Best paying cities for paralegals, after cost of living
After cost of living, paralegal pay goes furthest in San Jose (worth $89,900) and least far in Miami (worth $54,370).
| # | Metro area | Median pay | Prices (US = 100) | Worth | vs. US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $99,250 | 110.4 | $89,900 | +43% |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $92,900 | 111.1 | $83,618 | +33% |
| 3 | Denver, CO | $80,500 | 105.8 | $76,087 | +21% |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $81,590 | 108.9 | $74,922 | +19% |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $79,850 | 108.3 | $73,730 | +17% |
| 6 | Sacramento, CA | $78,550 | 106.7 | $73,618 | +17% |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $76,220 | 104.8 | $72,729 | +16% |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $84,030 | 115.6 | $72,690 | +16% |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $75,430 | 105.4 | $71,565 | +14% |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,430 | 102.6 | $68,645 | +9% |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $77,520 | 113.6 | $68,239 | +9% |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $76,300 | 111.9 | $68,186 | +8% |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $70,550 | 103.6 | $68,098 | +8% |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,620 | 94.7 | $67,181 | +7% |
| 15 | New York, NY | $75,330 | 112.6 | $66,901 | +6% |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $66,720 | 100.2 | $66,587 | +6% |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $64,140 | 98.1 | $65,382 | +4% |
| 18 | St. Louis, MO | $61,970 | 95.1 | $65,163 | +4% |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $64,080 | 100.1 | $64,016 | +2% |
| 20 | Houston, TX | $62,730 | 98.6 | $63,621 | +1% |
| 21 | Detroit, MI | $63,400 | 100.3 | $63,210 | +1% |
| 22 | Nashville, TN | $60,800 | 96.3 | $63,136 | 0% |
| 23 | Baltimore, MD | $65,640 | 104.5 | $62,813 | 0% |
| 24 | Charlotte, NC | $59,870 | 97.3 | $61,531 | −2% |
| 25 | Dallas, TX | $63,220 | 103.1 | $61,319 | −2% |
| 26 | Phoenix, AZ | $62,620 | 103.3 | $60,620 | −4% |
| 27 | Tampa, FL | $60,150 | 100.9 | $59,613 | −5% |
| 28 | Orlando, FL | $59,470 | 101.4 | $58,649 | −7% |
| 29 | San Antonio, TX | $53,300 | 94.7 | $56,283 | −11% |
| 30 | Miami, FL | $62,090 | 114.2 | $54,370 | −14% |
U.S. median for paralegals: $62,890. "Worth" is the median adjusted for local prices: what that pay buys at average U.S. prices, using U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 (Paralegals and Legal Assistants, SOC 23-2011); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metro area, 2024. Median pay for wage and salary workers, excluding bonuses, benefits and overtime. Metro areas, not city limits.