While they may not be held in the same regard as lawyers, paralegals are instrumental in the efficient operation of legal companies, a fact appreciated by the 11 cities with the highest demand for paralegals.
Paralegals are usually employed by lawyers in order to perform legal work for them within the course of their qualification, training or experience. In the United States, there isn’t a legal license provided by the state or the federal government to paralegals but instead they can obtain certifications from private organizations which can include universities and colleges. There are two organizations in the nation that cater to paralegals, namely the National Federation of Paralegal Associations and the Assistants. Both of the organizations offer exams which are separate from the aforementioned certifications.
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Paralegals of course tend to make much less than professional, qualified lawyers, as evidenced in 11 cities with the highest demand for lawyers. This is because they cannot carry out many of the functions that lawyers perform such as signing court documents including pleadings, providing legal advice and appearing in court, all of which would be legal violations if performed by a paralegal.
Hence, while lawyers can easily make over $100,000 on average in the United States, the average salary for a paralegal in the nation is just over $50,000. Of course, their work is still indispensable which is why we decided to determine the 11 cities with the highest demand for paralegals. We used the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the highest salaries as a city pays high salaries for a profession if it is largely in demand. We also figured out the cities which have the highest number of jobs for paralegals as greater demand is generally the reason behind an increase in jobs. Once again, for this information, we consulted the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
11. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $59,110
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 15
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 3,160
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 19
Overall score: 3
10. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $56,700
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 28
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 6,440
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 5
Overall score: 3.5
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9. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $58,230
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 22
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 5,120
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 8
Overall score: 5
8. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $62,930
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 7
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 3,000
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 21
Overall score: 6
7. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $58,570
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 17
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 4,230
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 10
Overall score: 6.5
6. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $67,640
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 3
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 3,020
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 20
Overall score: 8.5
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4. Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $60,120
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 12
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 5,240
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 7
Overall score: 10.5
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4. San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $69,800
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 2
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 3,320
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 17
Overall score: 10.5
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3. New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $60,080
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 14
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 15,840
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 1
Overall score: 12.5
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2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $65,350
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 5
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 8,000
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 4
Overall score: 15.5
1. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division
Average annual salary for paralegals in the city: $69,880
Ranking according to average annual salary for paralegals in the city: 1
Total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 9,850
Ranking according to total number of jobs in the city for paralegals: 3
Overall score: 18
With ample employment opportunities at a salary of around $70,000, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria top the list of 11 cities with the highest demand for paralegals.
