Certified paralegal demographics and statistics in the US
Certified paralegal demographics research summary. Zippia estimates certified paralegal demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our certified paralegal estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about certified paralegals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 109,600 certified paralegals currently employed in the United States.
- 83.4% of all certified paralegals are women, while 16.6% are men.
- The average certified paralegal age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of certified paralegals is White (59.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.7%), Black or African American (8.9%) and Asian (5.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 9% of all certified paralegals are LGBT.
- Certified paralegals are 75% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Certified paralegal demographics by:
Certified paralegal gender statistics
83.4% of certified paralegals are women and 16.6% of certified paralegals are men.
- Female, 83.4%
- Male, 16.6%
Certified paralegal gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 83.4% |
| Male | 16.6% |
Certified paralegal gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$56,054
Female income
$53,988
Certified paralegal gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in certified paralegal positions over time. Currently, 83.4% of certified paralegals are female.
Certified paralegal gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.18% | 84.82% |
| 2011 | 14.45% | 85.55% |
| 2012 | 14.76% | 85.24% |
| 2013 | 15.07% | 84.93% |
| 2014 | 13.83% | 86.17% |
| 2015 | 16.37% | 83.63% |
| 2016 | 14.88% | 85.12% |
| 2017 | 16.82% | 83.18% |
| 2018 | 16.40% | 83.60% |
| 2019 | 14.35% | 85.65% |
| 2020 | 15.35% | 84.65% |
| 2021 | 16.55% | 83.45% |
Certified paralegal related jobs gender ratio
We compared certified paralegals with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, advisory title officer and court monitor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance Court Stenographer | 6% | 94% |
| Paralegal Secretary | 6% | 94% |
| Legal Transcriptionist | 6% | 94% |
| Certified Paralegal | 17% | 83% |
| Court Monitor | 66% | 34% |
| Advisory Title Officer | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Certified paralegal demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among certified paralegals is White, which makes up 59.6% of all certified paralegals. Comparatively, 20.7% of certified paralegals are Hispanic or Latino and 8.9% of certified paralegals are Black or African American.
- White, 59.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.7%
- Black or African American, 8.9%
- Asian, 5.6%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Certified paralegal race
| Certified paralegal race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.7% |
| Black or African American | 8.9% |
| Asian | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Certified paralegal race and ethnicity over time
See how certified paralegal racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Certified paralegal race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.29% | 10.07% | 4.63% | 16.66% |
| 2011 | 67.23% | 9.69% | 4.59% | 16.21% |
| 2012 | 64.45% | 9.66% | 5.07% | 18.27% |
| 2013 | 66.16% | 9.74% | 4.30% | 17.02% |
| 2014 | 66.00% | 8.56% | 4.55% | 18.39% |
| 2015 | 65.30% | 8.84% | 4.70% | 18.11% |
| 2016 | 63.63% | 9.97% | 4.80% | 18.82% |
| 2017 | 63.67% | 9.58% | 4.22% | 19.84% |
| 2018 | 63.69% | 9.53% | 4.64% | 19.11% |
| 2019 | 65.05% | 8.62% | 5.22% | 18.83% |
| 2020 | 60.81% | 9.25% | 4.77% | 20.34% |
| 2021 | 59.58% | 8.91% | 5.62% | 20.68% |
Certified paralegal wage gap by race
According to our data, asian certified paralegals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown certified paralegals have the lowest average salary at $53,190.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,190 |
| White | $54,800 |
| Black or African American | $58,695 |
| Asian | $58,773 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,033 |
Average certified paralegal age
See how the average age of certified paralegals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Certified paralegal age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 33 | 50 |
| Unknown | 38.5 | 45 |
| Asian | 39 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 32 | 41 |
| White | 39 | 50 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 47.5 |
Certified paralegal age breakdown
The average age of certified paralegals is 40+ years years old, representing 65% of the certified paralegal population.
Certified paralegal age breakdown
| Certified Paralegal Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Certified paralegal educational attainment
The most common degree for certified paralegals is bachelor's degree, with 43% of certified paralegals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 36% and associate degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 36%
- Diploma, 4%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 14%
Certified paralegals by degree level
| Certified paralegal degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 43% |
| Associate | 36% |
| Diploma | 4% |
| Master's | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 14% |
Certified paralegal jobs you might like
Certified paralegal wage gap by degree level
According to the data, certified paralegals with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $64,538 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, certified paralegals earn a median annual income of $61,073 compared to $60,455 for certified paralegals with an Master's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,455 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,622 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,073 |
| Doctorate Degree | $64,538 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,408 |
Certified paralegal employment statistics
Most certified paralegals work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where certified paralegals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where certified paralegals work.
Certified paralegal jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 26% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 38% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Certified paralegal jobs by company type
Employees with the certified paralegal job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most certified paralegals prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Certified paralegal jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 5% |
| Public | 13% |
| Private | 75% |
| Government | 7% |
Certified paralegal jobs by industry
The most common industries for certified paralegals are professional, government and manufacturing.
Certified paralegal industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 41% |
| Government | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Education | 5% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Certified paralegal turnover and employment statistics
Certified paralegal unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for certified paralegals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Certified paralegal unemployment rate by year
| Year | Certified paralegal unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.83% |
| 2011 | 6.37% |
| 2012 | 6.43% |
| 2013 | 5.62% |
| 2014 | 4.30% |
| 2015 | 3.48% |
| 2016 | 3.07% |
| 2017 | 2.56% |
| 2018 | 2.62% |
| 2019 | 2.49% |
| 2020 | 3.92% |
| 2021 | 4.04% |
Average certified paralegal tenure
The average certified paralegal stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 740 certified paralegals resumes in Zippia's database.
Certified paralegal tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Certified paralegal LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of certified paralegals that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Court Recording Monitor | 4.96% | 5,628 |
| Title Searcher | 7.68% | 1,197 |
| Certified Paralegal | 9.16% | - |
| Legislative Aide | 12.79% | 40,281 |
Similar certified paralegal jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Court Recording Monitor | 4.96% | 5,628 |
| Title Searcher | 7.68% | 1,197 |
| Legislative Aide | 12.79% | 40,281 |
Foreign languages spoken by certified paralegals
The most common foreign language among certified paralegals is Spanish at 73.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Hebrew at 10.5% and German is the third-most popular at 5.3%.
- Spanish, 73.7%
- Hebrew, 10.5%
- German, 5.3%
- Polish, 5.3%
- French, 5.3%
Certified paralegal languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 73.7% |
| Hebrew | 10.5% |
| German | 5.3% |
| Polish | 5.3% |
| French | 5.3% |
