How much does a legal assistant make?
a year · about $35 an hour
A typical legal assistant in the United States makes $72,110 a year, about $35 an hour, about 1.4× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
Because this U.S. job category covers varied roles, a legal assistant might sort a case file and look up laws or past cases. They draft or file papers, schedule meetings, and prepare evidence for a lawyer.
Did you know? Surprise: In the U.S., the ABA approves paralegal education programs, not individual paralegals, and no nationwide certification exam is required.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $43,800 and $179,960How do you become one?
U.S. entrants usually start after high school: an associate degree or paralegal-studies certificate is common, though some employers hire experienced high-school graduates. No national certification exam is required.
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, useful skills, and voluntary credentials can help legal assistants earn more. Pay also varies by employer and location; complex, higher-responsibility tasks may pay more.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in District of Columbia ($88,480), lowest in Iowa ($44,470).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $43,800 | $72,110 | $179,960 | about 47,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88,480 | about 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $88,210 | about 660 |
| Washington | $85,630 | about 1,000 |
| New York | $76,520 | about 2,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,190 | about 970 |
Official definition: All legal support workers not listed separately.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/about/data-for-occupations-not-covered-in-detail.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/paralegals-and-legal-assistants.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/23-2099.00
- www.americanbar.org/groups/paralegals/profession-information/educational-informa
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY