Paralegal Hourly Pay (2026): How Much Do Paralegals Make Per Hour?

The median paralegal hourly pay is $31.30 per hour in 2026, equivalent to $65,097 annually. Paralegal hourly rates range from small-firm baseline up to $50.55 in Sunnyvale, CA — driven by BigLaw senior litigation / M&A premium plus overtime, IP patent paralegal specialty, Fortune 500 in-house premium, and 1099 contract paralegal rates.

$31.30

Median Hourly Rate

$65,097

Annual Equivalent

$22.85

Entry-Level Hourly

1682+

Cities Tracked

2019 BLS

$24.88/hr

2025 BLS

$30.24/hr

2026 Current Est.

$31.30/hr

2019–2027 Growth

+30.2%

National Paralegal Hourly Rate Trend

2019–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 3.51% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Median Hourly Rate	Status
2019	$24.88/hr	Actual
2020	$25.44/hr	Actual
2021	$27.03/hr	Actual
2022	$28.46/hr	Actual
2023	$29.31/hr	Actual
2024	$29.33/hr	Actual
2025	$30.24/hr	Actual
2026(current)	$31.30/hr	Estimated
2027	$32.40/hr	Projected

The national median hourly rate for paralegals has grown steadily over the past 7 years of BLS data, reflecting strong demand for paralegal studies services. At the current 3.51% CAGR, hourly rates are projected to continue rising through 2027.

Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 3.51% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Paralegal Salary Per Hour by State

Hourly rates for paralegals vary widely by state. Western and Northeastern states consistently top the rankings, while Southeastern states tend to fall below the national median of $31.30/hour.

#	State	Avg Hourly	Annual Equiv	vs National	Cities
1	Washington	$42.15	$87,679	+34.69%	50
2	District of Columbia	$40.61	$84,463	+29.75%	1
3	California	$38.50	$80,071	+23.00%	158
4	Massachusetts	$38.22	$79,505	+22.13%	59
5	Colorado	$37.60	$78,211	+20.14%	33
6	Minnesota	$36.70	$76,334	+17.26%	44
7	New York	$36.06	$75,015	+15.24%	39
8	New Jersey	$35.39	$73,605	+13.07%	61
9	Vermont	$34.89	$72,571	+11.48%	9
10	Oregon	$34.85	$72,498	+11.37%	36
11	Illinois	$34.40	$71,558	+9.93%	64
12	Pennsylvania	$33.43	$69,526	+6.80%	24
13	Alaska	$33.23	$69,128	+6.19%	5
14	Maryland	$32.49	$67,578	+3.81%	28
15	Hawaii	$32.25	$67,083	+3.05%	10
16	Nevada	$32.02	$66,594	+2.30%	9
17	Connecticut	$31.61	$65,750	+1.00%	29
18	Nebraska	$31.35	$65,202	+0.16%	13
19	Maine	$31.24	$64,979	-0.18%	10
20	New Hampshire	$31.08	$64,637	-0.71%	16
21	Kentucky	$30.62	$63,700	-2.15%	21
22	Georgia	$30.59	$63,635	-2.25%	40
23	Michigan	$30.57	$63,586	-2.32%	53
24	Ohio	$30.12	$62,641	-3.77%	67
25	Missouri	$30.08	$62,569	-3.88%	33
26	Virginia	$30.06	$62,520	-3.96%	42
27	Arizona	$30.04	$62,493	-4.00%	33
28	Florida	$30.03	$62,455	-4.06%	87
29	Texas	$29.99	$62,380	-4.17%	109
30	New Mexico	$29.77	$61,923	-4.88%	17
31	Louisiana	$29.68	$61,745	-5.15%	20
32	Delaware	$29.62	$61,606	-5.36%	6
33	Utah	$29.48	$61,310	-5.82%	41
34	Iowa	$29.34	$61,032	-6.24%	26
35	South Dakota	$29.10	$60,526	-7.02%	11
36	Indiana	$29.08	$60,479	-7.09%	43
37	North Carolina	$28.72	$59,744	-8.22%	45
38	Wisconsin	$28.59	$59,459	-8.66%	46
39	West Virginia	$28.58	$59,442	-8.69%	11
40	Tennessee	$28.52	$59,312	-8.89%	30
41	Rhode Island	$28.51	$59,299	-8.91%	17
42	Montana	$28.36	$58,993	-9.38%	7
43	North Dakota	$28.34	$58,938	-9.46%	8
44	South Carolina	$27.84	$57,905	-11.05%	26
45	Oklahoma	$27.26	$56,705	-12.89%	27
46	Idaho	$25.67	$53,384	-17.99%	16
47	Kansas	$25.60	$53,251	-18.20%	22
48	Wyoming	$24.85	$51,688	-20.60%	14
49	Alabama	$24.72	$51,416	-21.02%	24
50	Mississippi	$24.55	$51,072	-21.54%	20
51	Arkansas	$24.03	$49,982	-23.22%	21
52	Puerto Rico	$19.29	$40,132	-38.35%	1

