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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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: Top

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)
332,720 1.1 % $ 27.22 $ 56,610 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 15.82 $ 19.54 $ 25.44 $ 32.25 $ 40.94
Annual Wage (2) $ 32,900 $ 40,640 $ 52,920 $ 67,080 $ 85,160

Industry profile for Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Top

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 256,840 22.58 $ 26.06 $ 54,200
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 14,670 0.71 $ 35.06 $ 72,930
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 14,430 0.27 $ 27.47 $ 57,130
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,100 0.46 $ 24.71 $ 51,390
Management of Companies and Enterprises 7,070 0.29 $ 35.76 $ 74,390

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 256,840 22.58 $ 26.06 $ 54,200
Other Investment Pools and Funds 80 0.73 $ 36.81 $ 76,560
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 14,670 0.71 $ 35.06 $ 72,930
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 140 0.64 $ 30.50 $ 63,440
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,100 0.46 $ 24.71 $ 51,390

Top paying industries for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) 50 (7) $ 64.52 $ 134,210
Land Subdivision 30 0.10 $ 43.44 $ 90,360
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 150 0.04 $ 41.08 $ 85,440
Grantmaking and Giving Services 120 0.08 $ 41.03 $ 85,350
Natural Gas Distribution 70 0.06 $ 40.53 $ 84,300

Geographic profile for Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Top

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.





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)
Florida 33,760 4.00 1.67 $ 25.05 $ 52,100
California 33,490 2.04 0.85 $ 31.85 $ 66,250
Texas 27,630 2.28 0.95 $ 27.41 $ 57,020
New York 27,540 3.17 1.32 $ 30.06 $ 62,530
Illinois 13,320 2.37 0.99 $ 29.03 $ 60,390




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 5,870 8.55 3.57 $ 40.06 $ 83,330
Florida 33,760 4.00 1.67 $ 25.05 $ 52,100
Delaware 1,620 3.80 1.59 $ 24.94 $ 51,870
New York 27,540 3.17 1.32 $ 30.06 $ 62,530
Connecticut 4,860 3.16 1.32 $ 29.36 $ 61,070




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 5,870 8.55 3.57 $ 40.06 $ 83,330
California 33,490 2.04 0.85 $ 31.85 $ 66,250
Washington 6,620 2.07 0.87 $ 30.31 $ 63,050
Colorado 5,520 2.14 0.89 $ 30.26 $ 62,950
New York 27,540 3.17 1.32 $ 30.06 $ 62,530





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 27,600 3.12 1.31 $ 31.18 $ 64,850
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 15,250 2.62 1.09 $ 30.48 $ 63,390
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 13,280 5.30 2.21 $ 27.13 $ 56,420
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 12,760 4.22 1.77 $ 33.99 $ 70,700
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,480 2.63 1.10 $ 29.39 $ 61,140
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 9,160 3.48 1.45 $ 27.10 $ 56,370
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 8,860 3.29 1.37 $ 28.78 $ 59,860
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,690 2.14 0.90 $ 32.18 $ 66,940
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 6,390 2.74 1.15 $ 36.45 $ 75,820
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 5,920 2.81 1.17 $ 25.98 $ 54,040




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)
Tallahassee, FL 950 5.62 2.35 $ 22.66 $ 47,120
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 13,280 5.30 2.21 $ 27.13 $ 56,420
New Bern, NC 220 5.29 2.21 $ 21.11 $ 43,910
Charleston, WV 510 4.98 2.08 $ 28.56 $ 59,410
Columbia, SC 1,800 4.82 2.02 $ 22.76 $ 47,330
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 2,250 4.37 1.83 $ 25.20 $ 52,410
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 5,670 4.35 1.82 $ 23.16 $ 48,180
Port St. Lucie, FL 620 4.24 1.77 $ 23.47 $ 48,820
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 12,760 4.22 1.77 $ 33.99 $ 70,700
Roanoke, VA 590 4.08 1.70 $ 19.49 $ 40,550