Occupational employment / Paralegals and legal assistants

Twice a year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles occupational employment and wage estimates by surveying employers nationwide. Current data was released May 1, 2009.

Estimates for "Paralegals and legal assistants" are below, ordered by total employment.

Area Total employment Mean hourly wage Mean annual wage
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 11,220 $27.88 $57,990
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA 27,440 $28.20 $58,650
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 20,860 $29.17 $60,670
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA 11,400 $27.04 $56,230
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 9,800 $28.64 $59,580
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 8,580 $26.95 $56,050
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL 7,730 $23.20 $48,250
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI 7,610 $25.43 $52,890
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 6,870 $24.47 $50,900
Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division 6,800 $26.14 $54,370
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 6,510 $24.03 $49,980
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH 5,980 $25.11 $52,240
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 5,650 $26.87 $55,890
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 5,560 $23.34 $48,540
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 5,330 $29.13 $60,590
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 4,860 $24.41 $50,780
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 4,660 $26.19 $54,480
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 4,580 $27.32 $56,820
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 4,270 $23.72 $49,340
Baltimore-Towson, MD 3,950 $23.67 $49,230
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 3,930 $24.12 $50,180
Denver-Aurora, CO 3,610 $24.11 $50,150
San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division 3,570 $29.89 $62,170
Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division 3,430 $23.49 $48,870
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division 3,280 $24.86 $51,700
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 3,230 $24.83 $51,650
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 3,070 $23.49 $48,850
Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI 3,070 $24.03 $49,990
Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division 2,990 $25.91 $53,900
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 2,820 $27.31 $56,800
St. Louis, MO-IL 2,380 $19.81 $41,210
Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, FL Metropolitan Division 2,360 $22.77 $47,370
Kansas City, MO-KS 2,310 $23.72 $49,330
Orlando-Kissimmee, FL 2,290 $22.65 $47,120
Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division 2,230 $24.60 $51,160
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 2,230 $26.91 $55,970
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 2,050 $23.01 $47,850
Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division 2,040 $23.16 $48,180
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC 1,990 $20.86 $43,390
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA 1,980 $24.21 $50,360
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,970 $29.77 $61,920
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 1,950 $25.61 $53,260
West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Boynton Beach, FL Metropolitan Division 1,940 $23.18 $48,220
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 1,770 $20.98 $43,640
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 1,760 $27.60 $57,410
Pittsburgh, PA 1,740 $19.93 $41,460
Richmond, VA 1,710 $20.94 $43,560
Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN 1,690 $20.52 $42,670
Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 1,630 $21.23 $44,150
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI 1,610 $23.69 $49,270
Austin-Round Rock, TX 1,580 $24.96 $51,920
San Antonio, TX 1,510 $19.82 $41,230
Columbus, OH 1,480 $21.10 $43,890
Raleigh-Cary, NC 1,440 $21.52 $44,760
Bethesda-Gaithersburg-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division 1,430 $22.65 $47,100
Oklahoma City, OK 1,410 $22.92 $47,660
Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA 1,410 $25.21 $52,440
Edison, NJ Metropolitan Division 1,360 $24.29 $50,530
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 1,320 $19.88 $41,360
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 1,270 $22.12 $46,020
