Paralegal Salaries by State

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2021, the nationwide mean annual wage for paralegals was $58,330. Salaries vary based upon the state in which a paralegal works. Certain states have a higher employment level of paralegals than others, too. For example, California employs 34,710 paralegals; the state of New York employs 30,400 paralegals; Florida employs 30,000 paralegals; Texas employs 25,780 paralegals; and Illinois employs the fifth-highest number of paralegals in the country, at 13,630.

The top-paying state in which paralegals work as of May 2021 is District of Columbia, where they earn $83,420 annually. Next comes Washington, where paralegals make an average of $71,900 per year. California comes next, where its paralegals are earning $70,290 annually. Massachusetts ranks fourth, as its paralegals average $66,820 yearly. Finally, the state of New Jersey ranks fifth when it comes to paralegal salaries, at $65,950.

In this article, we will discuss salaries that paralegals working in each of the 50 states made as of May 2021. These numbers will be further broken down into salaries for paralegals working in metropolitan areas within each state.

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Alabama (view more Alabama info)
Paralegals working in Alabama as of May 2021 earned a yearly mean salary of $49,160. Those employed in the Birmingham-Hoover area earned the highest salaries in the state, at $54,130. Paralegals working in the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley area earned the next highest salary, at $49,500; followed by Mobile’s paralegals, who earned $48,860.

Alaska (view more Alaska info)
Paralegals employed in Alaska made an annual mean wage of $62,970. Those working in the Alaska nonmetropolitan area earned salaries higher than the state average, at $63,080. Anchorage’s paralegals also made higher than state average salaries, earning $63,340.

Arizona (view more Arizona info)
Arizona’s paralegals garnered an annual mean wage of $55,560. The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area’s paralegals earned the highest salaries in the state, at $58,140. They are closely followed by paralegals working in the Lake Havasu City-Kingman area, who made $52,440; and paralegals working in Yuma, who earned $49,240.

Arkansas (view more Arkansas info)
Paralegals working in the state of Arkansas brought home an annual mean salary of $41,780. Those employed in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers area earned the highest salaries in the state, at $48,550. They are followed by paralegals from the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway area, who earned $41,500; and paralegals working in the Fort Smith area, who made $39,880.

California (view more California info)
Paralegals in California made an annual mean wage of $70,290, ranking them as the third-highest paid paralegals in the nation as of May 2021. The highest-paid paralegals in the state work in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan area, earning $90,640 per year. Other paralegals in California who earned salaries higher than the state average include the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, where they made $75,640. Other notable metropolitan areas include the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area where they earned $69,180; and the San Diego-Carlsbad area, where paralegals made $68,790 annually.

Colorado (view more Colorado info)
Colorado’s paralegals earned an annual mean salary of $63,850 in the year 2021. In the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area, paralegals earned higher than the state average, at $66,310. They also made more than the state average salary in Boulder ($65,870) and the Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area ($71,350).

Connecticut (view more Connecticut info)
Paralegals in Connecticut made a yearly mean salary of $62,080. Those working in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area earned higher than average salaries of $65,790. Those working in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford area also made slightly higher than the state average, at $62,450.

District of Columbia (view more District of Columbia info)
The District of Columbia’s paralegals are the highest-paid paralegals in the nation as of May 2021, earning $83,420. Those working in the Washington-Alexandria-Arlington DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan area earned an average annual wage of $74,670.

Delaware (view more Delaware info)
Delaware’s paralegals earned $59,450 annually as of May 2021. Paralegals working in the Dover metropolitan area made slightly lower salaries of $52,040.

Florida (view more Florida info)
Florida’s paralegals accrued an annual mean wage of $53,940 as of May 2021. Paralegals employed in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area made higher than average salaries of $58,180; as did paralegals working in the Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island area, earning $56,580. Those working in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area also earned salaries slightly higher than the state average, at $54,290.

Georgia (view more Georgia info)
Paralegals working in Georgia averaged a yearly wage of $53,300. Paralegals working in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell area made salaries higher than the state average, at $55,490. Another area of Georgia is the Savannah area, in which paralegals earned $52,480 annually.

Hawaii (view more Hawaii info)
Hawaii’s paralegals earned an annual mean salary of $57,920. Those employed in the Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area earned even more, at $64,100. Paralegals working in the Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina area also earned higher than the state average, at $61,990.

Idaho (view more Idaho info)
Paralegals employed in Idaho collected a mean wage of $49,270 annually. Boise City’s paralegals earned higher than average salaries of $52,710; as did those in Lewiston ($51,390). Paralegals working in the Coeur d’Alene area earned just below the state average, at $45,820.

Illinois (view more Illinois info)
Paralegals in Illinois earned an average annual wage of $60,920. Those working in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area earned more than the state average, at $61,920. The Champaign-Urbana area’s paralegals earned an average of $58,550.

