per 1,000: 2.28

Annual mean wage: $50,650

South Carolina:

Employment: 6,060

Location quotient: 1.37

Employment per 1,000: 2.94

Annual mean wage: $45,480

South Dakota:

Employment: 440

Location quotient: 0.48

Employment per 1,000: 1.04

Annual mean wage: $49,560

Tennessee:

Employment: 4,100

Location quotient: 0.65

Employment per 1,000: 1.39

Annual mean wage: $49,050

Texas:

Employment: 24,290

Location quotient: 0.94

Employment per 1,000: 2.01

Annual mean wage: $56,270

Utah:

Employment: 2,760

Location quotient: 0.88

Employment per 1,000: 1.89

Annual mean wage: $49,140

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Vermont:

Employment: 670

Location quotient: 1.02

Employment per 1,000: 2.19

Annual mean wage: $50,570

Virginia:

Location quotient: 1.21

Employment per 1,000: 2.60

Employment: 1,810

Annual mean wage: $46,080

Washington:

Employment: 6,220

Location quotient: 0.89

Employment per 1,000: 1.91

Annual mean wage: $60,940

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West Virginia:

Employment: 1,810

Location quotient: 1.21

Employment per 1,000: 2.60

Annual mean wage: $46,080

Wisconsin:

Employment: 4,320

Location quotient: 0.71

Employment per 1,000: 1.52

Annual mean wage: $50,360

Wyoming:

Employment: 480

Location quotient: 0.84

Employment per 1,000: 1.80

Annual mean wage: $46,770

 

States with the highest employment level For Paralegal:

StateEmployment (1)Employment per thousand jobsLocation quotient (9)Hourly mean wageAnnual mean wage (2)
California33,3901.960.92$29.44$61,240
Florida30,2303.511.64$24.10$50,120
New York25,5002.721.27$28.25$58,750
Texas24,2902.010.94$27.05$56,270
Illinois13,5402.261.06$27.49$57,180

 

Refrences:

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018-19 Occupational Outlook Handbook, “State & Area Data.”

Telephone:1-202-691-6569

www.bls.gov/OES

*The salary information listed is based on a national average, unless noted. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors. National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.

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