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Legal administrator salary
Average legal administrator salary
$47,198
Understanding Legal Administrator Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Legal Administrator in the United States is $47,198 per year. This figure represents a significant opportunity for those pursuing a career in legal administration. Salaries vary based on several factors including experience level, geographic location, and industry specialization.
In terms of experience, entry-level Legal Administrators can expect to earn lower salaries, while those with several years in the field typically see substantial increases. For instance, administrators with over five years of experience can earn upwards of $60,000 annually.
Location also plays a critical role in salary determination. States with a higher demand for legal services, such as California and New York, often offer salaries above the national average, reaching near $60,000. For those looking to maximize their earning potential, pursuing opportunities in large firms or corporate legal departments may provide the best financial rewards.
Job Opportunities for Legal Administrators
With a growing legal field, the demand for qualified Legal Administrators is expected to increase. This role not only offers competitive salaries but also the chance for career advancement in various legal sectors.
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Where can a Legal Administrator earn more?
Legal administrator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level legal administrator | $33,700 | $16.20 |
| Mid-level legal administrator | $45,100 | $21.69 |
| Senior-level legal administrator | $47,500 | $22.83 |
Legal administrator salary estimates from across the web
Average legal administrator salary by state
The highest-paying states for legal administrators are New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The lowest average legal administrator salary states are North Carolina, Wyoming, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for legal administrators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | $56,975 | $27.39 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $59,033 | $28.38 |
| 3 | New York | $60,622 | $29.15 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $55,667 | $26.76 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $64,014 | $30.78 |
| 6 | Alaska | $51,556 | $24.79 |
| 7 | Texas | $52,317 | $25.15 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $53,259 | $25.61 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $57,943 | $27.86 |
| 10 | Washington | $51,035 | $24.54 |
| 11 | California | $52,738 | $25.35 |
| 12 | Oregon | $50,139 | $24.11 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $47,791 | $22.98 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $48,648 | $23.39 |
| 15 | Utah | $45,811 | $22.02 |
| 16 | Nevada | $49,940 | $24.01 |
| 17 | Delaware | $51,229 | $24.63 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $51,273 | $24.65 |
| 19 | Vermont | $45,186 | $21.72 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $47,374 | $22.78 |
| 21 | Virginia | $52,460 | $25.22 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $42,456 | $20.41 |
| 23 | Michigan | $46,345 | $22.28 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $47,094 | $22.64 |
| 25 | Idaho | $44,117 | $21.21 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $42,877 | $20.61 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $43,795 | $21.06 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $44,074 | $21.19 |
| 29 | Illinois | $43,385 | $20.86 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $42,007 | $20.20 |
| 31 | Alabama | $40,719 | $19.58 |
| 32 | Arizona | $40,408 | $19.43 |
| 33 | Maine | $43,440 | $20.88 |
| 34 | Georgia | $41,173 | $19.79 |
| 35 | Montana | $40,375 | $19.41 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $42,047 | $20.21 |
| 37 | Maryland | $46,493 | $22.35 |
| 38 | Florida | $38,912 | $18.71 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $40,264 | $19.36 |
| 40 | Iowa | $40,297 | $19.37 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $39,761 | $19.12 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $37,087 | $17.83 |
| 43 | Ohio | $38,739 | $18.62 |
| 44 | Kansas | $38,950 | $18.73 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $37,189 | $17.88 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $39,625 | $19.05 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $38,243 | $18.39 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $36,601 | $17.60 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $36,530 | $17.56 |
| 50 | Missouri | $35,873 | $17.25 |
| 51 | Indiana | $34,212 | $16.45 |
Highest paying cities for legal administrators
The highest-paying cities for legal administrators are Washington, DC, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $64,026 | $30.78 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $60,770 | $29.22 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $59,050 | $28.39 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $56,915 | $27.36 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $54,939 | $26.41 |
| 6 | Arlington, VA | $53,785 | $25.86 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,584 | $25.76 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $52,611 | $25.29 |
| 9 | Anchorage, AK | $51,790 | $24.90 |
| 10 | Carson City, NV | $51,507 | $24.76 |
| 11 | Westport, CT | $51,409 | $24.72 |
| 12 | Everett, WA | $51,264 | $24.65 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $50,034 | $24.05 |
| 14 | Morgantown, WV | $49,406 | $23.75 |
| 15 | Minneapolis, MN | $47,406 | $22.79 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $46,672 | $22.44 |
| 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | $45,715 | $21.98 |
| 18 | Woodstock, IL | $43,761 | $21.04 |
| 19 | Pocatello, ID | $42,874 | $20.61 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $41,109 | $19.76 |
Legal administrator salary details
A legal administrator's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $66,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a legal administrator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $47,198 | $3,933 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying legal administrator jobs
The highest paying types of legal administrators are general counsel, associate attorney, and staff attorney.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Law Clerk | $55,916 | $4,660 | $26.88 | 75,014 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $58,484 | $4,874 | $28.12 | 5,132 |
| Paralegal | $49,943 | $4,162 | $24.01 | 5,177 |
Top companies hiring legal administrators now:
Which companies pay legal administrators the most?