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 1,200 $24.26 $50,450
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 1,160 $22.90 $47,620
Jacksonville, FL 1,150 $21.15 $43,990
Columbia, SC 1,130 $19.68 $40,940
Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN 1,110 $21.09 $43,870
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 1,110 $25.19 $52,390
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 1,110 $22.81 $47,440
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN 1,080 $20.66 $42,980
Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Division 1,070 $24.96 $51,930
Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Division 1,030 $25.77 $53,590
Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA 1,020 $22.43 $46,650
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division 1,010 $25.34 $52,720
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 1,000 $21.72 $45,170
Jackson, MS 1,000 $18.76 $39,010
Camden, NJ Metropolitan Division 1,000 $23.87 $49,650
Charleston-North Charleston, SC 940 $20.30 $42,220
Rochester, NY 910 $21.19 $44,080
Memphis, TN-MS-AR 860 $20.23 $42,090
Albuquerque, NM 840 $18.24 $37,940
Salt Lake City, UT 830 $22.45 $46,690
Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR 790 $22.29 $46,370
New Haven, CT 790 $20.98 $43,640
Tulsa, OK 750 $20.02 $41,640
Winston-Salem, NC 740 $19.22 $39,970
Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 730 $18.87 $39,250
Honolulu, HI 720 $23.13 $48,110
Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME 720 $21.42 $44,540
Charleston, WV 710 $17.93 $37,300
Tucson, AZ 690 $21.49 $44,710
Tacoma, WA Metropolitan Division 650 $20.43 $42,500
Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, FL 650 $19.52 $40,600
Springfield, MA-CT 600 $22.22 $46,210
Greensboro-High Point, NC 590 $19.53 $40,620
Knoxville, TN 580 $19.63 $40,830
Asheville, NC 580 $17.14 $35,650
Baton Rouge, LA 540 $17.56 $36,530
Durham, NC 540 $20.66 $42,970
Lexington-Fayette, KY 530 $17.70 $36,820
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 530 $18.41 $38,280
Akron, OH 510 $18.59 $38,670
Madison, WI 510 $23.68 $49,260
Syracuse, NY 500 $23.14 $48,140
Tallahassee, FL 500 $20.17 $41,960
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 490 $21.64 $45,010
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 490 $23.23 $48,310
Trenton-Ewing, NJ 490 $24.52 $50,990
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 480 $26.55 $55,230
Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division 470 $21.42 $44,560
Fresno, CA 470 $24.48 $50,920
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 470 $27.04 $56,240
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 470 $17.10 $35,560
Springfield, MO 460 $18.01 $37,460
Greenville, SC 460 $21.02 $43,730
Toledo, OH 460 $20.14 $41,900
Lakeland, FL 440 $17.53 $36,450
Boise City-Nampa, ID 440 $20.91 $43,490
Lafayette, LA 430 $17.82 $37,070
Chattanooga, TN-GA 410 $23.95 $49,810
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 400 $20.24 $42,100
El Paso, TX 400 $19.52 $40,600
Wichita, KS 380 $18.18 $37,820
Anchorage, AK 380 $26.62 $55,360
Colorado Springs, CO 380 $19.47 $40,500
Spokane, WA 380 $19.64 $40,850
San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo, PR 380 $14.91 $31,010
Fayetteville, NC 360 $18.55 $38,580
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 350 $22.29 $46,350
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY 350 $26.25 $54,610
Corpus Christi, TX 350 $17.64 $36,700
Gary, IN Metropolitan Division 350 $16.89 $35,130
Dayton, OH 340 $22.86 $47,560
Worcester, MA-CT 340 $25.91 $53,880
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 340 $22.41 $46,610
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 330 $19.52 $40,610
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 330 $17.94 $37,320
Wilmington, NC 310 $16.64 $34,610
Ocala, FL 310 $17.69 $36,800
Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, FL 310 $20.53 $42,710
Manchester, NH 310 $21.76 $45,260
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA 310 $16.93 $35,220
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 290 $19.18 $39,890
Montgomery, AL 280 $18.97 $39,450
Reno-Sparks, NV 280 $26.11 $54,300
Peabody, MA NECTA Division 280 $19.53 $40,630
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 270 $17.56 $36,530
Burlington-South Burlington, VT 270 $24.02 $49,970
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO 270 $16.89 $35,130
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 260 $21.67 $45,080
Topeka, KS 260 $18.98 $39,470
Eugene-Springfield, OR 250 $19.50 $40,550