How Much Do Paralegals Make Per Hour? Top 20 Cities

These 20 metro areas offer the highest hourly rates for paralegals in the United States. Rates reflect the median hourly wage reported by BLS, or estimated from annual salary data.

#	City	Hourly Rate	Per 8hr Shift	Annual Equiv
1	Sunnyvale, CA	$50.55	$404.43	$105,153
2	Santa Clara, CA	$50.22	$401.78	$104,464
3	San Jose, CA	$49.39	$395.16	$102,742
4	Bellevue, WA	$46.68	$373.46	$97,101
5	Seattle, WA	$46.23	$369.82	$96,153
6	Tacoma, WA	$45.46	$363.69	$94,560
7	Oakland, CA	$42.77	$342.16	$88,962
8	Fremont, CA	$41.83	$334.63	$87,003
9	San Francisco, CA	$41.82	$334.54	$86,982
10	Washington, DC	$40.61	$324.86	$84,463
11	Centennial, CO	$40.43	$323.45	$84,096
12	Santa Maria, CA	$40.28	$322.21	$83,774
13	Alexandria, VA	$40.26	$322.04	$83,730
14	Denver, CO	$40.06	$320.47	$83,321
15	Boston, MA	$39.74	$317.90	$82,654
16	Honolulu, HI	$39.73	$317.82	$82,632
17	Vallejo, CA	$39.45	$315.58	$82,051
18	Newton, MA	$39.42	$315.33	$81,987
19	Folsom, CA	$39.35	$314.84	$81,857
20	Anaheim, CA	$39.26	$314.09	$81,664

Paralegal Hourly Rate: BigLaw, In-House, Specialty, and Contract Paralegal Pay

Paralegal compensation varies meaningfully by employer tier (BigLaw vs F500 in-house vs mid-tier vs small firm), practice specialty (litigation / M&A / IP / bankruptcy / immigration), and overtime culture. BigLaw paralegals at AmLaw 100 firms frequently earn substantial overtime materially raising total comp.

Staff paralegal hourly rate — the W-2 baseline. At $31.30/hour median nationally, staff paralegals at mid-size firms receive standard benefits.

BigLaw senior paralegal (top tier) — AmLaw 100 firms (Cravath, Wachtell, Sullivan, DPW, STB, Paul Weiss, Skadden, Kirkland, Latham, Sidley, Gibson Dunn). Senior litigation paralegals managing complex case files and depositions earn $110,000–$180,000+ with overtime. Effective hourly with 50–100+ overtime hours $55–$85/hour.

BigLaw M&A / corporate paralegal — premium for complex deal closings and corporate filings.

BigLaw IP paralegal (patent prosecution) — patent prosecution paralegals at top IP boutiques and BigLaw IP groups earn 10–20% premium.

BigLaw bankruptcy / restructuring paralegal — cyclical premium during restructuring cycles.

BigLaw immigration paralegal — Fragomen, Berry Appleman & Leiden, Mintz Levin immigration. Strong demand.

Fortune 500 in-house paralegal — F500 GC offices. Pay typically below BigLaw but stronger work-life balance and equity at public F500.

