What a paralegal costs in 2026
The median paralegal in the United States earned $62,890 a year, $30.24 an hour, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 survey. With benefits at a small employer, a full-time paralegal at the median costs about $84,900 a year, or about $7,100 a month.
The middle half of paralegals earn $50,340 to $80,080. There are 392,880 of them across the country, and what one costs you depends most on where you are: District of Columbia has the highest median at $89,750, and Mississippi the lowest of the 50 states at $46,180.
Liaison does the routine half of a paralegal’s job for 9% of that. See how.
What a paralegal would cost you
Pick a state or a metro area and the hours you need. The cost is the median hourly wage there plus benefits at the rate you choose.
Paralegal, the United States, 40 hours a week
$84,918 a year
$7,077 a month. Wages $62,899 at the median of $30.24 an hour, plus $22,019 in benefits. The middle half of paralegals here earn $50,340 to $80,080 in wages.
Paralegal wages and cost by state
Median wage, May 2025. The cost column adds benefits at the rate for employers with 1 to 49 workers (35% on top of wages).
| State | Median annual | Median hourly | Cost to a small employer | Middle half earns | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,260 | $22.72 | $63,804 | $38,150 to $63,490 | 5,700 |
| Alaska | $68,700 | $33.03 | $92,750 | $61,100 to $84,880 | 570 |
| Arizona | $61,630 | $29.63 | $83,205 | $48,840 to $79,250 | 7,890 |
| Arkansas | $47,420 | $22.80 | $64,020 | $43,670 to $61,880 | 1,610 |
| California | $77,390 | $37.21 | $104,482 | $60,170 to $98,430 | 47,130 |
| Colorado | $78,190 | $37.59 | $105,562 | $62,560 to $95,070 | 5,620 |
| Connecticut | $63,820 | $30.68 | $86,162 | $50,180 to $80,580 | 5,210 |
| Delaware | $63,110 | $30.34 | $85,203 | $55,190 to $78,360 | 2,480 |
| District of Columbia | $89,750 | $43.15 | $121,169 | $72,240 to $114,920 | 6,400 |
| Florida | $61,000 | $29.33 | $82,354 | $48,230 to $75,780 | 40,950 |
| Georgia | $62,400 | $30.00 | $84,244 | $48,940 to $81,120 | 14,160 |
| Guam | $37,920 | $18.23 | $51,195 | $30,700 to $51,380 | 110 |
| Hawaii | $62,840 | $30.21 | $84,839 | $52,670 to $75,120 | 1,170 |
| Idaho | $49,690 | $23.89 | $67,085 | $43,990 to $62,540 | 2,030 |
| Illinois | $63,670 | $30.61 | $85,959 | $56,160 to $81,970 | 14,130 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | $27.42 | $76,995 | $46,870 to $74,240 | 5,910 |
| Iowa | $54,550 | $26.23 | $73,646 | $47,820 to $66,560 | 2,980 |
| Kansas | $55,000 | $26.44 | $74,254 | $47,000 to $64,170 | 2,210 |
| Kentucky | $59,830 | $28.76 | $80,775 | $47,220 to $70,920 | 3,540 |
| Louisiana | $60,250 | $28.97 | $81,342 | $47,520 to $72,790 | 4,890 |
| Maine | $62,420 | $30.01 | $84,271 | $57,840 to $71,500 | 1,210 |
| Maryland | $65,640 | $31.56 | $88,619 | $51,660 to $84,700 | 6,460 |
| Massachusetts | $77,640 | $37.33 | $104,820 | $62,580 to $96,820 | 7,800 |
| Michigan | $62,170 | $29.89 | $83,934 | $51,280 to $76,820 | 7,730 |
| Minnesota | $75,570 | $36.33 | $102,025 | $56,230 to $83,420 | 7,400 |
| Mississippi | $46,180 | $22.20 | $62,346 | $36,900 to $58,790 | 2,270 |
| Missouri | $61,410 | $29.52 | $82,908 | $47,520 to $75,980 | 7,130 |
| Montana | $57,290 | $27.54 | $77,346 | $48,560 to $66,960 | 1,010 |
| Nebraska | $63,250 | $30.41 | $85,392 | $49,390 to $73,940 | 1,630 |
| Nevada | $64,680 | $31.10 | $87,323 | $55,410 to $76,980 | 3,620 |
| New Hampshire | $62,040 | $29.83 | $83,758 | $53,540 to $77,040 | 1,430 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | $34.38 | $96,530 | $60,040 to $80,920 | 12,010 |
| New Mexico | $59,840 | $28.77 | $80,788 | $48,130 to $72,520 | 1,740 |
| New York | $68,410 | $32.89 | $92,358 | $57,430 to $94,200 | 34,220 |
| North Carolina | $57,500 | $27.64 | $77,629 | $47,640 to $71,930 | 13,650 |
| North Dakota | $59,430 | $28.57 | $80,235 | $49,290 to $66,120 | 730 |
| Ohio | $60,420 | $29.05 | $81,571 | $49,500 to $77,360 | 9,270 |
| Oklahoma | $53,170 | $25.56 | $71,783 | $40,330 to $61,840 | 3,110 |
| Oregon | $61,490 | $29.56 | $83,016 | $55,490 to $80,950 | 4,870 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,370 | $30.47 | $85,554 | $50,710 to $78,980 | 14,670 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,770 | $18.64 | $52,342 | $35,780 to $47,150 | 1,110 |
| Rhode Island | $56,250 | $27.04 | $75,942 | $44,860 to $66,120 | 2,070 |
