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Legal assistant salary
Average legal assistant salary
$42,387
Average Legal Assistant Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a legal assistant is approximately $42,387 per year, translating to about $20 per hour. This figure can vary based on several factors including geographic location, years of experience, and specific legal fields.
Where Do Legal Assistants Earn More?
Legal assistants in states such as California and New York often see higher salaries compared to those in other regions. Exploring salary data by state can highlight opportunities in areas with a robust legal market.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience is a significant factor in determining salary. Entry-level positions may start lower, but legal assistants with several years of experience can earn considerably more. Additionally, specialization in fields like corporate law or intellectual property may also lead to higher pay.
Exploring Job Opportunities
To find the best opportunities, utilize job boards like Zippia that provide tailored job listings based on your experience and location. Understanding salary expectations alongside job prospects will help you navigate your career strategically.
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Where can a Legal Assistant earn more?
Legal assistant salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level legal assistant | $30,300 | $14.55 |
| Mid-level legal assistant | $40,500 | $19.48 |
| Senior-level legal assistant | $42,600 | $20.50 |
Legal assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average legal assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for legal assistants are California, Colorado, and New York. The lowest average legal assistant salary states are Kentucky, North Carolina, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for legal assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $56,918 | $27.36 |
| 2 | Colorado | $49,366 | $23.73 |
| 3 | New York | $48,414 | $23.28 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $47,220 | $22.70 |
| 5 | Nevada | $46,834 | $22.52 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $47,775 | $22.97 |
| 7 | California | $50,391 | $24.23 |
| 8 | Washington | $47,558 | $22.86 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $41,758 | $20.08 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $48,243 | $23.19 |
| 11 | Illinois | $45,800 | $22.02 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $47,213 | $22.70 |
| 13 | Michigan | $41,771 | $20.08 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $43,844 | $21.08 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $42,954 | $20.65 |
| 16 | Utah | $42,605 | $20.48 |
| 17 | Nebraska | $42,088 | $20.23 |
| 18 | Kansas | $43,636 | $20.98 |
| 19 | Alaska | $43,008 | $20.68 |
| 20 | Texas | $40,807 | $19.62 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $45,572 | $21.91 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $38,818 | $18.66 |
| 23 | Delaware | $43,897 | $21.10 |
| 24 | Arizona | $40,854 | $19.64 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $40,554 | $19.50 |
| 26 | Ohio | $36,895 | $17.74 |
| 27 | Idaho | $39,907 | $19.19 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $40,763 | $19.60 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $39,183 | $18.84 |
| 30 | Oregon | $42,011 | $20.20 |
| 31 | Maryland | $43,010 | $20.68 |
| 32 | Virginia | $40,751 | $19.59 |
| 33 | Georgia | $38,051 | $18.29 |
| 34 | Montana | $38,298 | $18.41 |
| 35 | Florida | $36,918 | $17.75 |
| 36 | Vermont | $39,128 | $18.81 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $35,421 | $17.03 |
| 38 | Missouri | $37,959 | $18.25 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $38,177 | $18.35 |
| 40 | Alabama | $37,504 | $18.03 |
| 41 | Iowa | $36,724 | $17.66 |
| 42 | Maine | $37,782 | $18.16 |
| 43 | Indiana | $37,014 | $17.80 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $37,835 | $18.19 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $36,864 | $17.72 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $35,004 | $16.83 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $35,349 | $16.99 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $34,530 | $16.60 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $33,925 | $16.31 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $33,521 | $16.12 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $32,792 | $15.77 |
Highest paying cities for legal assistants
The highest-paying cities for legal assistants are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Denver, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $56,896 | $27.35 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $52,809 | $25.39 |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $49,333 | $23.72 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $48,473 | $23.30 |
| 5 | Olympia, WA | $47,901 | $23.03 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $47,166 | $22.68 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $46,834 | $22.52 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $45,938 | $22.09 |
| 9 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $45,615 | $21.93 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $43,845 | $21.08 |
| 11 | Baltimore, MD | $43,167 | $20.75 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $43,122 | $20.73 |
| 13 | Alexandria, VA | $42,245 | $20.31 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $41,869 | $20.13 |
| 15 | Southfield, MI | $41,787 | $20.09 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $41,018 | $19.72 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $40,958 | $19.69 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $38,164 | $18.35 |
| 19 | Portland, ME | $38,122 | $18.33 |
| 20 | New Orleans, LA | $38,005 | $18.27 |
Legal Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Legal assistant salary details
A legal assistant's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $58,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a legal assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $58,000 | $4,833 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $42,387 | $3,532 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying legal assistant jobs
The highest paying types of legal assistants are real estate paralegal, corporate paralegal, and contractor-paralegal.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law Clerk | $55,916 | $4,660 | $26.88 | 75,014 |
| Real Estate Paralegal | $68,387 | $5,699 | $32.88 | 24,369 |
| Contractor-Paralegal | $60,686 | $5,057 | $29.18 | 15,609 |
| Corporate Paralegal | $67,515 | $5,626 | $32.46 | 13,482 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $58,484 | $4,874 | $28.12 | 5,132 |
| Paralegal | $49,943 | $4,162 | $24.01 | 5,177 |
Top companies hiring legal assistants now:
Which companies pay legal assistants the most?
