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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

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:

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:

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:

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




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)
Napa, CA 30 0.44 0.19 $ 44.76 $ 93,110
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,530 1.39 0.58 $ 43.40 $ 90,280
Trenton, NJ 570 2.46 1.03 $ 37.48 $ 77,970
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 6,390 2.74 1.15 $ 36.45 $ 75,820
Santa Rosa, CA 300 1.53 0.64 $ 36.24 $ 75,390
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 490 0.96 0.40 $ 35.14 $ 73,090
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 12,760 4.22 1.77 $ 33.99 $ 70,700
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 4,410 2.25 0.94 $ 32.77 $ 68,160
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 2,620 1.87 0.78 $ 32.76 $ 68,130
Carson City, NV 40 1.54 0.65 $ 32.39 $ 67,380

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)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 490 1.30 0.54 $ 15.03 $ 31,260
Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 390 1.57 0.66 $ 19.46 $ 40,470
Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 300 3.34 1.40 $ 26.68 $ 55,490
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 290 1.59 0.67 $ 22.11 $ 45,990
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 280 1.16 0.48 $ 19.03 $ 39,590

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 300 3.34 1.40 $ 26.68 $ 55,490
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 90 2.93 1.23 $ 25.16 $ 52,340
Northeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 260 2.87 1.20 $ 19.67 $ 40,920
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area 240 2.44 1.02 $ 24.10 $ 50,130
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 200 2.38 1.00 $ 17.20 $ 35,780

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 100 0.84 0.35 $ 30.69 $ 63,830
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 130 1.34 0.56 $ 29.50 $ 61,350
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 28.29 $ 58,830
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 100 0.97 0.41 $ 28.03 $ 58,300
Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 50 0.60 0.25 $ 27.87 $ 57,980


About May 2020 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.

(8) Estimate not released.

(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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021