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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

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 this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
329,870 1.1 % $26.45 $55,020 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.46 $18.99 $24.87 $31.54 $39.66
Annual Wage (2) $32,160 $39,500 $51,740 $65,610 $82,500

Industry profile for this occupation:

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 254,830 22.24 $25.44 $52,910
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 14,640 0.26 $26.54 $55,210
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 13,540 0.67 $33.67 $70,040
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 10,140 0.47 $23.54 $48,970
Management of Companies and Enterprises 7,010 0.28 $34.25 $71,250

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Legal Services 254,830 22.24 $25.44 $52,910
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 180 0.81 $30.68 $63,810
Other Investment Pools and Funds 70 0.76 $28.61 $59,500
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 13,540 0.67 $33.67 $70,040
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation) 10,140 0.47 $23.54 $48,970

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Grantmaking and Giving Services 100 0.07 $43.80 $91,110
Natural Gas Distribution 80 0.07 $40.36 $83,950
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers 30 0.01 $39.68 $82,540
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing 130 0.04 $39.38 $81,910
Other Information Services 220 0.07 $38.26 $79,580

Geographic profile for this occupation:

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 35,040 2.02 0.90 $29.72 $61,810
Florida 30,850 3.51 1.56 $24.58 $51,130
New York 29,310 3.08 1.37 $27.92 $58,070
Texas 27,040 2.18 0.97 $26.17 $54,430
Illinois 13,980 2.32 1.03 $28.83 $59,960




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 5,810 8.02 3.57 $39.43 $82,010
Florida 30,850 3.51 1.56 $24.58 $51,130
Connecticut 5,160 3.10 1.38 $28.96 $60,240
New York 29,310 3.08 1.37 $27.92 $58,070
Delaware 1,350 2.99 1.33 $27.47 $57,140




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 5,810 8.02 3.57 $39.43 $82,010
Colorado 5,290 1.97 0.88 $29.93 $62,250
California 35,040 2.02 0.90 $29.72 $61,810
Massachusetts 6,840 1.89 0.84 $29.64 $61,650
Washington 6,880 2.07 0.92 $29.25 $60,840





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-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 29,030 3.01 1.34 $29.05 $60,430
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 16,870 2.70 1.20 $27.39 $56,960
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 12,550 3.95 1.76 $33.67 $70,030
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 12,180 2.60 1.16 $29.18 $60,690
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 12,030 4.55 2.03 $27.19 $56,560
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 9,210 3.20 1.43 $27.95 $58,130
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 8,460 3.08 1.37 $27.19 $56,560
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,940 2.17 0.97 $30.14 $62,690
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,810 2.35 1.05 $34.31 $71,360
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 5,780 2.73 1.21 $25.30 $52,620