How much does a legal assistant make?
Answer: A typical legal assistant in the United States makes $72,110 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 47,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Legal assistant pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| 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 |
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.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a legal assistant do?
All legal support workers not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
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.
How to get this job
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.
Did you know?
Surprise: In the U.S., the ABA approves paralegal education programs, not individual paralegals, and no nationwide certification exam is required.
Earn more in the same field
Legal jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
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