| South Carolina | $53,880 | $25.90 | $72,742 | $46,630 to $61,620 | 7,420 |
| South Dakota | $58,320 | $28.04 | $78,736 | $53,730 to $67,200 | 600 |
| Tennessee | $58,820 | $28.28 | $79,411 | $47,270 to $67,470 | 6,080 |
| Texas | $62,310 | $29.96 | $84,123 | $47,410 to $77,740 | 29,540 |
| Utah | $63,220 | $30.40 | $85,352 | $48,790 to $80,160 | 3,250 |
| Vermont | $67,160 | $32.29 | $90,671 | $58,530 to $78,620 | 660 |
| Virgin Islands | $52,140 | $25.07 | $70,393 | $51,510 to $63,790 | 90 |
| Virginia | $63,990 | $30.77 | $86,391 | $56,050 to $81,590 | 10,250 |
| Washington | $79,400 | $38.17 | $107,196 | $62,670 to $100,960 | 9,460 |
| West Virginia | $59,000 | $28.37 | $79,654 | $41,410 to $78,360 | 1,660 |
| Wisconsin | $58,500 | $28.12 | $78,979 | $47,690 to $71,130 | 4,780 |
| Wyoming | $49,490 | $23.80 | $66,815 | $47,390 to $56,420 | 600 |
Highest and lowest paying metro areas
Out of the 376 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for paralegals. The lowest list covers the 50 states and DC; the calculator above has every metro area, Puerto Rico’s included.
| Highest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $99,250 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $92,900 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,030 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $81,590 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $80,930 |
| Lowest | Median annual |
|---|---|
| Beckley, WV | $35,900 |
| Gadsden, AL | $37,980 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $39,270 |
| Decatur, AL | $42,510 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $43,280 |
The routine part of the paralegal’s job
Much of what a paralegal does every week is routine: the follow-ups, the reconciling, the scheduling, the reports pulled together from three systems. That routine part is what Liaison does, inside the tools the business already runs: $629 a month on Professional, set up with you, or $149 a month self-serve. The judgment stays with your people.
The routine half of a paralegal’s job, for 9% of what one costs.
- Reads the inbox, the calendar and the matter files together, so every follow-up knows the matter.
- Drafts the routine client updates and the chase for the missing document, in your voice.
- Keeps deadlines, intake and billing details current across the tools the firm runs.
Professional is $629 a month, $7,548 a year, against about $84,900 a year for a paralegal at the median once benefits are added. On Professional we connect your tools, bring your data in and set up the first rules with you. Anything that moves money waits for your yes.
“Cut our month-end close from 4 days to 4 hours.” Marcus C., owner
$629 a month, or $500 a month on a 12-month term. Prefer to start on your own? Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with a free trial first: 7 days, no card. More: AI for law firms.
Questions
How much does a paralegal cost a small business?
The median paralegal earned $62,890 a year, or $30.24 an hour, in May 2025. Benefits at employers with fewer than 50 workers add 35% on top of wages (June 2026), so a full-time paralegal at the median costs about $84,900 a year. The middle half earn $50,340 to $80,080.
Which states pay paralegals the most?
District of Columbia ($89,750), Washington ($79,400) and Colorado ($78,190) have the highest median wage for paralegals. The lowest among the 50 states and DC are Mississippi ($46,180), Alabama ($47,260) and Arkansas ($47,420).
Which metro areas pay paralegals the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($99,250), Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,900) and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($84,030), out of the 376 metro areas where BLS publishes a median for paralegals.
Where does this data come from?
Wages are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, occupation 23-2011. The benefit cost is from the BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation release for June 2026. Recruiting, training, equipment and turnover are not included.
See it on your own business.
Thirty minutes with us, on your own tools. Bring the thing that eats your evenings and watch it get handled from your own inbox, calendar and books.
Professional is $629 a month and we set it up with you. Starter is $149 a month, self-serve, with the free trial first: 7 days, no card. Every plan is on the pricing page.