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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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)
336,250 1.8 % $ 28.04 $ 58,330 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.51 $ 21.82 $ 27.03 $ 34.98 $ 42.61
Annual Wage (2) $ 36,410 $ 45,390 $ 56,230 $ 72,750 $ 88,640


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 258,310 22.64 $ 26.78 $ 55,690
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,480 0.73 $ 35.38 $ 73,580
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 14,890 0.28 $ 27.78 $ 57,770
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 9,240 0.42 $ 25.99 $ 54,060
Management of Companies and Enterprises 7,250 0.29 $ 37.73 $ 78,480

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 258,310 22.64 $ 26.78 $ 55,690
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 160 0.81 $ 40.98 $ 85,240
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 15,480 0.73 $ 35.38 $ 73,580
Other Investment Pools and Funds 70 0.53 $ 32.00 $ 66,550
Insurance Carriers 5,050 0.42 $ 33.46 $ 69,600

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) 40 (7) $ 54.19 $ 112,700
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 30 0.03 $ 49.99 $ 103,990
Scientific Research and Development Services 700 0.09 $ 47.01 $ 97,780
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 40 0.03 $ 44.83 $ 93,240
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 100 0.02 $ 43.65 $ 90,800


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 2021


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 34,710 2.10 0.88 $ 33.79 $ 70,290
New York 30,400 3.51 1.47 $ 30.42 $ 63,270
Florida 30,000 3.49 1.46 $ 25.93 $ 53,940
Texas 25,780 2.11 0.88 $ 26.94 $ 56,030
Illinois 13,630 2.43 1.02 $ 29.29 $ 60,920


Map of location quotient of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2021


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 5,540 8.36 3.50 $ 40.11 $ 83,420
Delaware 2,120 4.86 2.04 $ 28.58 $ 59,450
New York 30,400 3.51 1.47 $ 30.42 $ 63,270
Florida 30,000 3.49 1.46 $ 25.93 $ 53,940
Rhode Island 1,550 3.39 1.42 $ 28.70 $ 59,700


Map of annual mean wages of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2021


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 5,540 8.36 3.50 $ 40.11 $ 83,420
Washington 6,430 2.01 0.84 $ 34.57 $ 71,900
California 34,710 2.10 0.88 $ 33.79 $ 70,290
Massachusetts 8,430 2.48 1.04 $ 32.12 $ 66,820
New Jersey 7,590 1.97 0.83 $ 31.71 $ 65,950



Map of employment of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2021


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 29,240 3.37 1.41 $ 32.05 $ 66,660
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 14,810 2.59 1.09 $ 33.26 $ 69,180
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 11,990 2.83 1.19 $ 29.77 $ 61,920
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 11,190 4.56 1.91 $ 27.97 $ 58,180
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 10,860 3.70 1.55 $ 35.90 $ 74,670
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 9,600 3.62 1.52 $ 31.49 $ 65,500
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 8,450 3.27 1.37 $ 26.68 $ 55,490
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 7,660 3.42 1.43 $ 36.37 $ 75,640
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 7,480 2.08 0.87 $ 29.46 $ 61,280
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 7,150 2.47 1.03 $ 28.84 $ 59,980


Map of location quotient of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2021


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)
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 2,640 5.22 2.19 $ 24.85 $ 51,690
Charleston, WV 490 4.97 2.08 $ 25.58 $ 53,210
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 11,190 4.56 1.91 $ 27.97 $ 58,180
Columbia, SC 1,660 4.56 1.91 $ 22.98 $ 47,790
Tallahassee, FL 760 4.44 1.86 $ 22.78 $ 47,390
Santa Fe, NM 240 4.27 1.79 $ 23.82 $ 49,550
Jackson, MS 1,030 4.20 1.76 $ 21.67 $ 45,060
Jacksonville, NC 200 4.17 1.75 $ 20.96 $ 43,600
Port St. Lucie, FL 620 4.13 1.73 $ 23.49 $ 48,850
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 1,340 4.13 1.73 $ 19.95 $ 41,500


Map of annual mean wages of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2021


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 1,930 1.80 0.75 $ 43.58 $ 90,640
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 4,560 2.38 1.00 $ 37.00 $ 76,960
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 7,660 3.42 1.43 $ 36.37 $ 75,640
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 10,860 3.70 1.55 $ 35.90 $ 74,670
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 14,810 2.59 1.09 $ 33.26 $ 69,180
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 6,760 2.62 1.10 $ 33.22 $ 69,090
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 2,890 2.08 0.87 $ 33.07 $ 68,790
Santa Rosa, CA 310 1.62 0.68 $ 33.03 $ 68,700
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 3,630 3.23 1.36 $ 32.50 $ 67,590
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 80 0.65 0.27 $ 32.47 $ 67,540

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)
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 520 2.11 0.89 $ 18.97 $ 39,450
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 430 1.93 0.81 $ 17.70 $ 36,810
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 390 1.03 0.43 $ 17.19 $ 35,750
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 360 1.51 0.63 $ 18.61 $ 38,710
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 300 1.14 0.48 $ 19.32 $ 40,180

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 270 3.07 1.29 $ 27.70 $ 57,620
Central Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 190 2.61 1.09 $ 21.24 $ 44,190
Arizona nonmetropolitan area 210 2.30 0.96 $ 21.73 $ 45,200
Northeast South Carolina nonmetropolitan area 210 2.25 0.94 $ 19.53 $ 40,620
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 520 2.11 0.89 $ 18.97 $ 39,450

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)
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 140 1.16 0.49 $ 34.30 $ 71,350
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 40 0.65 0.27 $ 32.83 $ 68,280
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 100 1.71 0.71 $ 31.66 $ 65,860
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 140 1.62 0.68 $ 30.82 $ 64,100
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 140 1.46 0.61 $ 30.33 $ 63,080


About May 2021 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.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022