During difficult economic times like these, everyone is concerned about either finding a job or keeping their job. Everyone in the working world is aware of the hardships plaguing unemployment statistics. It seems like more people lose jobs every day even though things are supposed to be getting better.
Believe it or not, some industries, occupations, and even geographic locations have managed to escape the downturn in the job market. Luckily, the paralegal profession is a line of work that has continued to see great numbers. These are great times to be a paralegal. But that doesn’t mean those in the field shouldn’t take extra measures to ensure their job security, including considering cities in the country where paralegals are in high demand.

This chart displays annual mean salaries for Paralegals in the U.S. The data was collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES - May 2008.
How Much Money Does a Paralegal Make?
New York City has one of the highest employment levels for paralegals as well as one of the highest paralegal average salary at $60,670. The Washington D.C. area isn’t far behind, where paralegals stand to earn $59,580 annually. In Portland, Maine, paralegals are highly employed and can earn an average $44,540 annually. Jackson, Mississippi is also an area of high employment for paralegals where they can earn $39,010. And in Charleston, West Virginia, paralegals earn an average annual income of $37,300.
Managing your career requires much more than increasing your income, especially when times are tough and jobs are scarce. Sometimes you have to go to the job to ensure you have the best opportunities available.
Related Charts for Paralegal Salaries
Paralegal Pay Scale - Major Metropolitan Areas
Paralegal Salaries - Popular States
Paralegal Salary Ranges - Popular Industries
The bar graph above shows the average paralegal salary in cities with the highest employment levels. The data is displayed below in table format:
| City |
Annual Mean Wage |
| Charleston, WV |
37300 |
| Washington DC Area |
59580 |
| New York Area, NY |
60670 |
| Jackson, MS |
39010 |
| Portland Area, ME |
44540 |
|