$63,624
Avg. Median Salary
Salary Overview
Paralegals and Legal Assistants median salaries range from $48,730 to $97,740 across
the 49 metro areas tracked, a 101% spread.
The national average median salary for this occupation is $63,624.
The highest-paying metro area for paralegals and legal assistants is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $97,740,
while Ogden-Clearfield, UT pays the least at $48,730.
Total estimated employment across all tracked metros is 241,930.
Top 5 Highest-Paying Metro Areas
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,740 | 2,050 | +54% |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $85,230 | 7,670 | +34% |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $84,950 | 6,420 | +34% |
| 4 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,550 | 11,080 | +27% |
| 5 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $79,240 | 3,660 | +25% |
5 Lowest-Paying Metro Areas
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| 1 | Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $48,730 | 230 | -23% |
| 2 | Tucson, AZ | $48,790 | 910 | -23% |
| 3 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $49,100 | 1,170 | -23% |
| 4 | Tulsa, OK | $50,200 | 840 | -21% |
| 5 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $51,150 | 1,180 | -20% |
All Metro Areas for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
| Metro Area | Median Salary | Employment | vs Average |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,740 | 2,050 | +54% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $85,230 | 7,670 | +34% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $84,950 | 6,420 | +34% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $80,550 | 11,080 | +27% |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $79,240 | 3,660 | +25% |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,550 | 3,690 | +22% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $77,470 | 6,050 | +22% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $77,170 | 2,930 | +21% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $74,750 | 5,490 | +17% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $74,470 | 3,350 | +17% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $73,470 | 29,300 | +15% |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $68,390 | 3,400 | +7% |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $66,930 | 10,250 | +5% |
| Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI | $66,850 | 830 | +5% |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $64,750 | 6,580 | +2% |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $64,490 | 4,320 | +1% |
| Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | $64,010 | 2,120 | +1% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $63,110 | 21,290 | -1% |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL | $63,050 | 15,160 | -1% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $63,010 | 10,970 | -1% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $62,700 | 5,120 | -1% |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $62,420 | 5,250 | -2% |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | $62,390 | 2,620 | -2% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $60,900 | 8,100 | -4% |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $60,710 | 2,460 | -5% |
| Columbus, OH | $59,990 | 1,850 | -6% |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $59,980 | 2,720 | -6% |
| Jacksonville, FL | $59,970 | 2,200 | -6% |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | $59,810 | 10,810 | -6% |
| Albuquerque, NM | $59,530 | 950 | -6% |
| Richmond, VA | $58,990 | 1,930 | -7% |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $58,820 | 3,540 | -8% |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $58,550 | 1,810 | -8% |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $58,440 | 2,630 | -8% |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $57,910 | 3,170 | -9% |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $57,620 | 2,130 | -9% |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL | $57,540 | 2,150 | -10% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $57,490 | 2,940 | -10% |
| Boise City, ID | $57,420 | 1,250 | -10% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $57,190 | 2,020 | -10% |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $54,060 | 5,940 | -15% |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $53,550 | 3,760 | -16% |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $53,470 | 1,190 | -16% |
| Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | $52,990 | 4,450 | -17% |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $51,150 | 1,180 | -20% |
| Tulsa, OK | $50,200 | 840 | -21% |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $49,100 | 1,170 | -23% |
| Tucson, AZ | $48,790 | 910 | -23% |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | $48,730 | 230 | -23% |
Compare Salaries Across Cities
See how paralegals and legal assistants salaries compare to cost of living in different metro areas.
Salary Calculator Data Sources
Salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), 2024 estimates. SOC code: 23-2011.
Verify at bls.gov/oes