Indiana (view more Indiana info)
Indiana’s paralegals garnered an annual mean salary of $48,470. Paralegals employed in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson metropolitan area earned higher than the state average, at $53,060. Also earning higher than Indiana’s state average salary were paralegals working in the Fort Wayne area ($49,840).

Iowa (view more Iowa info)
Paralegals employed in Iowa made an annual mean wage of $52,000. Those working in the Des Moines-West Des Moines area earned higher than the state average, earning $57,590. Places in Iowa where paralegals earned just below the state average salaries include Cedar Rapids ($50,610), Davenport-Moline-Rock Island ($50,380), and Dubuque ($49,970).

Kansas (view more Kansas info)
Paralegals who are employed in Kansas earned an annual mean salary of $46,590. Those working in the Topeka area earned salaries higher than the state average, at $47,740. Wichita’s paralegals earned slightly less than the state average, at $44,970.

Kentucky (view more Kentucky info)
Working in Kentucky, paralegals made an annual mean wage of $47,180. Those working in the Louisville/Jefferson County area earned higher than average salaries of $51,690. Lexington-Fayette area paralegals also earned higher than the state average, at $49,020.

Louisiana (view more Louisiana info)
Louisiana’s paralegals brought home a yearly mean salary of $48,240. Paralegals working in the New Orleans-Metairie area earned higher salaries, at $51,690. Those in the Houma-Thibodaux area also earned slightly more than the state average, at $48,510.

Maine (view more Maine info)
Paralegals in Maine garnered an annual mean wage of $50,350. Paralegals working in Portland and South Portland earned higher than the state average, at $53,440; however, paralegals in the Bangor area earned $49,030 annually.

Maryland (view more Maryland info)
Maryland’s paralegals earned an annual mean wage of $60,130. Those employed in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson metropolitan area earned slightly less than the state average, at $59,720 annually. Paralegals working in the Hagerstown-Martinsburg area also earned less than average salaries of $59,480.

Massachusetts (view more Massachusetts info)
Massachusetts’ paralegals earned the fourth-highest annual mean wage of paralegals in all states, at $66,820 as of May 2021. Those working in the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua MA-NH metropolitan area earned even higher salaries, averaging $69,090, annually.

Michigan (view more Michigan info)
Michigan’s paralegals accrued an annual mean wage of $55,960. Those working in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming area earned higher than average salaries of $61,260. Higher than average salaries were also earned by paralegals working in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area, making $57,480.

Minnesota (view more Minnesota info)
Paralegals employed in Minnesota made a yearly mean salary of $61,790. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI paralegals earned higher than average salaries of $63,470.

Mississippi (view more Mississippi info)
Paralegals earning a living in Mississippi made an annual mean wage of $42,730. Those employed in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula area earned higher than the state average, at $46,620. Another area of Mississippi in which paralegals earned higher than average salaries is Jackson ($45,060).

Missouri (view more Missouri info)
Missouri’s paralegals accrued an annual mean salary of $53,940. Those working in St. Louis earned higher than the state average, at $56490. Another area in Missouri in which paralegals earned higher salaries than the state average is Kansas City ($55,330).

Montana (view more Montana info)
Paralegals working in Montana earned an annual mean wage of $50,410. Billings paralegals earned higher than the state average, at $54,050. Those working in the Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area earned just a bit less than the state average, at $50,370; as did paralegals working in the West Montana nonmetropolitan area, who averaged $48,820.

Nebraska (view more Nebraska info)
Nebraska’s paralegals made an annual mean wage of $52,150. Omaha-Council Bluffs NE-IA paralegals earned higher than average salaries of $56,280; as did paralegals from Lincoln, who earned $52,900.

Nevada (view more Nevada info)
Paralegals in Nevada averaged a yearly mean salary of $56,220. Carson City’s paralegals earned higher than the state average, at $65,670. Also earning more than the state average are paralegals in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise area, who made $56,580 annually.

New Hampshire (view more New Hampshire info)
New Hampshire’s paralegals earned an annual mean salary of $59,320. Those working in Manchester earned higher than the state average, at $63,660. Paralegals in Portsmouth fared better than the state average, at $61,180; yet those in the Dover-Durham area earned just below at $57,820 annually.

New Jersey (view more New Jersey info)
Paralegals employed in New Jersey made an annual mean wage of $65,950. Trenton’s paralegals earned more than the state average, garnering $66,710. Those in the Atlantic City-Hammonton area earned slightly less than the state average, at $61,720.

New Mexico (view more New Mexico info)
New Mexico’s paralegals garnered an annual mean wage of $47,810. Paralegals working in Santa Fe earned higher than the state average, at $49,550; as did those in the Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area ($49,310) and Albuquerque ($48,870).

New York (view more New York info)
New York’s paralegals earned $63,270 yearly as of May 2021. Paralegals in the New York-Newark-Jersey City area earned higher than the state average salary, at $66,660. Those working in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area earned salaries of $54,200.

