How Much Do Paralegals Make? Find Paralegal Salary Information
Learn about paralegal salary and benefits, and then get started on your paralegal education.
If you've ever wondered, "How much do paralegals make?" you've come to the right place. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual paralegal salary was $46,680 in 2010. The highest 25 percent of paralegals earned $59,910 while the top 10 percent earned more than $74,870 nationwide.
If you want to earn salaries like these, get the paralegal training you need to land a great-paying job. Find a paralegal school today.
Paralegal Salary Information
2011 data from Salary.com paints a rosy picture for paralegal salary growth as paralegals gain work experience:
| Experience Level | Average Annual Salary* |
|---|---|
| Paralegal I | $41,318 – $53,872 |
| Paralegal II | $47,385 – $60,621 |
| Paralegal III | $55,023 – $69,793 |
| Paralegal IV | $64,168 – $83,498 |
| Paralegal Manager | $69,421 – $101,643 |
And the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the top five states for average paralegal salary in 2010:
- District of Columbia – $65,740
- California – $59,790
- New York – $56,920
- New Jersey – $52,870
- Illinois – $52,700
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Paralegal Career Path
Paralegals are usually given more responsibility and authority as they gain work experience. Experienced paralegals may also have a high degree of autonomy, particularly in the areas of real estate and estate planning, where a great deal of client work can be done with only minimal supervision of an attorney.
Experienced paralegals working in large law firms, corporate legal departments or government agencies may supervise and delegate assignments to other paralegals and clerical staff. Some law firms and legal departments employ one or more paralegal managers, typically very experienced paralegals, to oversee the assignments, workflow and personnel issues for all of the organization's paralegals.
Where Paralegals Work
According to the BLS, more than 70 percent of all paralegals work for private law firms. In general, law firms pay the highest average paralegal salary. Law offices are typically well appointed, and most paralegals enjoy private offices and above-average perks and benefits, including performance bonuses. Paralegals are also employed by corporate legal departments and various government offices.
There are many different types of paralegal specialties:
- Civil litigation
- Personal injury
- Corporate law
- Criminal law
- Employee benefits
- Intellectual property
- Employment law
- Bankruptcy
- Immigration
- Family law
- Estate planning
- Real estate
As the law has become more complex, paralegals have become more specialized. Within specialties, functions often are broken down further so that paralegals may only deal with one specific area. For example, paralegals specializing in corporate law may concentrate exclusively on tax matters.
If you're interested in the paralegal profession, find a paralegal school and get the education you need to meet your career goals.