Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary
Salary data across 60 metro areas in the US & CanadaUSD & CAD
Search Jobs on IndeedAvg Median Salary
$60,950
Highest Paying City
San Jose
$89,000
Cities Tracked
60
What Do Paralegals and Legal Assistants Do?
Paralegals and Legal Assistants apply knowledge of the law to resolve disputes, draft legal documents, and protect the rights of individuals and organizations. They play an essential role in maintaining justice and the rule of law.
Most work in law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, or courtrooms. Hours can be long, especially for attorneys working on complex cases or transactions.
Key Skills for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Education Requirements
Juris Doctor (JD) degree for lawyers; associate's or bachelor's degree for support roles
Lawyers must earn a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and pass the state bar exam. Paralegals and legal assistants typically need an associate's or bachelor's degree, and some earn professional certifications.
Career Outlook
Employment is expected to grow about as fast as average, with demand for legal services continuing across corporate, government, and private practice settings.
How to Increase Your Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary
- 1.Build a strong professional network through bar associations and legal organizations
- 2.Develop expertise in legal technology and e-discovery tools
- 3.Consider additional certifications or an LLM for specialized practice areas
- 4.Gain trial experience or develop alternative dispute resolution skills
- 5.Stay current with changes in laws and regulations in your practice area
Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary by City
| City | Median | Average | Range (10th-90th) | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $89,000 | $100,000 | $53,000 - $116,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Francisco, CA | $82,000 | $85,000 | $49,000 - $107,000 | USD | Apply |
| Seattle, WA | $81,000 | $90,000 | $49,000 - $105,000 | USD | Apply |
| New York, NY | $77,000 | $80,000 | $46,000 - $100,000 | USD | Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | $74,000 | $79,000 | $44,000 - $96,000 | USD | Apply |
| Boston, MA | $74,000 | $77,000 | $44,000 - $96,000 | USD | Apply |
| Washington DC, DC | $72,000 | $74,000 | $43,000 - $94,000 | USD | Apply |
| Denver, CO | $70,000 | $73,000 | $46,000 - $88,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Diego, CA | $69,000 | $77,000 | $45,000 - $87,000 | USD | Apply |
| Philadelphia, PA | $68,000 | $75,000 | $44,000 - $86,000 | USD | Apply |
| Honolulu, HI | $68,000 | $73,000 | $44,000 - $86,000 | USD | Apply |
| Portland, OR | $67,000 | $70,000 | $44,000 - $85,000 | USD | Apply |
| Anchorage, AK | $67,000 | $70,000 | $44,000 - $85,000 | USD | Apply |
| Chicago, IL | $66,000 | $72,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | USD | Apply |
| Austin, TX | $66,000 | $73,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | USD | Apply |
| Baltimore, MD | $66,000 | $70,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | USD | Apply |
| Sacramento, CA | $66,000 | $70,000 | $43,000 - $83,000 | USD | Apply |
| Dallas, TX | $65,000 | $71,000 | $42,000 - $82,000 | USD | Apply |
| Minneapolis, MN | $65,000 | $71,000 | $42,000 - $82,000 | USD | Apply |
| Hartford, CT | $64,000 | $66,000 | $42,000 - $81,000 | USD | Apply |
| Atlanta, GA | $63,000 | $68,000 | $41,000 - $80,000 | USD | Apply |
| Raleigh, NC | $62,000 | $63,000 | $40,000 - $78,000 | USD | Apply |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $62,000 | $66,000 | $40,000 - $78,000 | USD | Apply |
| Houston, TX | $61,000 | $65,000 | $40,000 - $77,000 | USD | Apply |
| Nashville, TN | $61,000 | $67,000 | $40,000 - $77,000 | USD | Apply |
| Detroit, MI | $60,000 | $63,000 | $39,000 - $76,000 | USD | Apply |
| Columbus, OH | $60,000 | $67,000 | $39,000 - $76,000 | USD | Apply |
| Milwaukee, WI | $60,000 | $62,000 | $39,000 - $76,000 | USD | Apply |
| Charlotte, NC | $59,000 | $62,000 | $38,000 - $74,000 | USD | Apply |
| Kansas City, MO | $59,000 | $61,000 | $38,000 - $74,000 | USD | Apply |
| Phoenix, AZ | $58,000 | $60,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Las Vegas, NV | $58,000 | $60,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cleveland, OH | $58,000 | $64,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Richmond, VA | $58,000 | $60,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Buffalo, NY | $58,000 | $61,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | USD | Apply |
| Toronto, ON | $58,000 | $61,000 | $38,000 - $73,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Miami, FL | $57,000 | $64,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tampa, FL | $57,000 | $60,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Orlando, FL | $57,000 | $63,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Indianapolis, IN | $57,000 | $61,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $57,000 | $61,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| St. Louis, MO | $57,000 | $60,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cincinnati, OH | $57,000 | $61,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Louisville, KY | $57,000 | $62,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | USD | Apply |
| Vancouver, BC | $57,000 | $62,000 | $37,000 - $72,000 | CAD | Apply |
| San Antonio, TX | $56,000 | $59,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Memphis, TN | $56,000 | $61,000 | $36,000 - $71,000 | USD | Apply |
| Jacksonville, FL | $55,000 | $60,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $55,000 | $60,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| New Orleans, LA | $55,000 | $61,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tucson, AZ | $55,000 | $58,000 | $36,000 - $69,000 | USD | Apply |
| Birmingham, AL | $54,000 | $59,000 | $35,000 - $68,000 | USD | Apply |
| Calgary, AB | $53,000 | $58,000 | $34,000 - $67,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Edmonton, AB | $52,000 | $54,000 | $34,000 - $66,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Ottawa, ON | $51,000 | $52,000 | $33,000 - $64,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Montreal, QC | $49,000 | $52,000 | $32,000 - $62,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Hamilton, ON | $49,000 | $54,000 | $32,000 - $62,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Winnipeg, MB | $46,000 | $49,000 | $30,000 - $58,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Halifax, NS | $44,000 | $48,000 | $31,000 - $54,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Quebec City, QC | $43,000 | $46,000 | $30,000 - $53,000 | CAD | Apply |