North Carolina (view more North Carolina info)
As of May 2021, North Carolina’s paralegals brought home an annual mean salary of $49,470. Raleigh’s paralegals earned higher than the state average, at $54,350. Other places in North Carolina where paralegals earned higher than the state average are Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia NC-SC ($53,150) and Durham-Chapel Hill ($50,730).

North Dakota (view more North Dakota info)
Paralegals working in North Dakota collected an annual mean wage of $49,550. Those working in the Fargo ND-MN metropolitan area earned higher than the state average, making $51,540. Paralegals in Bismarck also earned more than the state average, earning $51,440 per year.

Ohio (view more Ohio info)
Ohio’s paralegals made an annual mean wage of $50,500. Cleveland-Elyria paralegals earned more than the state average, making $54,590. Those in Columbus earned $54,100. Paralegals working in the Cincinnati area earned more than the state average, earning $52,130 annually.

Oklahoma (view more Oklahoma info)
Paralegals employed in Oklahoma earned a yearly mean salary of $48,070. Tulsa’s paralegals earned more than the state average, at $53,440. Paralegals in Oklahoma City also earned higher than average salaries of $49,160.

Oregon (view more Oregon info)
Oregon’s paralegals brought home an annual mean salary of $64,680. Those in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro OR-WA area earned more than the state average, at $67,590. Bend-Redmond paralegals earned slightly less than the state average, at $61,160.

Pennsylvania (view more Pennsylvania info)
Paralegals employed in Pennsylvania averaged an annual mean wage of $60,440. Paralegals working in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area earned higher than the state average, at $65,500. Other places in Pennsylvania in which paralegals earned notable, yet slightly less than average, salaries include Pittsburgh ($58,200); Harrisburg-Carlisle ($56,850) and Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton ($55,400).

Rhode Island (view more Rhode Island info)
Rhode Island’s paralegals earned an annual mean wage of $59,700. Those working in the Providence-Warwick RI-MA metropolitan area earned slightly lower salaries of $59,430.

South Carolina (view more South Carolina info)
Paralegals employed in South Carolina earned an annual mean wage of $46,080. Paralegals working in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort area earned higher than the state average, at $48,640. Other places in South Carolina where paralegals earned higher than state average include Columbia ($47,790) and Charleston-North Charleston ($47,150).

South Dakota (view more South Dakota info)
South Dakota’s paralegals averaged a yearly mean wage of $52,590. Those working in the East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area earned higher than average salaries of $54550. West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area paralegals earned slightly higher than state average salaries of $54,100.

Tennessee (view more Tennessee info)
Paralegals employed in Tennessee brought home a yearly mean salary of $50,260. Those working in Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin earned higher than the state average, at $51,590. Other areas in Tennessee in which paralegals made notable salaries include Knoxville ($49,910); North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area ($49,410); and Kingsport-Bristol ($49,250).

Texas (view more Texas info)
Texas’ paralegals earned an annual mean wage of $56,030. Paralegals working in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area earned the highest salaries in the state, at $61,280. Also earning higher than the state average were paralegals in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land ($59,980); and Austin-Round Rock ($59,180).

Utah (view more Utah info)
Utah’s paralegals earned an annual mean salary of $54,650. In Salt Lake City, paralegals earned the highest salaries in the state, at $58,030. Paralegals in Utah that earned below the state average include Provo-Orem ($51,710) and Ogden-Clearfield ($46330).

Vermont (view more Vermont info)
Paralegals working in Vermont earned an annual mean wage of $54,470. Those working in the Burlington-South Burlington area earned slightly higher salaries of $56,070; yet in the Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area, paralegals earned just below the average at $53,230 annually.

Virginia (view more Virginia info)
Paralegals employed in Virginia brought home an annual mean wage of $54,840. While no metropolitan area in the state paid paralegals higher than this state average, areas in which they made the most include Richmond ($50,640); Charlottesville ($49,830); and Roanoke ($47990).

Washington (view more Washington info)
Paralegals in Washington state earned a yearly mean salary of $71,900, making them the second-highest paid paralegals in the nation as of May 2021. Paralegals working in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area earned even higher salaries of $76,960. Other areas of the state paying paralegals close to the state average include Kennewick-Richland ($67,280) and Bellingham ($64,760).

West Virginia (view more West Virginia info)
West Virginia’s paralegals garnered an annual mean wage of $47,780. Areas of the state in which paralegals earned higher than the state average include Charleston, where they earned $53,210; and Morgantown, where they earned $49,230.

Wisconsin (view more Wisconsin info)
Paralegals working in Wisconsin earned a yearly mean wage of $51,100. Those working in the Madison area earned salaries higher than the state average, at $54,120. Another place in Wisconsin where paralegals earned salaries that were above the state average is Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis ($53,820). Metropolitan areas where paralegals didn’t surpass the state salary average include Appleton ($50,560); and Green Bay ($48,360).

Wyoming (view more Wyoming info)
Wyoming’s paralegals earned an annual mean wage of $46,230. Places in Wyoming in which paralegals earned higher than average salaries include Cheyenne ($51,990) and Casper ($48,740).

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