The table below shows hourly and annual mean wages for paralegals by industry. The employment column lists the estimated number of paralegals employed in that industry. The data was collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES - May 2008.
Occupation: Paralegals and Legal Assistants |
| | |
| Industry |
Employment
Numbers | Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage |
| Sector 21 - Mining | 110 | 26.85 | 55850 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 90 | 27.62 | 57460 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 90 | 27.62 | 57460 |
| Sector 22 - Utilities | 390 | 27.3 | 56790 |
| Utilities | 390 | 27.3 | 56790 |
| Electric Power Generation Transmission and Distribution | 350 | 27.51 | 57210 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 30 | 25.22 | 52450 |
| Sector 23 - Construction | 290 | 26.81 | 55770 |
| Construction of Buildings | 140 | 27.4 | 57000 |
| Residential Building Construction | 110 | 27.79 | 57800 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 150 | 26.13 | 54350 |
| Land Subdivision | 130 | 26.09 | 54270 |
| Sectors 31 32 and 33 - Manufacturing | 1080 | 28.02 | 58280 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 310 | 26.89 | 55930 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 260 | 27.18 | 56540 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 60 | 27.87 | 57970 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 280 | 30.16 | 62730 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 60 | 28.79 | 59890 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 40 | 27.63 | 57460 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 70 | 30.07 | 62540 |
| Navigational Measuring Electromedical and Control Instruments Manufacturing ) | 110 | 31.79 | 66120 |
| Electrical Equipment Appliance and Component Manufacturing | 80 | 26.31 | 54730 |
| Household Appliance Manufacturing | 30 | 24.55 | 51060 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 150 | 27.09 | 56340 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 70 | 26.36 | 54840 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 110 | 27.77 | 57770 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 70 | 27.65 | 57510 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 40 | 28.01 | 58250 |
| Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | 420 | 28.3 | 58850 |
| Merchant Wholesalers Durable Goods | 170 | 28.46 | 59200 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 80 | 28.78 | 59860 |
| Merchant Wholesalers Nondurable Goods | 190 | 28.32 | 58910 |
| Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers | 80 | 29.01 | 60330 |
| Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers | 60 | 26.05 | 54180 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | 60 | 27.77 | 57760 |
| Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers | 60 | 27.77 | 57760 |
| Sectors 44 and 45 - Retail Trade | 160 | 21.7 | 45130 |
| Nonstore Retailers | 70 | 26.13 | 54360 |
| Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses | 60 | 27.08 | 56330 |
| Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | 430 | 25.07 | 52150 |
| Air Transportation | 80 | 22.12 | 46010 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 80 | 22 | 45770 |
| Rail Transportation | 110 | 27.51 | 57210 |
| Rail Transportation | 110 | 27.51 | 57210 |
| Truck Transportation | (8)- | 18.12 | 37680 |
| Specialized Freight Trucking | (8)- | 17.87 | 37170 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 40 | 25.79 | 53650 |
| Postal Service | 60 | 29.05 | 60420 |
| Postal Service | 60 | 29.05 | 60420 |
| Couriers and Messengers | 60 | 25.59 | 53230 |
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 60 | 25.59 | 53230 |
| Sector 51 - Information | 1550 | 30.09 | 62590 |
| Publishing Industries (except Internet) | 540 | 31.89 | 66330 |
| Newspaper Periodical Book and Directory Publishers | 210 | 29.17 | 60680 |
| Software Publishers | 330 | 33.63 | 69950 |
| Broadcasting (except Internet) | 50 | 30.42 | 63280 |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting | 30 | 30.03 | 62460 |
| Telecommunications | 480 | 30.24 | 62890 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers | 350 | 30.23 | 62880 |
| Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) | 90 | 29.1 | 60520 |
| Other Telecommunications | 50 | 33.02 | 68680 |
| Data Processing Hosting and Related Services | 160 | 22.49 | 46770 |
| Data Processing Hosting and Related Services | 160 | 22.49 | 46770 |
| Other Information Services | 130 | 33.81 | 70320 |
| Other Information Services | 130 | 33.81 | 70320 |
| Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | 9440 | 25.57 | 53170 |
| Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | 2190 | 25.26 | 52540 |
| Depository Credit Intermediation | 880 | 25.25 | 52530 |
| Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 1020 | 25.54 | 53130 |
| Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 590 | 24.95 | 51900 |
| Activities Related to Credit Intermediation | 280 | 24.25 | 50450 |
| Securities Commodity Contracts and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities | 1620 | 27.28 | 56750 |
| Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage | 620 | 28.14 | 58530 |
| Other Financial Investment Activities | 990 | 26.73 | 55590 |
| Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | 4840 | 25.48 | 53000 |
| Insurance Carriers | 4230 | 25.63 | 53310 |
| Direct Insurance (except Life Health and Medical) Carriers | 2750 | 25.45 | 52930 |
