Paralegal and Legal Assistant salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
A paralegal and legal assistant earns a median of $62,890 a year ($30.24 an hour) in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $69,700. About 392,880 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $62,890
- Gross pay
- $2,418.85
- Federal income tax
- −$206.42
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$149.97
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$35.07
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $2,027.39
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $62,890
- Federal
- $5,367
- FICA
- $4,811
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $52,712
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
Paralegal and Legal Assistant salary by state
| State | Median salary | Average | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $89,750 | $95,400 | 6,400 |
| Washington | $79,400 | $83,740 | 9,460 |
| Colorado | $78,190 | $80,760 | 5,620 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 | $81,160 | 7,800 |
| California | $77,390 | $81,320 | 47,130 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 | $73,960 | 7,400 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | $72,550 | 12,010 |
| Alaska | $68,700 | $73,440 | 570 |
| New York | $68,410 | $76,890 | 34,220 |
| Vermont | $67,160 | $69,020 | 660 |
| Maryland | $65,640 | $73,060 | 6,460 |
| Nevada | $64,680 | $66,350 | 3,620 |
| Virginia | $63,990 | $70,740 | 10,250 |
| Connecticut | $63,820 | $69,040 | 5,210 |
| Illinois | $63,670 | $72,310 | 14,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 | $68,510 | 14,670 |
| Nebraska | $63,250 | $63,480 | 1,630 |
| Utah | $63,220 | $67,810 | 3,250 |
| Delaware | $63,110 | $69,860 | 2,480 |
| Hawaii | $62,840 | $65,400 | 1,170 |
| Maine | $62,420 | $64,260 | 1,210 |
| Georgia | $62,400 | $71,210 | 14,160 |
| Texas | $62,310 | $65,480 | 29,540 |
| Michigan | $62,170 | $67,240 | 7,730 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 | $66,940 | 1,430 |
| Arizona | $61,630 | $67,850 | 7,890 |
| Oregon | $61,490 | $69,830 | 4,870 |
| Missouri | $61,410 | $64,380 | 7,130 |
| Florida | $61,000 | $63,250 | 40,950 |
| Ohio | $60,420 | $64,180 | 9,270 |
| Louisiana | $60,250 | $59,360 | 4,890 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 | $61,530 | 1,740 |
| Kentucky | $59,830 | $59,240 | 3,540 |
| North Dakota | $59,430 | $58,880 | 730 |
| West Virginia | $59,000 | $63,590 | 1,660 |
| Tennessee | $58,820 | $60,790 | 6,080 |
| Wisconsin | $58,500 | $61,270 | 4,780 |
| South Dakota | $58,320 | $62,260 | 600 |
| North Carolina | $57,500 | $60,770 | 13,650 |
| Montana | $57,290 | $58,930 | 1,010 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | $61,830 | 5,910 |
| Rhode Island | $56,250 | $58,630 | 2,070 |
| Kansas | $55,000 | $57,680 | 2,210 |
| Iowa | $54,550 | $58,780 | 2,980 |
| South Carolina | $53,880 | $55,790 | 7,420 |
| Oklahoma | $53,170 | $55,510 | 3,110 |
| Idaho | $49,690 | $54,640 | 2,030 |
| Wyoming | $49,490 | $52,540 | 600 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 | $60,110 | 1,610 |
| Alabama | $47,260 | $52,730 | 5,700 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 | $49,500 | 2,270 |
Similar jobs
- Judicial Law Clerk: $64,920
- Title Examiner: $58,650
- Legal Support Worker: $72,110
- Arbitrator: $75,530
- Administrative Law Judge: $117,860
- Judge: $153,990
- Lawyer: $159,670
BLS occupation: Paralegals and Legal Assistants. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 23-2011). Excludes the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a paralegal and legal assistant make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $30.24; the average is $33.51.
Which state pays paralegals and legal assistants the most?
District of Columbia ($89,750 median), followed by Washington and Colorado.
What is the salary range for a paralegal and legal assistant?
The bottom 10% earn under $44,740 and the top 10% earn over $101,500 a year.
How much is $62,890 after taxes?
About $52,712 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $50,082 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.