The salary of a Paralegal I in the United States varies depending on several factors, including experience, location, education level, marketing trend and company sizes.
As of April 01, 2025, the average hourly pay of Paralegal I in the United States is $33. While Salary.com is seeing that Paralegal I salary in the US can go up to $39 or down to $26, but most earn between $29 and $36. Salary.com shows the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Paralegal I in the United States.
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $36 | $3 | $1 | $0 |
| Average | $33 | $3 | $1 | $0 |
| 25th Percentile | $29 | $2 | $1 | $0 |
As of April 01, 2025, Salary.com is seeing that an entry-level Paralegal I with under 1 year experience makes about $67,648. With less than 2 years of experience, a mid-level Paralegal I makes around $68,382. After 2-4 years, the Paralegal I pay rises to about $69,986. Those senior Paralegal I with 5-8 years of experience earn roughly $70,307, and those Paralegal I having 8 years or more experience is expected to earn about $70,521 on average.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Paralegal I | $67,648 |
| Intermediate Level Paralegal I | $68,382 |
| Senior Level Paralegal I | $69,986 |
| Specialist Level Paralegal I | $70,307 |
| Expert Level Paralegal I | $70,521 |
| Entry Level | 1% |
| Mid Level | 0% |
| Senior Level | 3% |
| Top Level | 3% |
| Experienced | 3% |
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from state to state due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Paralegal I is $75,189 in California and in Massachusetts, the average annual salary goes to $74,187. While in New Jersey, a Paralegal I earns $73,887 per year.
What Am I Worth?
Salaries in the United States can vary significantly from city to city due to a multitude of factors, including cost of living, local economic conditions, and industry presence.
For example, as of April 01, 2025, the average yearly salary of Paralegal I in San Francisco, CA is $85,135 and in New York, NY, the average annual salary goes to $79,000. While a Paralegal I earns $76,028 per year in Boston, MA.
For those exploring the changing dynamics of Paralegal I salaries, Salary.com offers detailed insights through our Job Trending in CA Labor Market analysis. As of April 01, 2025, our research highlights a notable shift in Paralegal I compensation over the past six years. For instance, the median salary has moved from $64,204 in 2023 to about $64,001 in 2024 (for a comprehensive analysis of Paralegal I salary trends, click here). It's crucial to consider several elements, including geographical location, experience level, industry demand, and economic development, as they play a significant role in influencing salary variations.