Legal assistant salaries at Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey Pc and Buckley King are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average legal assistant salary at companies like Brennan Manna Diamond and Fraser Trebilcock are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey Pc | $102,456 | $49.26 |
| 2 | Buckley King | $87,336 | $41.99 |
| 3 | Brennan Manna Diamond | $81,633 | $39.25 |
| 4 | Fraser Trebilcock | $71,818 | $34.53 |
| 5 | Winget | $68,276 | $32.83 |
| 6 | HCL Technologies | $67,394 | $32.40 |
| 7 | Greenblum & Bernstein, P.l.c. | $64,249 | $30.89 |
| 8 | Lindabury McCormick | $63,921 | $30.73 |
| 9 | Shearman & Sterling | $63,682 | $30.62 |
| 10 | Hoffmann & Baron | $62,933 | $30.26 |
| 11 | Williams Parker | $62,389 | $29.99 |
| 12 | Davis Graham & Stubbs | $61,673 | $29.65 |
| 13 | Evans Dixon | $61,366 | $29.50 |
| 14 | Eaton & Van Winkle | $61,243 | $29.44 |
| 15 | Strauss Troy | $61,109 | $29.38 |
| 16 | Kirkland & Ellis | $60,841 | $29.25 |
| 17 | Earthjustice | $60,606 | $29.14 |
| 18 | Irving Isd | $60,111 | $28.90 |
| 19 | Baptist Health Care | $60,055 | $28.87 |
| 20 | Mintz | $59,647 | $28.68 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Legal Assistant salary by industry
The average legal assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average legal assistant salary in the professional industry is $47,979, the highest of any industry.
- The average legal assistant salary in the finance industry is $44,375.
- Legal assistants in the government industry earn an average salary of $42,431, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for legal assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $47,979 | $23.07 |
| 2 | Finance | $44,375 | $21.33 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $43,063 | $20.70 |
| 4 | Government | $42,431 | $20.40 |
High paying legal assistant jobs
Legal assistant salary trends
The average legal assistant salary has risen by $4,958 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average legal assistant earned $37,429 annually, but today, they earn $42,387 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for legal assistants over the last decade.
Compare legal assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average legal assistant salary over time
Compare legal assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Legal assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,400 | $20.38 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $41,400 | $19.92 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $40,800 | $19.62 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $40,400 | $19.41 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $39,600 | $19.06 | +1.4% |
Recently added legal assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | Legal Assistant Bi/Um | Irvine, CA | 06/30/2025 | $51,370 |
| USAA | Legal Assistant Bi/Um (Mid-Level) | Northborough, MA | 06/30/2025 | $57,970 |
| Alston & Bird's Antitrust Group | Legal Administrative Assistant | San Francisco, CA | 06/29/2025 | $85,000 |
| Crowell & Moring | Legal Administrative Assistant | Ione, WA | 06/29/2025 | $50,900 |
| Davis Wright Tremaine | Legal Assistant-Ip/Patent | Los Angeles, CA | 06/29/2025 | $93,000 |
| Milbank LLP | Alternative Investments Legal Assistant | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Ziff Davis | Legal Administrative Assistant | Seattle, WA | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Axinn Veltrop & Harkrider LLP | Legal Administrative Assistant | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $75,132 |
| Ra | Legal Assistant | Melville, NY | 06/29/2025 | $50,000 |
| Western Resource Advocates | Program & Legal Assistant, Reno Nevada | Reno, NV | 06/29/2025 | $58,700 |
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