Senior paralegal demographics and statistics in the US
Senior paralegal demographics research summary. Zippia estimates senior paralegal demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our senior paralegal estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about senior paralegals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 106,963 senior paralegals currently employed in the United States.
- 76.7% of all senior paralegals are women, while 23.3% are men.
- The average senior paralegal age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of senior paralegals is White (60.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.9%), Black or African American (8.9%) and Asian (5.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 9% of all senior paralegals are LGBT.
- Senior paralegals are 63% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Senior paralegal demographics by:
Senior paralegal gender statistics
76.7% of senior paralegals are women and 23.3% of senior paralegals are men.
- Female, 76.7%
- Male, 23.3%
Senior paralegal gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 76.7% |
| Male | 23.3% |
Senior paralegal gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$62,183
Female income
$59,978
Senior paralegal gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in senior paralegal positions over time. Currently, 76.7% of senior paralegals are female.
Senior paralegal gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 21.49% | 78.51% |
| 2011 | 20.54% | 79.46% |
| 2012 | 20.95% | 79.05% |
| 2013 | 21.35% | 78.65% |
| 2014 | 19.71% | 80.29% |
| 2015 | 23.04% | 76.96% |
| 2016 | 21.10% | 78.90% |
| 2017 | 23.62% | 76.38% |
| 2018 | 23.09% | 76.91% |
| 2019 | 20.39% | 79.61% |
| 2020 | 21.72% | 78.28% |
| 2021 | 23.28% | 76.72% |
Senior paralegal related jobs gender ratio
We compared senior paralegals 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% |
| Senior Paralegal | 23% | 77% |
| Court Monitor | 66% | 34% |
| Advisory Title Officer | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Senior paralegal demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among senior paralegals is White, which makes up 60.3% of all senior paralegals. Comparatively, 19.9% of senior paralegals are Hispanic or Latino and 8.9% of senior paralegals are Black or African American.
- White, 60.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.9%
- Black or African American, 8.9%
- Asian, 5.6%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Senior paralegal race
| Senior paralegal race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.9% |
| Black or African American | 8.9% |
| Asian | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Senior paralegal race and ethnicity over time
See how senior paralegal racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Senior paralegal race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.06% | 10.07% | 4.63% | 15.89% |
| 2011 | 67.99% | 9.69% | 4.59% | 15.45% |
| 2012 | 65.21% | 9.66% | 5.07% | 17.50% |
| 2013 | 66.93% | 9.74% | 4.30% | 16.26% |
| 2014 | 66.76% | 8.56% | 4.55% | 17.62% |
| 2015 | 66.06% | 8.84% | 4.70% | 17.34% |
| 2016 | 64.39% | 9.97% | 4.80% | 18.05% |
| 2017 | 64.43% | 9.58% | 4.22% | 19.08% |
| 2018 | 64.45% | 9.54% | 4.64% | 18.34% |
| 2019 | 65.81% | 8.62% | 5.22% | 18.06% |
| 2020 | 61.57% | 9.25% | 4.77% | 19.58% |
| 2021 | 60.35% | 8.92% | 5.62% | 19.92% |
Senior paralegal wage gap by race
According to our data, asian senior paralegals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown senior paralegals have the lowest average salary at $59,126.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,126 |
| White | $60,845 |
| Black or African American | $64,997 |
| Asian | $65,080 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $61,094 |
Average senior paralegal age
See how the average age of senior paralegals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Senior paralegal 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 |
Senior paralegal age breakdown
The average age of senior paralegals is 40+ years years old, representing 65% of the senior paralegal population.
Senior paralegal age breakdown
| Senior Paralegal Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Senior paralegal educational attainment
The most common degree for senior paralegals is bachelor's degree, with 55% of senior paralegals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 55%
- Associate, 22%
- Master's, 7%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 10%
Senior paralegals by degree level
| Senior paralegal degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 55% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Master's | 7% |
| Doctorate | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 10% |
Senior paralegal jobs you might like
Senior paralegal wage gap by degree level
According to the data, senior paralegals with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $71,204 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, senior paralegals earn a median annual income of $67,525 compared to $66,869 for senior paralegals with an Master's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $66,869 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,519 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $67,525 |
| Doctorate Degree | $71,204 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $60,426 |
Senior paralegal employment statistics
Most senior paralegals work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where senior paralegals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where senior paralegals work.
Senior paralegal jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 16% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 29% |
| > 10,000 employees | 29% |
Senior paralegal jobs by company type
Employees with the senior paralegal job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most senior paralegals prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Senior paralegal jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 31% |
| Private | 63% |
| Government | 5% |
Senior paralegal jobs by industry
The most common industries for senior paralegals are professional, finance and manufacturing.
Senior paralegal industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 33% |
| Fortune 500 | 17% |
| Finance | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Government | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Senior paralegal turnover and employment statistics
Senior paralegal unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for senior paralegals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Senior paralegal unemployment rate by year
| Year | Senior paralegal 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 senior paralegal tenure
The average senior paralegal stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,289 senior paralegals resumes in Zippia's database.
Senior paralegal tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 10% |
| 1-2 years | 28% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 19% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 18% |
Senior paralegal LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of senior paralegals 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Deposition Reporter | 4.96% | 1,777 |
| Record Searcher | 7.68% | 468 |
| Senior Paralegal | 9.16% | - |
| Legislative Assistant | 12.79% | 188 |
Similar senior paralegal jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deposition Reporter | 4.96% | 1,777 |
| Record Searcher | 7.68% | 468 |
| Legislative Assistant | 12.79% | 188 |
Foreign languages spoken by senior paralegals
The most common foreign language among senior paralegals is Spanish at 48.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.3% and Russian is the third-most popular at 6.2%.
- Spanish, 48.7%
- French, 11.3%
- Russian, 6.2%
- Portuguese, 3.6%
- German, 3.6%
- Other, 26.6%
Senior paralegal languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.7% |
| French | 11.3% |
| Russian | 6.2% |
| Portuguese | 3.6% |
| German | 3.6% |
| Other | 26.6% |
