Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in California: $84,000 Average

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Average base salary, California

$84,000 / year

≈ $7,000 per month · $40.38 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for California · median $80,000

25th percentile
$62,500Average
$84,00075th percentile
$102,000

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary by state

Alabama$54,500

Alaska$76,000

Arizona$70,000

Arkansas$62,000

California$84,000

Colorado$83,500

Connecticut$71,500

Delaware$72,500

District of Columbia$98,500

Florida$65,500

Georgia$73,500

Hawaii$67,500

Idaho$56,500

Illinois$75,000

Indiana$64,000

Iowa$61,000

Kansas$59,500

Kentucky$61,500

Louisiana$61,500

Maine$66,500

Maryland$75,500

Massachusetts$84,000

Michigan$69,500

Minnesota$76,500

Mississippi$51,000

Missouri$66,500

Montana$61,000

Nebraska$65,500

Nevada$68,500

New Hampshire$69,500

New Jersey$75,000

New Mexico$63,500

New York$79,500

North Carolina$63,000

North Dakota$61,000

Ohio$66,500

Oklahoma$57,500

Oregon$72,500

Pennsylvania$71,000

Rhode Island$60,500

South Carolina$57,500

South Dakota$64,500

Tennessee$63,000

Texas$68,000

Utah$70,000

Vermont$71,500

Virginia$73,000

Washington$86,500

West Virginia$66,000

Wisconsin$63,500

Wyoming$54,500

About this role

Paralegals and Legal Assistants is a professional role in the Legal job family, focused on Paralegals and Legal Assistants work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Paralegals and Legal Assistantss do

Typical education: Bachelor's Degree

Prepare affidavits or other documents, such as legal correspondence, and organize and maintain documents in paper or electronic filing system.
Prepare, edit, or review legal documents, including legislation, briefs, pleadings, appeals, wills, contracts, and real estate closing statements.
Investigate facts and law of cases and search pertinent sources, such as public records and internet sources, to determine causes of action and to prepare cases.
Prepare for trial by performing tasks such as organizing exhibits.
Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of cases.

Top skills: Writing Reading Comprehension Active Listening Speaking Critical Thinking Time Management

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay by experience level

Entry level$46,500

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$52,000

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$65,000

Mid-career median pay

Senior$83,000

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$105,000

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+0.2%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

39,300

projected openings per year

Growing slower than average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary by industry

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

310,490 workers

$70,000

Legal Services

304,820 workers

$70,000

Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS

47,670 workers

$74,500

Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

19,620 workers

$69,000

Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)

15,960 workers

$89,500

State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

12,090 workers

$64,500

Management of Companies and Enterprises

6,970 workers

$97,500

Management of Companies and Enterprises

6,970 workers

$97,500

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities

6,790 workers

$83,000

Administrative and Support Services

5,030 workers

$73,000

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Paralegals and Legal Assistants pays 47% below the average across 1,680 roles in the Legal job family (family average $135,500).

Similar-paying roles in Legal

Intermediate Attorney$72,500

Associate Legal Contracts$71,500

Associate Legal Real Estate$73,500

Paralegal Legal Contracts Section$70,500

Associate Legal Support Section$74,500

Associate Legal Assistant Department$69,500

Junior Associate Legal Contract Administration$72,500

Paralegal Legal Real Estate Section$72,500

Paralegal Regulatory Compliance Section$72,500

Paralegal Regulatory Compliance Team$72,500

Careers related to Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants$62,500

Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$64,500

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners$81,500

Court, Municipal, and License Clerks$54,000

Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants$82,000

Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs$58,000

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Paralegals and Legal Assistants make?

The average base salary for a Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the United States is $72,000 per year, or about $34.62 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $52,000 and $83,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Legal roles?

The Legal job family averages $135,500 across 1,680 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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