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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

23-2011 Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action. Excludes “Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants” (43-6012).


National estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Industry profile for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Geographic profile for Paralegals and Legal Assistants

National estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
345,240 1.8 % $ 30.21 $ 62,840 2.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.12 $ 22.52 $ 28.46 $ 36.33 $ 45.66
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,690 $ 46,850 $ 59,200 $ 75,560 $ 94,960


Industry profile for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Paralegals and Legal Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Paralegals and Legal Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 263,170 22.30 $ 29.12 $ 60,570
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 16,420 0.31 $ 29.42 $ 61,190
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,080 0.72 $ 36.69 $ 76,310
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,850 0.51 $ 25.43 $ 52,900
Management of Companies and Enterprises 6,890 0.26 $ 40.51 $ 84,260

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 263,170 22.30 $ 29.12 $ 60,570
Other Investment Pools and Funds 160 0.90 $ 32.95 $ 68,530
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 160 0.78 $ 46.82 $ 97,380
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,080 0.72 $ 36.69 $ 76,310
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,850 0.51 $ 25.43 $ 52,900

Top paying industries for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 760 0.09 $ 52.09 $ 108,350
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 30 0.03 $ 51.34 $ 106,780
Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services 50 0.03 $ 50.41 $ 104,840
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 90 0.06 $ 49.43 $ 102,810
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 100 0.04 $ 49.24 $ 102,420


Geographic profile for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Paralegals and Legal Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Paralegals and Legal Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 37,270 2.11 0.91 $ 36.58 $ 76,080
Florida 36,060 3.92 1.68 $ 27.24 $ 56,650
New York 30,020 3.30 1.41 $ 33.59 $ 69,860
Texas 24,600 1.89 0.81 $ 28.83 $ 59,970
Georgia 12,510 2.71 1.16 $ 27.83 $ 57,890


Map of location quotient of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 5,580 8.09 3.47 $ 44.17 $ 91,880
Florida 36,060 3.92 1.68 $ 27.24 $ 56,650
Delaware 1,760 3.86 1.65 $ 32.86 $ 68,340
New York 30,020 3.30 1.41 $ 33.59 $ 69,860
Connecticut 4,860 2.98 1.28 $ 32.36 $ 67,310


Map of annual mean wages of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 5,580 8.09 3.47 $ 44.17 $ 91,880
California 37,270 2.11 0.91 $ 36.58 $ 76,080
Washington 8,020 2.36 1.01 $ 34.90 $ 72,590
Massachusetts 7,490 2.10 0.90 $ 34.46 $ 71,670
New York 30,020 3.30 1.41 $ 33.59 $ 69,860



Map of employment of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 29,080 3.17 1.36 $ 34.77 $ 72,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 16,530 2.71 1.16 $ 36.46 $ 75,850
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 13,240 5.05 2.16 $ 28.54 $ 59,360
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 12,190 4.03 1.72 $ 38.37 $ 79,810
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 10,520 2.38 1.02 $ 31.47 $ 65,450
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 8,900 3.26 1.40 $ 29.96 $ 62,310
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 8,830 3.19 1.36 $ 33.34 $ 69,350
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 6,610 1.74 0.74 $ 31.89 $ 66,330
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 6,330 2.65 1.13 $ 42.44 $ 88,270
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,160 2.02 0.86 $ 31.67 $ 65,880


Map of location quotient of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Parkersburg-Vienna, WV 240 6.70 2.87 $ 29.67 $ 61,710
Tallahassee, FL 1,050 5.93 2.54 $ 24.06 $ 50,050
Charleston, WV 520 5.14 2.20 $ 24.68 $ 51,330
Columbia, SC 1,900 5.05 2.16 $ 26.78 $ 55,700
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 13,240 5.05 2.16 $ 28.54 $ 59,360
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 5,990 4.62 1.98 $ 25.75 $ 53,550
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 830 4.55 1.95 $ 24.84 $ 51,670
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 2,290 4.42 1.89 $ 27.71 $ 57,630
Missoula, MT 260 4.21 1.80 $ 27.75 $ 57,730
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 5,550 4.06 1.74 $ 29.15 $ 60,640


Map of annual mean wages of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,770 1.58 0.68 $ 46.37 $ 96,460
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 6,330 2.65 1.13 $ 42.44 $ 88,270
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 12,190 4.03 1.72 $ 38.37 $ 79,810
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 5,590 2.74 1.18 $ 37.61 $ 78,230
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 16,530 2.71 1.16 $ 36.46 $ 75,850
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 5,740 2.12 0.91 $ 35.53 $ 73,910
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 3,820 2.46 1.06 $ 35.50 $ 73,830
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 380 1.47 0.63 $ 35.36 $ 73,540
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 1,380 3.50 1.50 $ 35.23 $ 73,280
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 80 0.78 0.34 $ 34.79 $ 72,360

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 530 2.17 0.93 $ 26.20 $ 54,500
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 530 2.11 0.90 $ 21.32 $ 44,340
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 480 1.77 0.76 (8) (8)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 420 1.09 0.47 $ 20.06 $ 41,710
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 400 2.75 1.18 $ 27.43 $ 57,050

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 290 3.25 1.39 $ 26.01 $ 54,100
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 400 2.75 1.18 $ 27.43 $ 57,050
Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 160 2.40 1.03 $ 28.63 $ 59,540
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 180 2.28 0.98 $ 31.05 $ 64,590
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 140 2.25 0.96 $ 27.52 $ 57,250

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 90 1.54 0.66 $ 33.67 $ 70,030
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 180 2.28 0.98 $ 31.05 $ 64,590
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 30.87 $ 64,220
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 170 1.68 0.72 $ 30.77 $ 64,000
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 110 1.04 0.44 $ 30.36 $ 63,160


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023