What type of paralegal makes the most money

Q: What is the highest level of paralegal?

Masters degrees are generally the highest degree in the paralegal field. Individuals who complete master degrees often pursue careers as paralegal managers or teachers. The masters degree programs are often offered as online programs.

Employment of paralegals is expected to grow much faster than the average for most jobs, adding ... [+] 39,000 new positions from 2018 to 2028.

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There is a ton of paperwork and fact-checking that needs to be done in a law office on a daily basis. That’s where paralegals and legal assistants come up big. Paralegals assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents and researching legal precedent, among many other tasks. Being a paralegal has been a popular job in the United States, especially as part of a road toward becoming a lawyer. Employment numbers have been increasing for paralegals and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of paralegals is projected to increase much faster than average, with approximately 39,000 paralegal jobs being added from 2018 to 2028, an increase of 12%.

Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we've analyzed and compiled a round-up of the average paralegal salary by state in the U.S. Read on for a full breakdown of where paralegals make the most money, and where they're making the least.

10 States Where Paralegals Earn the Most Money

The national average annual wage of a paralegal is $54,500, according to the BLS, which is slightly more than the average annual salary for all occupations, $51,960. In some states, you can earn a bit more than $54,500 as a paralegal, but you’ve got to pick the right state. Below is a list of the top-10 highest-paying states for paralegals.

Connecticut average paralegal salary: $62,760
California average paralegal salary: $61,240
Washington average paralegal salary: $60,940
Massachusetts average paralegal salary: $60,320
Alaska average paralegal salary: $59,140
New York average paralegal salary: $58,750
Colorado average paralegal salary: $58,350
New Jersey average paralegal salary: $58,260
Nevada average paralegal salary: $57,600
Delaware average paralegal salary: $57,290

Connecticut boasts the highest average paralegal salary in the U.S. What’s more, Connecticut’s wage growth over the last five years has been very impressive. The average paralegal salary rose from $53,230 in 2013 to $62,760 in 2018, an increase of 17.9% and the second-largest growth rate in the country, behind Louisiana. In No. 2 California, on the other hand, paralegal wages have stalled, only growing by 2% over the last five years. In Alaska and New Jersey, salaries outright declined since 2013.

10 States Where Paralegals Earn the Least Money

The bottom-10 states where paralegals make the least money are a geographically mainly located in the U.S. South and Midwest. In the worst-paying state for paralegals, Arkansas, the average salary is nearly $12,500 less than the U.S. average salary for paralegals. Here’s a look at the 10 worst states for paralegal’s salaries:

Arkansas average paralegal salary: $42,050
Kansas average paralegal salary: $43,790
Mississippi average paralegal salary: $44,300
Montana average paralegal salary: $44,330
South Carolina average paralegal salary: $45,480
Alabama average paralegal salary: $45,530
North Dakota average paralegal salary: $45,870
West Virginia average paralegal salary: $46,080
Kentucky average paralegal salary: $46,130
Idaho average paralegal salary: $46,510

Unfortunately for these states, wage growth has been weak as well. In seven of these 10 states, the growth in average paralegal salaries was less than 10% from 2013 to 2018. In Alabama, the average paralegal salary increased by only $20 since 2013.

How Much Do Paralegals Make in Each State

Below you’ll find the average annual wage for paralegals in all 50 states from 2013 to 2018. Five states have experienced absolute declines in their average paralegal salaries: New Jersey, Alaska, Oregon, Hawaii and Pennsylvania. On the other hand, seven states have experienced wage growth in excess of 15% over the last five years.

When you are in search of paralegal jobs, you want to consider the highest-paying ones. This means you will have to check out a variety of options including areas of the country, different types of employers, and working within different areas of law. To have a great paralegal salary, you will also have to consider getting a degree from a reputable school – even a school that will help to find you a great paying job.

Forbes recently posted an article about paralegal jobs and what the average salary looks like. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average salary across the country for paralegals is $48, 790. This is a considerable salary considering that all you need to get started is only a two-year associate degree. However, this number can be a bit deceiving. This is the average salary amongst ALL paralegals, including those in higher-paying states as well as amongst those who have been in their profession for 10 years or more.

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1. Senior Paralegal at Allianz Global Investors

The average salary here for a senior paralegal is $95,367. The keyword here is “senior” which means you need to have the experience and the education to back up the job description. In order to be considered for such a high-paying job, you need to have more than an associate degree and you need to have several years of experience working as a paralegal. You can access this kind of paralegal salary at some point in your career, but it likely won’t be as soon as you graduate from college.

2. Case Manager at Fish & Richardson

At Fish & Richardson, you can be paid an average salary of $92,291 for being a paralegal – but not just any paralegal. You will have to also take on the role of being a case manager, which means you are heading up the case for a particular lawyer. This usually means that you will be assigned one client to work with – usually a high-end client that constantly has a lawyer under retainer. To be considered for this level job, you need the education and the experience to back up your qualifications – and a two-year community college degree is not going to suffice.

3. Paralegal at Altria

Based out of Virginia, a paralegal at Altria can earn an average salary of $88,418 according to GlassDoor.com. The name Altria may not sound familiar, but if it were Marlboro, it might. They are the company that owns the largest cigarette company in the United States – Phillip Morris, the distributor of Marlboro cigarettes. They pay their paralegals well and perhaps it is because they stay so busy with lawsuits coming in left and right with accusations as to what cigarettes have caused different people.

