Paralegal salaries can vary just as widely as that of an attorney.
The main factors determining a paralegal's salary include the location of the firm where the paralegal is working, the amount of experience the paralegal has, as well as the size of the firm where they are located.
Earning a Living as a Paralegal
It's rare for paralegals working at small private practice law firms to make more than $25,000/year, while the top-earning paralegals found in larger firms and in some government positions reported earnings in excess of $67,000/year.
Income reports from paralegals in 2006 estimated that the average salary of a paralegal was between $33,000/year and $55,000/year, with the bottom 10% earning less than $27,000/year and the top 10% earning more than $67,000/year.
One of the most important things to remember about this legal assistant pay scale is that it's all a combination of experience, location, and education – there's no definitive answer to what kind of legal assistant salary you'll earn if you decide to become certified as a paralegal assistant.
However, there are a few indicators that will give you a good idea as to what the average paralegal wages might be.
The paralegals with the highest average earnings were those who worked within the federal government, earning an average yearly salary of $56,000/year. Just below them were those paralegals that manage different companies using their degrees. Although it isn't certain exactly how their paralegal degrees helped in these venture, they reported average earnings of $52,000/year. Listed under these entities were paralegals working within local governments and legal services. However, oddly enough, at the bottom of the list of paralegal average salary were paralegals who were employed with the state governments, reporting a median income of $38,000/year.
It's important to note that many paralegals working for firms and companies – and sometimes even for the government – are eligible for bonuses in addition to their salaries, which are often given as a way of thanking paralegals for the long hours they put in. Many paralegals are also compensated through benefit packages that offer 401K plans, vacation and sick leave, as well as life and health insurance. Given the rising cost of health insurance premiums, these benefits packages can represent a significant source of income outside of a paralegal's salary. Some employers may also offer reimbursement for continuing education courses or certification programs, which can be a great way to make you more valuable to the company and eligible for a higher salary.
Once you've finished your education and are ready to enter the professional world of paralegals, you'll find that there's a great variety of jobs out there and the average starting paralegal salary will vary. If you're lucky, you'll find yourself in a well-compensated position working in a field that interests you on a passionate job. However, in other situations, you may find yourself being offered a job with a higher salary, but with fewer benefits and longer working hours. Do you take a lower paying job with a more comfortable atmosphere, or the higher paying job with far more stress? The answer lies in what you want to achieve through your paralegal career – and only you can make that decision.
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