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Paralegal specialist salary
Average paralegal specialist salary
$61,244
Understanding Paralegal Specialist Salaries
The salary for a Paralegal Specialist varies significantly across different states and levels of experience. On average, they earn about $61,244 annually, but this can change based on location, industry, and expertise. For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for legal professionals.
Entry-level paralegals may start around $40,000, while those with extensive experience can earn upwards of $80,000. In addition, paralegals working in specialized fields such as intellectual property or corporate law often see higher compensation. It’s beneficial for aspiring paralegals to consider these factors when exploring job opportunities.
Salary by State
Here’s a brief overview of average salaries by state:
- California: $70,000
- New York: $68,000
- Texas: $58,000
- Florida: $55,000
These figures illustrate the potential for growth in this profession, emphasizing the need for continuous education and skill development to maximize earning potential.
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Where can a Paralegal Specialist earn more?
Paralegal specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level paralegal specialist | $43,700 | $21.02 |
| Mid-level paralegal specialist | $58,600 | $28.15 |
| Senior-level paralegal specialist | $61,600 | $29.63 |
Paralegal specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average paralegal specialist salary by state
The average paralegal specialist salary in California, Washington, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average paralegal specialist salary states are North Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for paralegal specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $79,858 | $38.39 |
| 2 | Washington | $75,364 | $36.23 |
| 3 | California | $78,318 | $37.65 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $72,345 | $34.78 |
| 5 | Nevada | $70,502 | $33.90 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $67,180 | $32.30 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $74,543 | $35.84 |
| 8 | New York | $68,495 | $32.93 |
| 9 | Alaska | $67,655 | $32.53 |
| 10 | West Virginia | $60,629 | $29.15 |
| 11 | Oregon | $70,398 | $33.85 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $73,614 | $35.39 |
| 13 | Delaware | $63,742 | $30.65 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $73,101 | $35.14 |
| 15 | Idaho | $63,685 | $30.62 |
| 16 | Utah | $63,910 | $30.73 |
| 17 | Virginia | $64,441 | $30.98 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $56,870 | $27.34 |
| 19 | Illinois | $62,786 | $30.19 |
| 20 | Colorado | $62,467 | $30.03 |
| 21 | Vermont | $60,147 | $28.92 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $63,400 | $30.48 |
| 23 | Michigan | $60,406 | $29.04 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $59,639 | $28.67 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $63,436 | $30.50 |
| 26 | Iowa | $53,914 | $25.92 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $55,867 | $26.86 |
| 28 | Arizona | $52,811 | $25.39 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $58,290 | $28.02 |
| 30 | Maryland | $57,989 | $27.88 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $49,447 | $23.77 |
| 32 | Ohio | $55,794 | $26.82 |
| 33 | Montana | $54,497 | $26.20 |
| 34 | Texas | $50,596 | $24.32 |
| 35 | Maine | $57,282 | $27.54 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $53,509 | $25.73 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $53,275 | $25.61 |
| 38 | Georgia | $45,061 | $21.66 |
| 39 | Kansas | $48,236 | $23.19 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $44,088 | $21.20 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,609 | $22.41 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $51,317 | $24.67 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $41,231 | $19.82 |
| 44 | Florida | $31,806 | $15.29 |
| 45 | Indiana | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $38,646 | $18.58 |
| 47 | Alabama | $42,279 | $20.33 |
| 48 | Missouri | $45,282 | $21.77 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $45,112 | $21.69 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $44,194 | $21.25 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $39,673 | $19.07 |
Highest paying cities for paralegal specialists
The highest-paying cities for paralegal specialists are San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $86,394 | $41.54 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $79,901 | $38.41 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $76,016 | $36.55 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $72,368 | $34.79 |
| 5 | Salem, OR | $70,644 | $33.96 |
| 6 | Buffalo, NY | $69,027 | $33.19 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $67,056 | $32.24 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $66,895 | $32.16 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $63,088 | $30.33 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $62,493 | $30.04 |
| 11 | Midland, MI | $61,154 | $29.40 |
| 12 | Parkersburg, WV | $60,920 | $29.29 |
| 13 | El Paso, TX | $58,162 | $27.96 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $57,551 | $27.67 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $53,132 | $25.54 |
| 16 | Farmington, NM | $52,893 | $25.43 |
| 17 | Franklin, TN | $46,882 | $22.54 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $46,168 | $22.20 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $45,755 | $22.00 |
| 20 | Athens, AL | $45,501 | $21.88 |
Paralegal specialist salary details
A paralegal specialist's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $106,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a paralegal specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $106,000 | $8,833 | $51 |
| 75th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| Average | $61,244 | $5,104 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying paralegal specialist jobs
The highest paying types of paralegal specialists are real estate paralegal, corporate paralegal, and immigration paralegal.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Clerk | $35,152 | $2,929 | $16.90 | 74,069 |
| Real Estate Paralegal | $68,387 | $5,699 | $32.88 | 24,369 |
| Immigration Paralegal | $67,056 | $5,588 | $32.24 | 4,279 |
| Contractor-Paralegal | $60,686 | $5,057 | $29.18 | 15,609 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $58,484 | $4,874 | $28.12 | 5,132 |
| Bankruptcy Paralegal | $55,485 | $4,624 | $26.68 | 7,259 |
Which companies pay paralegal specialists the most?
