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Paralegal salary in New York

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$68,410median pay per year in New York, or $32.89 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $48,330lowest 10% earn less
  2. $57,43025th percentile
  3. $68,410median
  4. $94,20075th percentile
  5. $115,720top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $62,890[3]

The median pay for paralegals in New York was $68,410 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $5,520 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in NY
34,220[4]
Rank by median pay
9 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+8.8%[6]

How much do paralegals make in New York?

Paralegals in New York had a median wage of $68,410 a year, or $32.89 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was higher, at $76,890 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for paralegals was $62,890[3], so New York was 8.8% above it[6]. New York had the 9th highest median among the 50 states and DC[5]. Paralegals in the state also earned $8,740 more than the median for all jobs in New York, which was $59,670[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% of paralegals in New York earned less than $48,330[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $115,720[2]. The middle half of pay ran from $57,430 to $94,200[2].

Pay differs by place. Of the metro areas with a published median, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest, at $75,330[10]. Buffalo-Cheektowaga had a median of $58,270[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers, so it leaves out the self-employed and owners and partners in unincorporated firms[12]. It also leaves out bonuses that are not part of regular production pay and the cost of benefits like health insurance[12].

New York vs US pay

Pay for paralegals in New York next to the national figures[1][3].

NYUS
Median per year$68,410[1]$62,890[3]
Median per hour$32.89[1]$30.24[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$48,330[2]$44,740[13]
Top 10% earn more than$115,720[2]$101,500[13]
Jobs34,220[4]392,880[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for paralegals, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11]$75,33033,850
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$58,2702,060
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$60,6801,340
Rochester, NY$57,2501,300
Syracuse, NY$61,150970
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$61,350600
Binghamton, NY$60,420240
Utica-Rome, NY$54,850170

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for paralegals in the states that border New York, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Massachusetts[14]$77,6407,800
New Jersey$71,50012,010
Vermont$67,160660
Connecticut$63,8205,210
Pennsylvania$63,37014,670

Median pay for paralegals in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for paralegals are projected to decline 0.3% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: associate's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a paralegal make in New York?
The median pay for paralegals in New York was $68,410 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $76,890 a year[7].
How much does a paralegal make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage for paralegals in New York was $32.89[1]. The 10th percentile was $23.24 an hour and the 90th percentile was $55.64[17].
Which city in New York pays paralegals the most?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median among metro areas with a published figure, at $75,330 a year[10]. That metro area also had 33,850 paralegal jobs[11].
Is New York a good state for paralegals?
New York had the 9th highest median wage for paralegals among the 50 states and DC[5]. Its median was 8.8% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a paralegal in New York?
This is a US figure, not a New York one. Across the US, the typical education for entry is an associate's degree, with no work experience or on-the-job training usually needed[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York was $68,410 per year and $32.89 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York: 10th percentile $48,330, 25th percentile $57,430, 75th percentile $94,200, 90th percentile $115,720. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the US as a whole was $62,890 per year and $30.24 per hour, with about 392,880 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 34,220 people worked as Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 9th highest median annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York ($68,410) was $5,520 (8.8%) higher than the US median ($62,890). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York was $76,890 per year and $36.96 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York was $8,740 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Paralegals and Legal Assistants, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $75,330. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $44,740, 25th percentile $50,340, 75th percentile $80,080, 90th percentile $101,500. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in states that border New York (highest first): Massachusetts $77,640; New Jersey $71,500; Vermont $67,160; Connecticut $63,820; Pennsylvania $63,370. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Paralegals and Legal Assistants is projected to decline 0.3% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 40,800 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Paralegals and Legal Assistants: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in New York: 10th percentile $23.24, 25th percentile $27.61, 75th percentile $45.29, 90th percentile $55.64. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.