Legal assistant demographics and statistics in the US
Legal assistant demographics research summary. Zippia estimates legal assistant demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our legal assistant estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about legal assistants after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 420,346 legal assistants currently employed in the United States.
- 82.6% of all legal assistants are women, while 17.4% are men.
- The average legal assistant age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of legal assistants is White (59.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (21.4%), Black or African American (8.2%) and Asian (5.4%).
- Legal assistants are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $56,896, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women legal assistants earned 97% of what men earned.
- District of Columbia is the best state for legal assistants to live.
- Legal assistants are 86% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Legal assistant demographics by:
Legal assistant gender statistics
82.6% of legal assistants are women and 17.4% of legal assistants are men.
- Female, 82.6%
- Male, 17.4%
Legal assistant gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 82.6% |
| Male | 17.4% |
Legal assistant gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$43,453
Female income
$42,310
Legal assistant gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in legal assistant positions over time. Currently, 82.6% of legal assistants are female.
Legal assistant gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 15.93% | 84.07% |
| 2011 | 15.17% | 84.83% |
| 2012 | 15.50% | 84.50% |
| 2013 | 15.82% | 84.18% |
| 2014 | 14.53% | 85.47% |
| 2015 | 17.17% | 82.83% |
| 2016 | 15.61% | 84.39% |
| 2017 | 17.63% | 82.37% |
| 2018 | 17.20% | 82.80% |
| 2019 | 15.06% | 84.94% |
| 2020 | 16.11% | 83.89% |
| 2021 | 17.36% | 82.64% |
Legal assistant related jobs gender ratio
We compared legal assistants 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% |
| Legal Assistant | 17% | 83% |
| Court Monitor | 66% | 34% |
| Advisory Title Officer | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Legal assistant demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among legal assistants is White, which makes up 59.9% of all legal assistants. Comparatively, 21.4% of legal assistants are Hispanic or Latino and 8.2% of legal assistants are Black or African American.
- White, 59.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 21.4%
- Black or African American, 8.2%
- Asian, 5.4%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
Legal assistant race
| Legal assistant race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.4% |
| Black or African American | 8.2% |
| Asian | 5.4% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
Legal assistant race and ethnicity over time
See how legal assistant racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Legal assistant race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.65% | 9.32% | 4.37% | 17.39% |
| 2011 | 67.59% | 8.94% | 4.32% | 16.95% |
| 2012 | 64.81% | 8.91% | 4.80% | 19.01% |
| 2013 | 66.52% | 8.99% | 4.03% | 17.76% |
| 2014 | 66.36% | 7.81% | 4.28% | 19.13% |
| 2015 | 65.66% | 8.09% | 4.43% | 18.84% |
| 2016 | 63.98% | 9.23% | 4.53% | 19.55% |
| 2017 | 64.03% | 8.83% | 3.96% | 20.58% |
| 2018 | 64.05% | 8.79% | 4.37% | 19.84% |
| 2019 | 65.41% | 7.87% | 4.95% | 19.57% |
| 2020 | 61.17% | 8.50% | 4.50% | 21.08% |
| 2021 | 59.94% | 8.17% | 5.36% | 21.42% |
Legal assistant wage gap by race
According to our data, asian legal assistants have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown legal assistants have the lowest average salary at $41,865.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $41,865 |
| White | $42,761 |
| Black or African American | $44,897 |
| Asian | $44,939 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $42,890 |
Average legal assistant age
See how the average age of legal assistants varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Legal assistant 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 |
Legal assistant age breakdown
The average age of legal assistants is 40+ years years old, representing 65% of the legal assistant population.
Legal assistant age breakdown
| Legal Assistant Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Legal assistant educational attainment
The most common degree for legal assistants is bachelor's degree, with 51% of legal assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 51%
- Associate, 25%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Legal assistants by degree level
| Legal assistant degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 51% |
| Associate | 25% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Master's | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Legal assistant jobs you might like
Legal assistant wage gap by degree level
According to the data, legal assistants with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $48,024 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, legal assistants earn a median annual income of $46,180 compared to $45,848 for legal assistants with an Master's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $45,848 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,548 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,180 |
| Doctorate Degree | $48,024 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $42,543 |
Legal assistant employment statistics
Most legal assistants work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where legal assistants work
Below, you can see the size of companies where legal assistants work.
Legal assistant jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Legal assistant jobs by company type
Employees with the legal assistant job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most legal assistants prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Legal assistant jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 9% |
| Private | 86% |
| Government | 5% |
Legal assistant jobs by industry
The most common industries for legal assistants are professional, manufacturing and finance.
Legal assistant industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 54% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Government | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Legal assistant turnover and employment statistics
Legal assistant unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for legal assistants between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Legal assistant unemployment rate by year
| Year | Legal assistant 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 legal assistant tenure
The average legal assistant stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 152,844 legal assistants resumes in Zippia's database.
Legal assistant tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 24% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Legal assistant LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of legal assistants 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 Stenographer | 4.96% | 751 |
| Abstract Writer | 7.68% | 10,319 |
| Legal Assistant | 9.16% | - |
| Juror | 12.79% | 120 |
Similar legal assistant jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Court Stenographer | 4.96% | 751 |
| Abstract Writer | 7.68% | 10,319 |
| Juror | 12.79% | 120 |
Foreign languages spoken by legal assistants
The most common foreign language among legal assistants is Spanish at 61.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.8% and Russian is the third-most popular at 3.6%.
- Spanish, 61.0%
- French, 8.8%
- Russian, 3.6%
- Chinese, 3.2%
- Mandarin, 3.1%
- Other, 20.3%
Legal assistant languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 61.0% |
| French | 8.8% |
| Russian | 3.6% |
| Chinese | 3.2% |
| Mandarin | 3.1% |
| Other | 20.3% |
