Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Paralegals
Find out which cities offer the best salaries for Paralegals. Data based on 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage estimates.
Highest Paying City
$84,074
San Jose, CA
National Average
$59,588
Across 50 metros
Top 10 Minimum
$62,466
To rank in top 10
| Rank | City | Median Salary | Hourly Rate | vs. Average | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA Cost of Living: 179.8 | $84,074 | $40.42/hr | +41.1% | View Details |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA Cost of Living: 169.3 | $78,332 | $37.66/hr | +31.5% | View Details |
| 3 | New York, NY Cost of Living: 128.7 | $72,366 | $34.79/hr | +21.4% | View Details |
| 4 | Seattle, WA Cost of Living: 149.6 | $70,762 | $34.02/hr | +18.8% | View Details |
| 5 | Washington, DC Cost of Living: 140.1 | $69,576 | $33.45/hr | +16.8% | View Details |
| 6 | Boston, MA Cost of Living: 148.4 | $67,979 | $32.68/hr | +14.1% | View Details |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living: 146.3 | $67,184 | $32.30/hr | +12.7% | View Details |
| 8 | Denver, CO Cost of Living: 118.4 | $63,719 | $30.63/hr | +6.9% | View Details |
| 9 | San Diego, CA Cost of Living: 142.8 | $63,581 | $30.57/hr | +6.7% | View Details |
| 10 | Austin, TX Cost of Living: 105.3 | $62,466 | $30.03/hr | +4.8% | View Details |
All 50 Cities Ranked
San Jose, CA
$84k
/year
San Francisco, CA
$78k
/year
New York, NY
$72k
/year
Seattle, WA
$71k
/year
Washington, DC
$70k
/year
Boston, MA
$68k
/year
Los Angeles, CA
$67k
/year
Denver, CO
$64k
/year
San Diego, CA
$64k
/year
Austin, TX
$62k
/year
Minneapolis, MN
$62k
/year
Hartford, CT
$62k
/year
Philadelphia, PA
$62k
/year
Miami, FL
$62k
/year
Portland, OR
$61k
/year
Sacramento, CA
$61k
/year
Chicago, IL
$61k
/year
Atlanta, GA
$61k
/year
Baltimore, MD
$60k
/year
Providence, RI
$60k
/year
Riverside, CA
$59k
/year
Houston, TX
$59k
/year
Charlotte, NC
$58k
/year
Raleigh, NC
$58k
/year
Dallas, TX
$58k
/year
Detroit, MI
$58k
/year
Salt Lake City, UT
$58k
/year
Cleveland, OH
$57k
/year
Phoenix, AZ
$57k
/year
Nashville, TN
$57k
/year
Jacksonville, FL
$56k
/year
Tampa, FL
$56k
/year
Milwaukee, WI
$56k
/year
Richmond, VA
$56k
/year
Columbus, OH
$56k
/year
Las Vegas, NV
$56k
/year
Kansas City, MO
$56k
/year
Orlando, FL
$56k
/year
Pittsburgh, PA
$55k
/year
San Antonio, TX
$55k
/year
Indianapolis, IN
$55k
/year
Cincinnati, OH
$54k
/year
St. Louis, MO
$54k
/year
New Orleans, LA
$53k
/year
Memphis, TN
$53k
/year
Birmingham, AL
$53k
/year
Louisville, KY
$53k
/year
Oklahoma City, OK
$52k
/year
Tucson, AZ
$51k
/year
El Paso, TX
$51k
/year
Frequently Asked Questions
What city pays Paralegals the most?
San Jose, CA pays Paralegals the most, with a median salary of $84,074 per year.
What is the average Paralegal salary across all cities?
The average Paralegal salary across all 50 major US metro areas is $59,588 per year.
Should I consider cost of living when comparing salaries?
Yes! Cities like San Francisco and New York pay higher salaries, but also have higher costs of living. A $80,000 salary in a city with 90 cost of living index has more purchasing power than$100,000 in a city with 150 cost of living index.