Government paralegal (DOJ, federal agency, US Attorney's, state AG) — federal pay GS-9/10/11/12 plus pension and PSLF.

1099 contract paralegal — Robert Half Legal, Special Counsel, Beacon Hill Legal supply contract paralegals at $35–$65/hour for short-term project work.

Per diem / agency paralegal — typically 20–35% premium over staff base.

Schedule	Weekly	Monthly	Annual (50 wks)
3 days/week (24 hrs)	$751	$3,252	$37,556
4 days/week (32 hrs)	$1,001	$4,336	$50,075
Full-time (40 hrs)	$1,252	$5,421	$62,593

* Based on the national median hourly rate of $31.30. Actual earnings vary by location.

Paralegal Pay Per Hour vs Similar Healthcare Roles

How does paralegal hourly pay compare to similar allied health professions? Here's a side-by-side comparison using BLS 2025 national median data:

Occupation	Hourly	Annual	BLS Code
Paralegal ★	$31.30	$65,097	23-2011
Lawyer	$81.25	$169,000	23-1011
Legal Secretary	$26.86	$55,860	43-6012
Court Reporter	$30.10	$62,610	23-2091
Title Examiner / Abstractor	$29.85	$62,080	23-2093

★ = Paralegal (2026 projected). Other roles: BLS OEWS 2025 national median wages.

Factors That Drive Paralegal Hourly Pay Differences

Paralegal hourly pay varies by employer tier (BigLaw vs F500 in-house vs mid-tier vs solo), practice specialty, state, and overtime culture. The national median sits at $31.30/hour, but paralegal hourly rates reach $50.55 in top markets like Sunnyvale, CA and exceed $50/hour effective with BigLaw overtime, IP / M&A specialty.

This guide breaks down the five biggest drivers of paralegal hourly pay differences. Whether you're a new ABA-approved paralegal program graduate, a working CP / RP considering BigLaw transition, or a legal ops director benchmarking competitive wages, the framework below is the central reference.

1. Employer Tier: BigLaw / F500 In-House / Mid-Tier / Government

BigLaw AmLaw 100 senior paralegal (top tier) — Cravath, Wachtell, Sullivan, DPW, STB, Paul Weiss, Skadden, Kirkland, Latham, Sidley, Gibson Dunn. Senior $110K–$180K+ with overtime.
BigLaw mid-level paralegal — $80K–$120K.
Fortune 500 in-house GC office — typically below BigLaw, stronger work-life.
Mid-tier national firm — BDO, Grant Thornton legal departments, Holland & Knight, Greenberg Traurig, Mayer Brown mid-tier.
Regional firms — mid-tier pay.
Government paralegal (DOJ, federal agencies, US Attorney's, state AG) — pension + PSLF.
Solo / small firm — varies.
1099 contract / agency — Robert Half Legal, Special Counsel. $35–$65/hour.
Court reporter / e-discovery hybrid — adjacent specialty.

2. State BigLaw Concentration

New York (NYC) — densest BigLaw concentration. Top paralegal pay.
California (Bay Area + LA) — Wilson Sonsini, Cooley, Fenwick (tech / venture); BigLaw LA / SF offices.
DC metro (MD / VA suburbs) — Hogan Lovells, Williams & Connolly, Covington, WilmerHale.
Illinois (Chicago) — Kirkland HQ, Sidley HQ, Mayer Brown HQ.
Texas (Houston / Dallas / Austin) — V&E HQ, Baker Botts HQ, Bracewell HQ.
Massachusetts (Boston) — Goodwin HQ, Ropes & Gray HQ.
Florida (Miami) — Greenberg Traurig HQ, Holland & Knight HQ.
Georgia (Atlanta) — King & Spalding HQ, Alston & Bird HQ.
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) — Morgan Lewis HQ, Dechert HQ.
Ohio (Cleveland) — Jones Day HQ, Squire Patton Boggs HQ.

