Paralegal specialist demographics and statistics in the US
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Paralegal specialist demographics by:
Paralegal specialist gender statistics
62.2% of paralegal specialists are women and 37.8% of paralegal specialists are men.
- Female, 62.2%
- Male, 37.8%
Paralegal specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 62.2% |
| Male | 37.8% |
Paralegal specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$63,908
Female income
$61,054
Paralegal specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in paralegal specialist positions over time. Currently, 62.2% of paralegal specialists are female.
Paralegal specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 35.44% | 64.56% |
| 2011 | 34.14% | 65.86% |
| 2012 | 34.70% | 65.30% |
| 2013 | 35.25% | 64.75% |
| 2014 | 33.00% | 67.00% |
| 2015 | 37.52% | 62.48% |
| 2016 | 34.91% | 65.09% |
| 2017 | 38.29% | 61.71% |
| 2018 | 37.58% | 62.42% |
| 2019 | 33.94% | 66.06% |
| 2020 | 35.75% | 64.25% |
| 2021 | 37.84% | 62.16% |
Paralegal specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared paralegal specialists 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% |
| Paralegal Specialist | 38% | 62% |
| Court Monitor | 66% | 34% |
| Advisory Title Officer | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Paralegal specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among paralegal specialists is White, which makes up 61.9% of all paralegal specialists. Comparatively, 17.1% of paralegal specialists are Hispanic or Latino and 9.7% of paralegal specialists are Black or African American.
- White, 61.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.1%
- Black or African American, 9.7%
- Asian, 5.9%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Paralegal specialist race
| Paralegal specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 61.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.1% |
| Black or African American | 9.7% |
| Asian | 5.9% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Paralegal specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how paralegal specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Paralegal specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.65% | 10.90% | 4.93% | 13.08% |
| 2011 | 69.59% | 10.51% | 4.88% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 66.81% | 10.48% | 5.36% | 14.70% |
| 2013 | 68.52% | 10.57% | 4.59% | 13.45% |
| 2014 | 68.36% | 9.39% | 4.84% | 14.81% |
| 2015 | 67.66% | 9.67% | 4.99% | 14.53% |
| 2016 | 65.99% | 10.80% | 5.09% | 15.24% |
| 2017 | 66.03% | 10.41% | 4.52% | 16.27% |
| 2018 | 66.05% | 10.36% | 4.93% | 15.53% |
| 2019 | 67.41% | 9.44% | 5.51% | 15.25% |
| 2020 | 63.17% | 10.07% | 5.06% | 16.77% |
| 2021 | 61.94% | 9.74% | 5.92% | 17.11% |
Paralegal specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian paralegal specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown paralegal specialists have the lowest average salary at $59,958.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,958 |
| White | $62,173 |
| Black or African American | $67,591 |
| Asian | $67,699 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $62,495 |
Average paralegal specialist age
See how the average age of paralegal specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Paralegal specialist 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 |
Paralegal specialist age breakdown
The average age of paralegal specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 65% of the paralegal specialist population.
Paralegal specialist age breakdown
| Paralegal Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Paralegal specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for paralegal specialists is bachelor's degree, with 52% of paralegal specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 21%
- Master's, 8%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 13%
Paralegal specialists by degree level
| Paralegal specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 52% |
| Associate | 21% |
| Master's | 8% |
| Doctorate | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 13% |
Paralegal specialist jobs you might like
Paralegal specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, paralegal specialists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $75,862 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, paralegal specialists earn a median annual income of $70,936 compared to $70,063 for paralegal specialists with an Master's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $70,063 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $59,180 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $70,936 |
| Doctorate Degree | $75,862 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $61,632 |
Paralegal specialist employment statistics
Most paralegal specialists work for a private in the government industry.
Company size where paralegal specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where paralegal specialists work.
Paralegal specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 22% |
Paralegal specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the paralegal specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most paralegal specialists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Paralegal specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 9% |
| Private | 51% |
| Government | 37% |
Paralegal specialist jobs by industry
The most common industries for paralegal specialists are government, professional and finance.
Paralegal specialist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 33% |
| Professional | 22% |
| Finance | 7% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Real Estate | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Paralegal specialist turnover and employment statistics
Paralegal specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for paralegal specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Paralegal specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Paralegal specialist 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 paralegal specialist tenure
The average paralegal specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,394 paralegal specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Paralegal specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Paralegal specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of paralegal specialists 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 Reporter | 4.96% | 2,329 |
| Abstract Clerk | 7.68% | 66,444 |
| Paralegal Specialist | 9.16% | - |
| Trial Examiner | 12.79% | 3,003 |
Similar paralegal specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Court Reporter | 4.96% | 2,329 |
| Abstract Clerk | 7.68% | 66,444 |
| Trial Examiner | 12.79% | 3,003 |
Foreign languages spoken by paralegal specialists
The most common foreign language among paralegal specialists is Spanish at 47.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 47.8%
- French, 13.9%
- Italian, 5.2%
- Japanese, 3.5%
- Korean, 3.5%
- Other, 26.1%
Paralegal specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.8% |
| French | 13.9% |
| Italian | 5.2% |
| Japanese | 3.5% |
| Korean | 3.5% |
| Other | 26.1% |