4. Paralegal with Microsoft

According to Glassdoor, the average paralegal who works for the Microsoft Corporation is earning a salary of $72,000 a year. Some make more and some make less, but the overall average across the company is a considerable $72,000. With an estimated salary this high, you can anticipate being one of many people who submit a resume when they post an open position.

5. Paralegal with DLA Piper

DLA Piper is one of the largest law firms in the world – and they span across North America as well as into other parts of the globe. They have more than 1200 lawyers on staff and even more paralegals. Here, you can expect to earn an average salary of $70,483. Some individuals make as low as $55,000 and others make as high as $85,000 according to Glassdoor.com.

6. San Francisco Paralegal

The average paralegal salary for those working in San Francisco, CA is $70,410 a year. This is about $23,000 more than what the average pay is for the profession around the country. The actual amount of experience that you have and the firm you choose to work for is also going to have a large bearing as to what you are paid.

7. San Jose Paralegal

If you choose to become a paralegal in San Jose, CA, you can look at the median annual wage of $69,000 – and this is about $22,000 more than what the average paralegal earns in the United States. California is one of the higher paying states in general, though if you move to this area, you stand a better chance of being paid higher than almost anywhere else in the state.

8. Washington DC Paralegal

Should you decide to work in the nation’s capital, you can take advantage of a great salary. The median annual wage in this area for paralegals is $64,830. This is not the highest salary in the country, but it is about $18,000 higher than what the average paralegal is paid. There are more politicians in this area of the country than anywhere else, so it stands to reason that there are also some very prominent law firms in the area. If you work for one of the better ones, you may even be able to take advantage of a higher salary.

9. Paralegal at Perkins Coie

When you decide to go to work at Perkins Coie, one of the largest law firms in the Northwest, you will be able to look at an average salary of $64,714. This salary is the median for what is paid to their paralegals and with large clients such as Boeing and others, the law firm has a certain reputation to maintain – which is one of the reasons why they are willing to pay a higher salary for their paralegals – almost $18,000 more.

10. Flint Paralegal

You may not expect it, but Flint, Michigan tops the charts as the fourth highest paid location in the country for paralegals. You can take advantage of the average pay of $64,830 – a whopping $18,000 higher than what the average salary is for paralegals around the country.

There’s proof that you don’t have to settle for a salary of $40,000 or even less when you become a paralegal. There are companies that pay higher and areas of the country known for paying more than what the rest of the country pays. If you want to earn a higher salary, it is up to you to make the most of your career.

As cited earlier, there are some companies that go right to how much a person has in terms of education. A two-year degree is the minimum level of education that you need to become a paralegal. If you want to work for one of the companies that are known for paying higher because of how well-known they and their clients are, you have to consider spending longer in school to get a more advanced degree.

You will not be the only paralegal applying for open jobs. This means that you have to offer an employer more than what the competition has to offer. When you consider that you may be up against lawyers who are looking for a change of pace or who are out of work, you have to consider the type of degree that you have. Spending two years in school may be sufficient to get started, but when you are ready to access the higher-end jobs, it may not be your experience standing in the way – it may be as simple as you not having the necessary degree to access those jobs.

From looking at the different areas of the country to the different employers around the country, you can seek out a higher job. Work on updating your resume with all of your current information and then work toward becoming employed for a company that pays a higher salary than what the national median salary is.

Remember that the higher-paying jobs require you to take on more responsibilities. You may not just be working as a paralegal. You may be a senior paralegal or even a case manager. In some instances, you may even be responsible for working with the interns to ensure that they are learning about the law firm.

Once you are hired by a great company, it is up to you to work hard and prove that you are capable of meeting the demands of the job – and this can potentially earn you a higher salary when your review rolls around.

Related:

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Top Online Bachelor’s in Paralegal Degree Programs

Top 25 Best Online Master’s in Legal Studies

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What type of paralegal is most in demand?

11 Types of Paralegals That Are In Demand.

Bankruptcy Paralegal. ... .

Family Law Paralegal. ... .

Intellectual Property Paralegal. ... .

Litigation Paralegal. ... .

Real Estate Paralegal. ... .

Immigration Paralegal. ... .

Personal Injury Paralegal. ... .

Take the First Step to Becoming a Paralegal in California..

What is the highest level of paralegal?

Master's degrees are generally the highest degree in the paralegal field. Individuals who complete master degrees often pursue careers as paralegal managers or teachers. The master's degree programs are often offered as online programs.

What is the best part of being a paralegal?

10 Best Things about Being a Paralegal.

Variety. ... .

Helping People. ... .

Room for Growth. ... .

Respect. ... .

Develop Valuable Skills. ... .

Learn All About the Legal System. ... .

Portable. People will always need lawyers and lawyers will always need paralegals. ... .

Quick Training. You can train to be a paralegal in one or two years..

What state do paralegals make the most?

Best-Paying States for Paralegals The states and districts that pay Paralegals the highest mean salary are District of Columbia ($83,330), California ($66,250), Washington ($63,050), Colorado ($62,950), and New York ($62,530).