| Agencies Brokerages and Other Insurance Related Activities | 610 | 24.46 | 50870 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages | 250 | 23.68 | 49250 |
| Other Insurance Related Activities | 360 | 25 | 52000 |
| Funds Trusts and Other Financial Vehicles | 780 | 23.32 | 48510 |
| Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds | 140 | 25.86 | 53780 |
| Other Investment Pools and Funds | 630 | 22.74 | 47310 |
| Sector 53 - Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 1120 | 27.47 | 57140 |
| Real Estate | 720 | 27.36 | 56900 |
| Lessors of Real Estate | 260 | 27.85 | 57940 |
| Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers | 220 | 29.2 | 60730 |
| Activities Related to Real Estate | 240 | 25.14 | 52290 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 80 | 25.19 | 52400 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532400) | 70 | 25.66 | 53380 |
| Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (533000) | 320 | 28.29 | 58840 |
| Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (533100) | 320 | 28.29 | 58840 |
| Sector 54 - Professional Scientific and Technical Services (54--55) | 189730 | 22.82 | 47470 |
| Professional Scientific and Technical Services (541000) | 189730 | 22.82 | 47470 |
| Legal Services (541100) | 187360 | 22.78 | 47380 |
| Accounting Tax Preparation Bookkeeping and Payroll Services (541200) | 250 | 25.96 | 54000 |
| Architectural Engineering and Related Services (541300) | 240 | 29.8 | 61980 |
| Engineering Services (541330) | 210 | 29.62 | 61620 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services (541500) | 450 | 28.8 | 59890 |
| Management Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541600) | 710 | 22.67 | 47150 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services (541700) | 400 | 29.81 | 62000 |
| Research and Development in the Physical Engineering and Life Sciences (541710) | 390 | 29.95 | 62300 |
| Advertising Public Relations and Related Services (541800) | 230 | 23.7 | 49290 |
| Other Professional Scientific and Technical Services (541900) | 80 | 23.66 | 49220 |
| Sector 55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises (55--56) | 5820 | 27.75 | 57720 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises (551000) | 5820 | 27.75 | 57720 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises (551100) | 5820 | 27.75 | 57720 |
| Sector 56- Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56--57) | 5550 | 25.16 | 52340 |
| Administrative and Support Services (561000) | 5520 | 25.16 | 52340 |
| Office Administrative Services (561100) | 480 | 29.32 | 60990 |
| Facilities Support Services (561200) | 50 | 22.64 | 47080 |
| Employment Services (561300) | 4140 | 25.95 | 53970 |
| Business Support Services (561400) | 810 | 18.72 | 38930 |
| Sector 61 - Educational Services (61--62) | 460 | 25.16 | 52340 |
| Educational Services (611000) | 460 | 25.16 | 52340 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools (611100) | 80 | 25.21 | 52430 |
| Junior Colleges (611200) | 40 | 24.7 | 51370 |
| Colleges Universities and Professional Schools (611300) | 320 | 25.36 | 52740 |
| Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance (62--63) | 1090 | 22.36 | 46510 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services (621000) | 130 | 27.27 | 56720 |
| Offices of Physicians (621100) | 50 | 25.64 | 53330 |
| Outpatient Care Centers (621400) | 30 | 23.69 | 49270 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (621500) | 30 | (8)- | (8)- |
| Hospitals (622000) | 420 | 23.65 | 49190 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (622100) | 360 | 24.31 | 50560 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals (622200) | 50 | 18.04 | 37530 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623000) | 30 | 23.91 | 49720 |
| Social Assistance (624000) | 510 | 19.95 | 41490 |
| Individual and Family Services (624100) | 350 | 20.53 | 42710 |
| Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120) | (8)- | 21.64 | 45000 |
| Community Food and Housing and Emergency and Other Relief Services (624200) | 140 | 17.57 | 36550 |
| Sector 71 - Arts Entertainment and Recreation (71--72) | 60 | 27.46 | 57120 |
| Amusement Gambling and Recreation Industries (713000) | 40 | 27.17 | 56510 |
| Sector 72 - Accommodation and Food Services (72--73) | 110 | 26.78 | 55700 |
| Accommodation (721000) | 60 | 23.31 | 48490 |
| Traveler Accommodation (721100) | 60 | 23.31 | 48490 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places (722000) | 50 | 31.55 | 65630 |
| Sector 81 - Other Services (except Federal State and Local Government) (81--82) | 930 | 24.21 | 50360 |
| Personal and Laundry Services (812000) | 30 | 21.3 | 44300 |
| Religious Grantmaking Civic Professional and Similar Organizations (813000) | 900 | 24.32 | 50590 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services (813200) | 50 | 24.27 | 50480 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations (813300) | 210 | 20.62 | 42890 |
| Business Professional Labor Political and Similar Organizations (813900) | 600 | 25.79 | 53640 |
| Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930) | 110 | 32.88 | 68390 |
| Sector 99 - Federal State and Local Government (OES designation) (99-100) | 34310 | 24.65 | 51270 |
| Federal State and Local Government (OES Designation) (999000) | 34310 | 24.65 | 51270 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) (999100) | 13230 | 29.01 | 60340 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) (999300) | (8)- | 22.64 | 47080 |
