Paralegal Salary, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 4,474 US job postings by 1,566 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for paralegals: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 4,474 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for paralegals in US job postings is $78,000 a year (1,279 postings from 523 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $62,000 to $99,000.
- The skills that most set paralegal postings apart are organizational skills, attention to detail, Microsoft Office.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 3 years of experience.
Paralegal job postings in the US, October 2026
- $78,000
- Median advertised pay (1,279 postings)
- $62,000–$99,000
- Middle 50% of postings
- 4,474
- US job postings from 1,566 employers
- 3 years
- Median experience asked
How much does a paralegal make?
The median advertised pay is $78,000 a year, from 1,279 US job postings by 523 employers that state pay. One in ten postings offers $125,000 or more.
Advertised pay in 1,279 US paralegal job postings: median $78,000 a year, middle half $62,000 to $99,000.
- Median: $78,000
- 25th percentile: $62,000
- 75th percentile: $99,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $20K–$30K | 0.1% |
| $30K–$40K | 2.4% |
| $40K–$50K | 6.6% |
| $50K–$60K | 11.7% |
| $60K–$70K | 15.6% |
| $70K–$80K | 14.4% |
| $80K–$90K | 13.3% |
| $90K–$100K | 11.5% |
| $100K–$110K | 8.0% |
| $110K–$120K | 5.0% |
| $120K–$130K | 4.1% |
| $130K–$140K | 2.7% |
| $140K–$150K | 1.6% |
| $150K–$160K | 1.0% |
| $160K–$170K | 1.0% |
| $170K–$180K | 0.5% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $31.62 | $25.84–$41.60 | 392 | Paralegal, Legal Assistant, Litigation Paralegal |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $85,000 | $70K–$105K | 694 | Paralegal, Litigation Paralegal, Legal Assistant |
| All pay postings, annualised | $78,000 | $62K–$99K | 1,279 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Paralegals and Legal Assistants (23-2011) at $63,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a paralegal?
Figure withheld: fewer than 250 US postings list pay. How we decide.
Paralegal levels and pay
Levels as they appear in job titles, ordered by the median experience asked.
| Level in title | Share of postings | Median experience asked | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| No level in title | 88.9% | 3 years | $75,000 |
| Senior | 8.0% | 5 years | – |
Highest-paying paralegal jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal (general) | $83,000 | 635 | 298 |
| Litigation Paralegal | $82,000 | 287 | 127 |
Paralegal pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $89,000 | $73,000–$103,000 | 245 | 17.3% |
| New York | $85,000 | $62,000–$108,000 | 192 | 12.7% |
Skills employers ask for in paralegal job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Communication | 53% |
| Organizational skills | 48% |
| Attention to detail | 46% |
| Microsoft Office | 35% |
| Excel | 34% |
| Word | 24% |
| Outlook | 22% |
| Work independently | 21% |
| Interpersonal skills | 15% |
| Detail-oriented | 14% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set paralegals apart
- Organizational skills3.7× as often as in all postings · 48%
- Attention to detail3.6× as often as in all postings · 46%
- Microsoft Office4× as often as in all postings · 35%
- Excel3.3× as often as in all postings · 34%
- Outlook5.3× as often as in all postings · 22%
- Word4.2× as often as in all postings · 24%
- Westlaw231.6× as often as in all postings · 6%
- Detail-oriented4.8× as often as in all postings · 14%
- Powerpoint3.7× as often as in all postings · 14%
- Highly organized7.6× as often as in all postings · 8%
- Discretion9.3× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Professionalism3.2× as often as in all postings · 11%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a paralegal job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a paralegal do?
Employers post these jobs as Legal Assistant, Litigation Paralegal, Senior Paralegal, Corporate Paralegal, Immigration Paralegal and other titles. The largest specializations are Legal Assistant (19%), Litigation Paralegal (25%), Real Estate Paralegal (3%), Immigration Paralegal (2%), Law Clerk (under 1%), IP Docketing Specialist (under 1%).
The closest official occupation is Paralegals and Legal Assistants (23-2011.00). Its most important tasks:
- Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
- Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
- Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
- Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
- Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of cases.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a paralegal?
Among 1,889 postings that state a minimum, the median is 3 years. Under 1% say 0 years and 14% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 1,889 US paralegal job postings: median 3 years, and 14% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | under 1% |
| 1 yr | 13% |
| 2 yrs | 22% |
| 3-4 yrs | 31% |
| 5-7 yrs | 28% |
| 8-9 yrs | 3% |
| 10+ yrs | 2% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 96%, Part-time 4% of the 572 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a paralegal: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Paralegal | 628 (40.1%) |
| Legal Assistant | 341 (21.8%) |
| Litigation Paralegal | 216 (13.8%) |
| Senior Paralegal | 103 (6.6%) |
| Corporate Paralegal | 62 (4.0%) |
| Immigration Paralegal | 37 (2.4%) |
| Real Estate Paralegal | 37 (2.4%) |
| Personal Injury Paralegal | 32 (2.0%) |
| Litigation Legal Assistant | 30 (1.9%) |
| Family Law Paralegal | 28 (1.8%) |
| Paralegal/Legal Assistant | 26 (1.7%) |
| Personal Injury Case Manager | 23 (1.5%) |
| Senior Litigation Paralegal | 22 (1.4%) |
| Litigation Assistant | 20 (1.3%) |
| Personal Injury Litigation Paralegal | 19 (1.2%) |
| Trademark Paralegal | 19 (1.2%) |
| Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 17 (1.1%) |
| Senior Corporate Paralegal | 17 (1.1%) |
| Legal Assistant I | 16 (1.0%) |
| Paralegal I | 15 (1.0%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Paralegal job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Assistant | 625 | 341 | – | 3 years | communication, organizational skills, attention to detail |
| Litigation Paralegal | 530 | 216 | – | 4 years | communication, organizational skills, attention to detail |
Paralegal vs Legal Assistant
| Paralegal | Legal Assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Open US postings | 1,146 | 625 |
| Employers | 628 | 341 |
| Median advertised pay | $73K | – |
| Median experience asked | 3 years | 3 years |
| Skills that stand out | – | – |
Paralegal compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | $78K | 3 years | 4,474 | – |
| Administrative Assistant | $21.50/hr | 2 years | 14,117 | 20 |
| Executive Assistant | $83K | 4 years | 3,396 | 20 |
| Attorney | $175K | 4 years | 17,015 | 14 |
| Office Manager | $23.31/hr | 2 years | 4,611 | 20 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | 20 | $21.50/hr |
| Executive Assistant | 20 | $83K |
| Attorney | 14 | $175K |
| Office Manager | 20 | $23.31/hr |
| Loan Processor | 19 | $57K |
| Office Clerk | 19 | $20.73/hr |
Applying for paralegal jobs?
- Paralegal resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find paralegal jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a paralegal make?
What are the highest-paying paralegal jobs?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 18 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 18 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.