Roanoke, VA 250 $19.46 $40,480
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 250 $20.37 $42,380
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 250 $19.74 $41,070
Atlantic City, NJ 250 $21.88 $45,500
Boulder, CO 250 $22.53 $46,870
Lancaster, PA 240 $19.30 $40,140
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC 240 $17.29 $35,960
Fort Wayne, IN 240 $20.16 $41,940
Barnstable Town, MA 230 $20.23 $42,070
Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL 230 $17.89 $37,210
Charlottesville, VA 230 $17.95 $37,340
Modesto, CA 230 $24.81 $51,600
Cedar Rapids, IA 230 $19.50 $40,550
Framingham, MA NECTA Division 230 $21.74 $45,210
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO 230 $19.86 $41,320
Lincoln, NE 230 $18.03 $37,500
Naples-Marco Island, FL 230 $23.69 $49,270
Mobile, AL 230 $20.92 $43,510
Norwich-New London, CT-RI 220 $21.12 $43,930
Waterbury, CT 220 $19.94 $41,480
Amarillo, TX 220 $19.13 $39,790
Tyler, TX 220 $18.34 $38,140
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 220 $22.82 $47,460
Ann Arbor, MI 210 $27.69 $57,590
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI 210 $17.77 $36,960
Spartanburg, SC 200 $17.94 $37,320
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 200 $21.56 $44,840
Canton-Massillon, OH 200 $19.47 $40,500
Evansville, IN-KY 200 $16.85 $35,050
Lake Charles, LA 200 $16.22 $33,730
Reading, PA 190 $22.38 $46,560
Yakima, WA 190 $17.76 $36,950
Salem, OR 190 $19.57 $40,700
Greenville, NC 190 $14.87 $30,920
Wausau, WI 190 $17.00 $35,350
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division 190 $23.96 $49,850
Longview, TX 190 $20.09 $41,780
Springfield, IL 190 $19.46 $40,480
Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division 190 $20.51 $42,670
Santa Fe, NM 180 $20.25 $42,120
Savannah, GA 180 $22.66 $47,140
Sioux Falls, SD 180 $18.57 $38,620
Gainesville, FL 180 $15.94 $33,150
Waco, TX 170 $18.88 $39,260
Huntsville, AL 170 $17.21 $35,800
Visalia-Porterville, CA 170 $16.75 $34,830
St. Cloud, MN 170 $23.30 $48,460
York-Hanover, PA 160 $19.19 $39,900
Bakersfield, CA 160 $25.77 $53,600
Fort Smith, AR-OK 160 $18.03 $37,510
Elkhart-Goshen, IN 160 $13.15 $27,350
Bowling Green, KY 160 $16.27 $33,840
Bangor, ME 160 $18.94 $39,390
Olympia, WA 160 $23.47 $48,820
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 160 $16.13 $33,550
Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH 160 $18.02 $37,490
Florence, SC 150 $14.99 $31,190
Salinas, CA 150 $21.55 $44,830
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 150 $23.31 $48,490
Wheeling, WV-OH 150 $19.04 $39,610
Binghamton, NY 150 $20.97 $43,620
Portsmouth, NH-ME 140 $21.81 $45,370
Alexandria, LA 140 $17.37 $36,130
Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury, MA-NH NECTA Division 140 $20.30 $42,230
Stockton, CA 140 $31.68 $65,890
Peoria, IL 140 $20.89 $43,450
Cheyenne, WY 140 $20.25 $42,110
Bloomington-Normal, IL 140 $24.96 $51,910
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 140 $22.70 $47,210
Appleton, WI 140 $15.69 $32,630
Farmington, NM 140 $15.27 $31,760
Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ 130 $19.63 $40,840
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 130 $18.02 $37,470
Jackson, TN 130 $17.29 $35,970
Lubbock, TX 130 $18.65 $38,790
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 130 $18.96 $39,430
Napa, CA 130 $26.52 $55,150
Bellingham, WA 130 $20.45 $42,530
Midland, TX 120 $19.97 $41,540
Duluth, MN-WI 120 $20.46 $42,570
Rochester, MN 120 $19.60 $40,760
Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL 120 $17.03 $35,420
Rome, GA 120 $18.07 $37,590
Rocky Mount, NC 120 $15.61 $32,470
College Station-Bryan, TX 120 $17.95 $37,340
Taunton-Norton-Raynham, MA NECTA Division 110 $21.68 $45,090
Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, MA-NH NECTA Division 110 $23.53 $48,940
Fargo, ND-MN 110 $21.45 $44,620
Tuscaloosa, AL 110 $15.29 $31,800
Prescott, AZ 110 $17.30 $35,980
Lynchburg, VA 110 $16.93 $35,200
Oshkosh-Neenah, WI 110 $19.13 $39,780
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 110 $22.18 $46,140
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 110 $26.31 $54,730
Utica-Rome, NY 100 $21.66 $45,060
Billings, MT 100 $22.49 $46,770
Danbury, CT 100 $23.46 $48,790
Casper, WY 100 $16.51 $34,340
Rapid City, SD 100 $20.66 $42,970
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD 100 $16.34 $33,980
Athens-Clarke County, GA 90 $17.52 $36,440
Champaign-Urbana, IL 90 $19.80 $41,180
Abilene, TX 90 $19.88 $41,340
Sumter, SC 90 $15.04 $31,290
Dover, DE 90 $19.92 $41,440
Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX 90 $18.21 $37,870
Greeley, CO 90 $19.49 $40,550
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 90 $13.92 $28,960
Chico, CA 90 $16.60 $34,540
Jefferson City, MO 90 $15.80 $32,860
Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA 90 $22.02 $45,800
St. Joseph, MO-KS 90 $17.84 $37,100
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 80 $17.67 $36,750
Jacksonville, NC 80 $14.62 $30,410
Provo-Orem, UT 80 $20.91 $43,490
Goldsboro, NC 80 $15.05 $31,300
Pascagoula, MS 80 $16.74 $34,830
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 80 $22.32 $46,430
Anderson, SC 80 $16.47 $34,270
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA 80 $16.31 $33,930
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 80 $27.55 $57,300
Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, MA NECTA Division 70 $20.09 $41,800
Lewiston-Auburn, ME 70 $20.38 $42,400
Flint, MI 70 $24.56 $51,080
Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI 70 $22.53 $46,850
Harrisonburg, VA 70 $14.81 $30,800
Columbus, GA-AL 70 $21.64 $45,000
Gainesville, GA 70 $18.60 $38,680
Missoula, MT 70 $21.02 $43,720
Racine, WI 70 $22.34 $46,460
Laredo, TX 70 Not available Not available
Bismarck, ND 70 $20.07 $41,750
Gadsden, AL 60 $17.47 $36,330
Punta Gorda, FL 60 $16.67 $34,680
Clarksville, TN-KY 60 $14.91 $31,020
Albany, GA 60 $17.46 $36,310
Kokomo, IN 60 $20.08 $41,770
Hattiesburg, MS 60 $21.07 $43,830
Grand Junction, CO 60 $21.87 $45,500
Williamsport, PA 50 $17.48 $36,350
Yuma, AZ 50 $19.80 $41,190
Fairbanks, AK 50 $23.83 $49,580
Columbus, IN 50 $15.99 $33,250
Morristown, TN 50 $16.48 $34,280
Pittsfield, MA 50 $19.71 $41,010
Niles-Benton Harbor, MI 50 $23.52 $48,930
Dalton, GA 50 $18.87 $39,260
Sheboygan, WI 50 $17.33 $36,040
Owensboro, KY 50 $15.58 $32,400
State College, PA 50 $20.60 $42,850
Elizabethtown, KY 50 $20.40 $42,420
Janesville, WI 50 $15.54 $32,320
Valdosta, GA 50 $21.88 $45,510
Lima, OH 40 $22.32 $46,430
Joplin, MO 40 $16.81 $34,960
Iowa City, IA 40 $13.87 $28,850
Carson City, NV 40 $21.90 $45,560
Flagstaff, AZ 40 $19.33 $40,210
Mansfield, OH 40 $19.88 $41,350
Johnstown, PA 40 $22.16 $46,090
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 40 $15.47 $32,180
Holland-Grand Haven, MI 40 $16.20 $33,690
Lafayette, IN 40 $20.21 $42,040
Redding, CA 40 $25.59 $53,220
Ithaca, NY 30 $21.18 $44,050
Victoria, TX 30 $18.96 $39,430
Dubuque, IA 30 $17.18 $35,730
Bay City, MI 30 $17.67 $36,750
Great Falls, MT 30 $20.13 $41,860
Cleveland, TN 30 $16.42 $34,150
Lawrence, KS 30 $19.21 $39,950
Wichita Falls, TX Not available $15.51 $32,270
Johnson City, TN Not available $14.09 $29,310
Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL Not available $16.04 $33,370
Idaho Falls, ID Not available $12.58 $26,170
Rockford, IL Not available $23.74 $49,380
Morgantown, WV Not available $21.11 $43,910
Logan, UT-ID Not available $15.85 $32,960
Las Cruces, NM Not available $17.05 $35,460
Bloomington, IN Not available $15.03 $31,250
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Not available $16.75 $34,830
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Not available $25.71 $53,480
Ponce, PR Not available $13.56 $28,210
Rochester-Dover, NH-ME Not available $18.46 $38,390
Monroe, LA Not available $16.25 $33,790
La Crosse, WI-MN Not available $18.41 $38,290
New Bedford, MA Not available $18.64 $38,780
Green Bay, WI Not available $19.44 $40,430
Eau Claire, WI Not available $19.44 $40,440
Lebanon, PA Not available $18.25 $37,950
Glens Falls, NY Not available $20.71 $43,070
Grand Forks, ND-MN Not available $16.27 $33,840
Decatur, AL Not available $15.15 $31,510
Pueblo, CO Not available $20.32 $42,270
Dothan, AL Not available $15.31 $31,830
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA Not available $16.27 $33,840
Jonesboro, AR Not available $13.80 $28,700
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, CA Not available $21.79 $45,320
Odessa, TX Not available $22.13 $46,030
Macon, GA Not available $21.88 $45,520
Winchester, VA-WV Not available $17.39 $36,180
Sherman-Denison, TX Not available $18.20 $37,860
El Centro, CA Not available $18.29 $38,040
Texarkana-Texarkana, TX-AR Not available $19.78 $41,130
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA Not available $23.27 $48,400
Columbia, MO Not available $19.46 $40,470
Danville, VA Not available $13.98 $29,090
Erie, PA Not available $21.32 $44,340
Medford, OR Not available $16.70 $34,740
Altoona, PA Not available $13.83 $28,760
St. George, UT Not available $18.89 $39,290
Anniston-Oxford, AL Not available $14.65 $30,460
© The Washington Post Company