Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in New York, NY-NJ

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Median annual salary $73,470 +20.4% vs national
Median hourly $35.32
10th percentile $49,150
90th percentile $107,520
Employed locally 29,300
National median $61,010

Compare Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how New York, NY-NJ stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Paralegals and Legal Assistants
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New York, NY-NJ
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $49,150
    25th
    $60,040
    50th (median)
    $73,470
    75th
    $90,480
    90th
    $107,520

    New York economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $97,334 2023 • Census ACS
    Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary vs area income 75% Median Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary is 25% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Paralegals and Legal Assistants

    Metro areaMedian salary
    District of Columbia $99,300
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,740
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $85,230
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $84,950
    Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $80,550
    Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $79,240

    Nearby metros — Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $97,740
    Syracuse, NY $61,820
    Kingston, NY $60,220
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $60,220
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $59,660
    Ithaca, NY $58,910

    Related occupations in New York, NY-NJ

    OccupationMedian salary
    Lawyers $203,450
    Legal Support Workers, All Other $80,250
    Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates $196,190
    Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers $69,250
    Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers $128,500
    Judicial Law Clerks $54,040

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Paralegals and Legal Assistants make per hour in New York?

    The median hourly wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York, NY-NJ is $35.32, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $58.26 or more per hour.

    Is New York above or below average for Paralegals and Legal Assistants salaries?

    The median Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in New York, NY-NJ is 20.4% above the national median of $61,010. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York?

    Entry-level Paralegals and Legal Assistants (10th percentile) earn around $49,150 per year in New York, NY-NJ. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $60,040.