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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
354,890 1.6 % $ 31.95 $ 66,460 1.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 19.09 $ 23.16 $ 29.31 $ 37.31 $ 47.51
Annual Wage (2) $ 39,710 $ 48,180 $ 60,970 $ 77,600 $ 98,830


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 273,590 23.04 $ 30.90 $ 64,270
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 16,390 0.77 $ 37.56 $ 78,130
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 16,090 0.29 $ 31.02 $ 64,520
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 10,920 0.51 $ 25.97 $ 54,020
Management of Companies and Enterprises 6,760 0.24 $ 43.58 $ 90,650

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 273,590 23.04 $ 30.90 $ 64,270
Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) 220 1.00 $ 46.66 $ 97,050
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 16,390 0.77 $ 37.56 $ 78,130
Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds 80 0.66 $ 20.36 $ 42,340
Other Investment Pools and Funds 90 0.51 $ 39.50 $ 82,150

Top paying industries for Paralegals and Legal Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Software Publishers 550 0.08 $ 59.48 $ 123,720
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing 110 0.04 $ 57.37 $ 119,340
Scientific Research and Development Services 720 0.08 $ 52.81 $ 109,840
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing 70 0.01 $ 52.72 $ 109,650
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (8) (8) $ 52.43 $ 109,050


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 2023


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 39,220 2.19 0.94 $ 38.08 $ 79,210
Florida 35,020 3.66 1.57 $ 29.72 $ 61,830
New York 30,930 3.29 1.41 $ 37.91 $ 78,850
Texas 28,140 2.08 0.89 $ 30.64 $ 63,720
Illinois 15,780 2.62 1.12 $ 30.45 $ 63,340


Map of location quotient of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2023


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 5,340 7.61 3.26 $ 45.33 $ 94,290
Florida 35,020 3.66 1.57 $ 29.72 $ 61,830
Delaware 1,590 3.38 1.45 $ 34.31 $ 71,360
New York 30,930 3.29 1.41 $ 37.91 $ 78,850
South Carolina 7,050 3.17 1.36 $ 24.43 $ 50,820


Map of annual mean wages of paralegals and legal assistants by state, May 2023


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 5,340 7.61 3.26 $ 45.33 $ 94,290
California 39,220 2.19 0.94 $ 38.08 $ 79,210
New York 30,930 3.29 1.41 $ 37.91 $ 78,850
Washington 7,960 2.28 0.97 $ 36.33 $ 75,560
Massachusetts 7,520 2.06 0.88 $ 35.92 $ 74,710



Map of employment of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2023


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 32,460 3.42 1.46 $ 38.58 $ 80,240
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 16,560 2.68 1.15 $ 37.84 $ 78,720
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 13,520 3.00 1.28 $ 31.16 $ 64,820
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 12,420 4.56 1.95 $ 31.80 $ 66,140
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 10,820 3.50 1.50 $ 40.64 $ 84,530
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 9,320 3.29 1.41 $ 34.19 $ 71,110
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 8,950 3.18 1.36 $ 31.53 $ 65,570
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 8,160 2.06 0.88 $ 32.01 $ 66,580
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 7,770 2.45 1.05 $ 30.60 $ 63,640
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 6,720 2.77 1.19 $ 44.64 $ 92,860


Map of location quotient of paralegals and legal assistants by area, May 2023


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 200 5.48 2.34 $ 32.40 $ 67,380
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 900 4.86 2.08 $ 24.76 $ 51,500
Missoula, MT 310 4.81 2.06 $ 28.56 $ 59,400
Columbia, SC 1,770 4.63 1.98 $ 26.52 $ 55,170
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 2,370 4.60 1.97 $ 27.76 $ 57,730
Tallahassee, FL 830 4.60 1.97 $ 25.51 $ 53,060
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 12,420 4.56 1.95 $ 31.80 $ 66,140
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 6,260 4.43 1.90 $ 31.46 $ 65,440
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 1,550 4.15 1.77 $ 24.61 $ 51,190
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 5,640 4.13 1.77 $ 27.53 $ 57,270