3. Specialty Practice Area

IP / patent prosecution (top tier) — 10–20% premium at IP boutiques and BigLaw IP groups.
M&A / corporate transactional — top of distribution at AmLaw 100.
Bankruptcy / restructuring — cyclical premium during restructuring at Kirkland, Weil, Latham.
Litigation — strong overtime culture at BigLaw.
Immigration — Fragomen, Berry Appleman, Mintz.
eDiscovery specialist — large discovery teams, modest premium with overtime.
White collar / investigations — premium specialty.
Securities / regulatory — premium specialty.

4. Credentials and Education

NALA CP (Certified Paralegal) — most widely held national credential.
NALA ACP (Advanced Certified Paralegal) — advanced credential.
NFPA RP (Registered Paralegal) — alternative national credential.
State-specific credentials — California CAS, Florida FRP, Texas BCLA.
ABA-approved paralegal program — preferred by BigLaw and F500.
Bachelor's degree — increasingly preferred at BigLaw.
Paralegal-to-JD transition — some paralegals pursue law degree.

5. Experience and Overtime Strategy

New paralegal ($45,000–$60,000 starting) — fresh ABA-approved paralegal program.
2–5 year paralegal ($60,000–$85,000) — mid-level.
5–10 year senior paralegal ($80,000–$120,000) — senior staff.
10+ year BigLaw senior paralegal ($110,000–$180,000+) — BigLaw senior with overtime.
Paralegal manager / supervisor — administrative pay above hourly.
BigLaw overtime culture — 50–100+ overtime hours annually raises total comp 10–25%.
1099 contract paralegal — established contract paralegals at agencies.

2026 Paralegal Hourly Pay Outlook

Paralegal pay has grown at a compound annual rate of 3.51% nationally over the past five years — driven by sustained BigLaw expansion, Fortune 500 in-house legal department growth, expanding legal operations function, growing IP / patent prosecution demand, restructuring cycle peaks in distressed credit, and accelerating AI-augmented document review (boosting senior productivity while potentially compressing entry-level hiring). The BLS projects paralegal employment growth at 1% through 2033, with strongest pay growth at BigLaw and specialty levels and pressure at entry / commodity levels from AI-augmented workflow.

States with rapid BigLaw expansion (Texas — Austin / Dallas / Houston, Florida — Miami), no-tax states attracting paralegal migration, and high-cost AmLaw 100 hub states (NY, CA, IL, MA, DC metro) continue to lead state-level paralegal hourly pay rankings. Paralegals stacking ABA-approved program + bachelor's degree + IP / M&A / bankruptcy specialty experience at AmLaw 100 firms see the strongest hourly pay growth through 2026, while entry-level commodity work faces compression from AI document review tools at lower BigLaw associate tiers.

More Salary Resources

National OverviewComplete salary data for 1682+ cities Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay for new graduates Salary by StateAll 52 states compared Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do paralegals make per hour?

The national median paralegal hourly pay is $31.30 per hour in 2026. Hourly rates range from approximately $17.87 in lower-paying areas to $50.55 in Sunnyvale, CA.

What is the highest hourly rate for paralegals?

The highest paralegal hourly rate is $50.55 in Sunnyvale, CA. The top 5 highest-paying metros all offer rates above $55/hour.

Do paralegals make more per hour than registered nurses?

Yes, on average. Paralegals earn a median of $31.30/hour nationally, compared to approximately $42.80/hour for registered nurses (BLS 2025). However, RNs may earn more with overtime, shift differentials, and specialty certifications.

Can paralegals make $50 an hour?

Yes. Many metro areas — particularly in California, Washington, and Alaska — offer median hourly rates above $50. In Sunnyvale, the median rate is $50.55/hour.

How much does a part-time paralegal make per year?

A paralegal working 3 days per week (24 hours) at the national median of $31.30/hour earns approximately $37,556 per year. At 4 days per week (32 hours), annual earnings reach approximately $50,075.

Written by Jessica Tran, JD

Career Analyst

Jessica Tran has 10 years of experience in paralegal studies. She specializes in corporate law and works with a law firm. She trains new paralegals in legal research and documentation.

Clinically reviewed by Michael Garcia, CLAData verified by Ayesha Khan, CP

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS 2025, released May 2026.

Compiled and verified by Jessica Tran, JD, a licensed paralegal with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Methodology & Data Source

Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 3.51% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.