Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a paralegal specialist
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you thinking of becoming a paralegal specialist and really want to work at United States Army Corps of Engineers? Turns out, your chances to become a paralegal specialist are better in some states than others.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for paralegal specialists. We found that District of Columbia is the best state in the nation for paralegal specialists, and people in Windsor earn the most in the field.
We figured that the best places for paralegal specialist jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.District of Columbia is the best state, and Windsor is the city with the highest pay for paralegal specialists.
10 best states for paralegal specialists in 2026
1. District of Columbia
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 213 Average annual salary: $79,858 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000 Location Quotient: 2.77
2. Washington
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 330 Average annual salary: $75,364 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
3. California
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 1,278 Average annual salary: $78,318 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
4. Massachusetts
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 415 Average annual salary: $72,345 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $117,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
5. Nevada
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 87 Average annual salary: $70,502 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
6. Pennsylvania
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 504 Average annual salary: $67,180 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
7. Connecticut
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 122 Average annual salary: $74,543 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000 Location Quotient: 0.8
8. New York
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 640 Average annual salary: $68,495 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
9. Alaska
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 55 Average annual salary: $67,655 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.44
10. West Virginia
Total paralegal specialist jobs: 87 Average annual salary: $60,629 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
Paralegal specialist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a paralegal specialist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a paralegal specialist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $79,858 | $46,000 | 693,972 | 213 |
| 2 | Washington | $75,364 | $47,000 | 7,405,743 | 330 |
| 3 | California | $78,318 | $45,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,278 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $72,345 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 415 |
| 5 | Nevada | $70,502 | $41,000 | 2,998,039 | 87 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $67,180 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 504 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $74,543 | $45,000 | 3,588,184 | 122 |
| 8 | New York | $68,495 | $41,000 | 19,849,399 | 640 |
| 9 | Alaska | $67,655 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 55 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $60,629 | $34,000 | 1,815,857 | 87 |
| 11 | Oregon | $70,398 | $43,000 | 4,142,776 | 174 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $73,614 | $45,000 | 1,342,795 | 59 |
| 13 | Delaware | $63,742 | $37,000 | 961,939 | 74 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $73,101 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 305 |
| 15 | Idaho | $63,685 | $39,000 | 1,716,943 | 74 |
| 16 | Utah | $63,910 | $38,000 | 3,101,833 | 132 |
| 17 | Virginia | $64,441 | $36,000 | 8,470,020 | 426 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $56,870 | $36,000 | 755,393 | 55 |
| 19 | Illinois | $62,786 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 529 |
| 20 | Colorado | $62,467 | $37,000 | 5,607,154 | 289 |
| 21 | Vermont | $60,147 | $36,000 | 623,657 | 38 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $63,400 | $38,000 | 1,059,639 | 45 |
| 23 | Michigan | $60,406 | $35,000 | 9,962,311 | 325 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $59,639 | $46,000 | 1,427,538 | 74 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $63,436 | $38,000 | 5,576,606 | 234 |
| 26 | Iowa | $53,914 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 251 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $55,867 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 109 |
| 28 | Arizona | $52,811 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 311 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $58,290 | $35,000 | 869,666 | 39 |
| 30 | Maryland | $57,989 | $33,000 | 6,052,177 | 286 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $49,447 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 46 |
| 32 | Ohio | $55,794 | $32,000 | 11,658,609 | 356 |
| 33 | Montana | $54,497 | $34,000 | 1,050,493 | 49 |
| 34 | Texas | $50,596 | $26,000 | 28,304,596 | 884 |
| 35 | Maine | $57,282 | $35,000 | 1,335,907 | 41 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $53,509 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 130 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $53,275 | $31,000 | 5,795,483 | 219 |
| 38 | Georgia | $45,061 | $23,000 | 10,429,379 | 542 |
| 39 | Kansas | $48,236 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 129 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $44,088 | $24,000 | 10,273,419 | 439 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,609 | $25,000 | 6,715,984 | 242 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $51,317 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 66 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $41,231 | $22,000 | 3,004,279 | 132 |
| 44 | Florida | $31,806 | $15,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,095 |
| 45 | Indiana | $44,680 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 265 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $38,646 | $19,000 | 4,684,333 | 156 |
| 47 | Alabama | $42,279 | $22,000 | 4,874,747 | 184 |
| 48 | Missouri | $45,282 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 224 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $45,112 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 68 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $44,194 | $24,000 | 3,930,864 | 108 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $39,673 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 151 |
Highest paying states for paralegal specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. Paralegal Specialist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $79,858 |
| 2 | Washington | $75,364 |
| 3 | California | $78,318 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $72,345 |
| 5 | Nevada | $70,502 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $67,180 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $74,543 |
| 8 | New York | $68,495 |
| 9 | Alaska | $67,655 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $60,629 |
| 11 | Oregon | $70,398 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $73,614 |
| 13 | Delaware | $63,742 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $73,101 |
| 15 | Idaho | $63,685 |
| 16 | Utah | $63,910 |
| 17 | Virginia | $64,441 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $56,870 |
| 19 | Illinois | $62,786 |
| 20 | Colorado | $62,467 |
| 21 | Vermont | $60,147 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $63,400 |
| 23 | Michigan | $60,406 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $59,639 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $63,436 |
| 26 | Iowa | $53,914 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $55,867 |
| 28 | Arizona | $52,811 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $58,290 |
| 30 | Maryland | $57,989 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $49,447 |
| 32 | Ohio | $55,794 |
| 33 | Montana | $54,497 |
| 34 | Texas | $50,596 |
| 35 | Maine | $57,282 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $53,509 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $53,275 |
| 38 | Georgia | $45,061 |
| 39 | Kansas | $48,236 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $44,088 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,609 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $51,317 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $41,231 |
| 44 | Florida | $31,806 |
| 45 | Indiana | $44,680 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $38,646 |
| 47 | Alabama | $42,279 |
| 48 | Missouri | $45,282 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $45,112 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $44,194 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $39,673 |
Paralegal specialist best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common legal questions.
Search for paralegal specialist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025