Paralegal specialist salaries at DLA Piper and The Walt Disney Company are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average paralegal specialist salary at companies like The Dow Chemical Company and Guidehouse are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DLA Piper | $88,305 | $42.45 |
| 2 | The Walt Disney Company | $86,005 | $41.35 |
| 3 | The Dow Chemical Company | $81,123 | $39.00 |
| 4 | Guidehouse | $78,954 | $37.96 |
| 5 | Federal Bureau of Investigation | $71,063 | $34.16 |
| 6 | Nationwide | $70,189 | $33.74 |
| 7 | Department of Homeland Security | $69,765 | $33.54 |
| 8 | Defense Finance and Accounting Service | $69,049 | $33.20 |
| 9 | Jones Day | $66,554 | $32.00 |
| 10 | Southwire | $64,649 | $31.08 |
| 11 | Defense Intelligence Agency | $62,646 | $30.12 |
| 12 | Spectrum | $61,214 | $29.43 |
| 13 | United States Army Corps of Engineers | $61,163 | $29.41 |
| 14 | Army National Guard | $60,451 | $29.06 |
| 15 | U.s. Coast Guard | $60,015 | $28.85 |
| 16 | Indian Health Service | $58,573 | $28.16 |
| 17 | Robert Half | $56,583 | $27.20 |
| 18 | State of Connecticut | $55,605 | $26.73 |
| 19 | My Florida Regional Mls | $48,506 | $23.32 |
| 20 | DHS Group | $44,628 | $21.46 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Paralegal specialist salary trends
The average paralegal specialist salary has risen by $7,164 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average paralegal specialist earned $54,080 annually, but today, they earn $61,244 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for paralegal specialists over the last decade.
Compare paralegal specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average paralegal specialist salary over time
Compare paralegal specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Paralegal specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $61,200 | $29.44 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | $59,900 | $28.79 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $59,000 | $28.34 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $58,300 | $28.05 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $57,300 | $27.54 | +1.4% |
Recently added paralegal specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Homeland Security | Paralegal Specialist | Dallas, TX | 06/28/2025 | $80,381 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Paralegal Specialist | Boston, MA | 06/26/2025 | $119,355 |
| Department of Justice | Paralegal Specialist | Denver, CO | 06/26/2025 | $68,138 |
| State of Florida | Paralegal Specialist | Ocala, FL | 06/25/2025 | $37,000 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Paralegal Specialist | New Orleans, LA | 06/24/2025 | $73,939 |
| Department of Justice | Paralegal Specialist | Washington, DC | 06/22/2025 | $69,923 |
| Allstate | Paralegal Specialist-Personal Injury | Nome, TX | 06/13/2025 | $54,679 |
| Ccg Business Solutions | Paralegal Specialist | San Francisco, CA | 06/10/2025 | $112,000 |
| LHH | IP Patent Paralegal Specialist | Washington, DC | 05/28/2025 | $60,000 |
| Washington D.C | Paralegal Specialist | Washington, DC | 05/22/2025 | $74,893 |
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