Legal administrator salaries at Ropes & Gray and AARP are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average legal administrator salary at companies like FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies and Calpine are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ropes & Gray | $89,548 | $43.05 |
| 2 | AARP | $87,159 | $41.90 |
| 3 | FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies | $78,122 | $37.56 |
| 4 | Calpine | $73,720 | $35.44 |
| 5 | Envestnet | $73,085 | $35.14 |
| 6 | Merck | $66,473 | $31.96 |
| 7 | DLA Piper | $63,380 | $30.47 |
| 8 | Wabtec Corporation | $60,821 | $29.24 |
| 9 | Aditi Consulting | $57,372 | $27.58 |
| 10 | WestRock | $57,102 | $27.45 |
| 11 | GPAC | $56,969 | $27.39 |
| 12 | Sanmina | $55,930 | $26.89 |
| 13 | City and County of Denver Government | $55,417 | $26.64 |
| 14 | Washington State University | $55,012 | $26.45 |
| 15 | Wizards of the Coast | $54,836 | $26.36 |
| 16 | King County | $54,671 | $26.28 |
| 17 | Social Security Administration | $54,266 | $26.09 |
| 18 | Roetzel & Andress | $52,854 | $25.41 |
| 19 | Abt Associates | $52,508 | $25.24 |
| 20 | Optimum Nutrition | $52,464 | $25.22 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Legal Administrator salary by industry
The average legal administrator salary varies across industries:
- The average legal administrator salary in the government industry is $54,616, the highest of any industry.
- The average legal administrator salary in the finance industry is $53,520.
- Legal administrators in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $48,414, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for legal administrators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $54,616 | $26.26 |
| 2 | Professional | $53,520 | $25.73 |
| 3 | Finance | $49,852 | $23.97 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $48,414 | $23.28 |
High paying legal administrator jobs
Legal administrator salary trends
The average legal administrator salary has risen by $5,521 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average legal administrator earned $41,677 annually, but today, they earn $47,198 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for legal administrators over the last decade.
Compare legal administrator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average legal administrator salary over time
Compare legal administrator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Legal administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $47,200 | $22.69 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $46,100 | $22.19 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $45,400 | $21.84 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $45,000 | $21.62 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $44,100 | $21.22 | +1.4% |
Recently added legal administrator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius | Legal Administrative Specialist-IP Trademark | Ione, WA | 06/30/2025 | $80,785 |
| Harris & Harris, Ltd. | Legal Admin | Coppell, TX | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Stretto Inc. | Associate I, Legal Claims Administration | Irvine, CA | 06/29/2025 | $46,958 |
| Morgan, Lewis & Bockius | Legal Administrative Specialist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $80,785 |
| Department of Justice | Legal Administrative Specialist | Washington, DC | 06/28/2025 | $84,601 |
| Lionstone Care | Corporate Legal Administrator | Mayfield Heights, OH | 06/27/2025 | $65,000 |
| World Relief | Temporary Immigration Legal Services Administrative | Carol Stream, IL | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Oakleaf Partnership | Legal Administrator | Washington, DC | 06/26/2025 | $75,132 |
| Professional Finance Company | Legal Administrative Specialist | Greeley, CO | 06/24/2025 | $33,392 |
| King County (Wa | Legal Administrative Professional I-Victim Services | Seattle, WA | 06/24/2025 | $58,833 |
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