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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016
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" (43-6012).
National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation
National estimates for this occupation: Top
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 277,310 |
1.2 % |
$25.57 |
$53,180 |
0.5 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$14.94 |
$18.38 |
$23.80 |
$30.60 |
$38.59 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$31,070 |
$38,230 |
$49,500 |
$63,650 |
$80,260 |
Industry profile for this occupation: Top
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Legal Services |
210,070 |
18.71 |
$24.59 |
$51,140 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) |
13,170 |
0.65 |
$32.46 |
$67,530 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) |
12,800 |
0.24 |
$24.99 |
$51,980 |
| State Government (OES Designation) |
8,740 |
0.40 |
$23.46 |
$48,790 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises |
6,610 |
0.29 |
$31.90 |
$66,350 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Geographic profile for this occupation: Top
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
29,190 |
1.83 |
0.93 |
$28.43 |
$59,130 |
| Florida |
24,430 |
2.97 |
1.50 |
$23.41 |
$48,680 |
| New York |
22,210 |
2.44 |
1.24 |
$28.51 |
$59,300 |
| Texas |
22,120 |
1.88 |
0.95 |
$26.19 |
$54,480 |
| Pennsylvania |
10,800 |
1.88 |
0.95 |
$25.66 |
$53,380 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
5,400 |
7.69 |
3.89 |
$36.84 |
$76,620 |
| West Virginia |
2,150 |
3.08 |
1.56 |
$21.17 |
$44,040 |
| Florida |
24,430 |
2.97 |
1.50 |
$23.41 |
$48,680 |
| Connecticut |
4,920 |
2.95 |
1.49 |
$27.33 |
$56,840 |
| Delaware |
1,210 |
2.75 |
1.39 |
$26.65 |
$55,420 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| District of Columbia |
5,400 |
7.69 |
3.89 |
$36.84 |
$76,620 |
| Alaska |
730 |
2.27 |
1.15 |
$32.19 |
$66,950 |
| Washington |
5,270 |
1.72 |
0.87 |
$28.65 |
$59,590 |
| New York |
22,210 |
2.44 |
1.24 |
$28.51 |
$59,300 |
| California |
29,190 |
1.83 |
0.93 |
$28.43 |
$59,130 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division |
16,830 |
2.55 |
1.29 |
$30.14 |
$62,680 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division |
9,330 |
3.75 |
1.90 |
$33.94 |
$70,590 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division |
8,690 |
2.06 |
1.04 |
$26.72 |
$55,590 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division |
8,220 |
2.26 |
1.14 |
$27.00 |
$56,160 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA |
6,390 |
2.50 |
1.27 |
$26.52 |
$55,170 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX |
5,810 |
1.98 |
1.00 |
$29.54 |
$61,440 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division |
5,510 |
3.05 |
1.55 |
$27.05 |
$56,270 |
| Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division |
5,380 |
4.78 |
2.42 |
$25.11 |
$52,230 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division |
4,630 |
1.90 |
0.96 |
$31.44 |
$65,390 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
4,450 |
2.30 |
1.17 |
$24.72 |
$51,410 |
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