Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in Rochester, NY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Rochester, NY

Median annual salary $58,760 -3.7% vs national
Median hourly $28.25
10th percentile $38,650
90th percentile $79,650
Employed locally 1,160
National median $61,010

Compare Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary & buying power

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Paralegals and Legal Assistants
in
Rochester, NY
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $38,650
    25th
    $49,080
    50th (median)
    $58,760
    75th
    $74,280
    90th
    $79,650

    Rochester economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $74,438 2023 • Census ACS
    Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary vs area income 79% Median Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary is 21% 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
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $73,470
    Syracuse, NY $61,820
    Kingston, NY $60,220
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $60,220
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $59,660

    Related occupations in Rochester, NY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Lawyers$138,010
    Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates$170,520
    Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers$58,780
    Legal Support Workers, All Other$90,010
    Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers$93,520

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Rochester, NY is $28.25, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $39.34 or more per hour.

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

    The median Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in Rochester, NY is 3.7% below 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 Rochester?

    Entry-level Paralegals and Legal Assistants (10th percentile) earn around $38,650 per year in Rochester, NY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $49,080.