Key takeaways
- O*NET reports 376,200 workers in 2024 for paralegals and legal assistants.
- The national median annual employee wage was $62,890 in 2025.
- The 2024 to 2034 projection lists 39,300 openings across the full ten-year period.
- The published growth band is little or no change.
- These employee figures can inform a role brief, but they do not set a local offer, legal wage floor, or contractor rate.
Table of contents
What paralegals and legal assistants employment and wage data shows in 2026
Federal workforce data put 2024 employment for paralegals and legal assistants at 376,200. The 2025 median annual employee wage was $62,890.
O*NET lists 39,300 projected openings across 2024 to 2034 and classifies growth as little or no change. Openings cover the complete projection period and may include replacement needs.
These national figures describe an occupation, not one employer's job. Location, industry, schedule, responsibility, and employment status can change an appropriate offer and hiring plan.
| Statistic | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | 376,200 workers in 2024 | O*NET OnLine |
| Median annual wage | $62,890 in 2025 | O*NET OnLine |
| Median hourly equivalent | $30.24 using 2,080 hours | Calculated from O*NET annual median |
| Projected openings | 39,300 from 2024 to 2034 | O*NET OnLine |
| Projected growth band | Little or no change | O*NET OnLine |
| Occupation code | 23-2011 | BLS National Employment Matrix |
| Projection baseline | 2024 | BLS Employment Projections |
| Verification date | August 10, 2026 | OnboardingEmployees source review |
Write the role around observable work
A useful paralegals and legal assistants brief should cover case files, legal research, citations, document control, deadlines, confidentiality, and attorney review. The occupation title alone does not define those responsibilities.
List recurring outputs, deadlines, systems, source records, and reviewers. State which decisions belong to the employee and which require approval.
Separate essential work from occasional requests so candidates and interviewers use the same standard.
- Name each recurring output and due date.
- List systems and permission levels.
- Define approval and escalation boundaries.
- State the evidence used to review completed work.
Screen with a bounded work sample
Turn the role brief into a scoring rubric before reviewing applications. Each criterion should point to work a reviewer can observe or verify.
A paralegals and legal assistants work sample should use safe records and a limited scope. Tell candidates what they may assume, how much time they have, and how reviewers will score the result.
Ask where the candidate would stop and escalate. That tests judgment around missing records, access, approvals, and risk.
- Score the same evidence for every candidate.
- Use redacted or synthetic work-sample records.
- Record reasons for pass, hold, or reject decisions.
- Keep hiring criteria separate from protected characteristics.
Sequence access, practice, and review
Begin onboarding with the current procedure and one complete demonstration. Let the new hire finish a supervised example before granting broader authority.
Assign one owner for questions and corrections. Record which tasks can proceed independently and which need review during the first week.
Review temporary permissions after supervised practice. Remove access that is no longer needed and document any added authority.
- Confirm identity before provisioning accounts.
- Use least-privilege access.
- Review one complete output against the hiring rubric.
- Document correction and escalation paths.
Compare the benchmark with the actual job
The $62,890 median divides the national employee wage distribution in half. It does not prescribe one offer.
Compare the occupation definition with the employer's responsibilities, location, schedule, experience requirements, and decision authority. A blended job may need more than one occupational benchmark.
Record which public benchmark informed the discussion, then keep current local evidence and legal review separate.
Keep years, populations, and units visible
OEWS wage estimates exclude self-employed workers. The median cannot support a contractor or virtual-assistant rate claim without different evidence.
Projection bands describe national direction under BLS assumptions. They do not predict one company's hiring volume or one candidate's performance.
Employment, wages, and openings answer different questions. Preserve each figure's year, unit, and population in briefs and presentations.
Sources and methodology
We checked 11 BLS and O*NET records on August 10, 2026. The occupation-specific O*NET summary for 23-2011.00 supplies the headline 2024 employment, 2025 median wage, 2024 to 2034 openings, and growth band. BLS records explain the projection model, wage definitions, education data, and survey limits. The openings figure covers the full projection period because that is how O*NET reports it. OEWS excludes self-employed workers, so its median is not a freelance or virtual-assistant price.
- BLS Occupational Projections and Worker CharacteristicsAugust 28, 2025. 2024 employment and 2024 to 2034 projection context for SOC 23-2011.
- BLS Employment Projections methodologySeptember 2025. Projection assumptions, replacement needs, and model limits.
- BLS 2024 National Employment MatrixAugust 28, 2025. Base-year occupational employment and industry matrix data.
- BLS education and training assignmentsAugust 28, 2025. Typical preparation categories for detailed occupations.
- BLS educational attainment by occupationAugust 28, 2025. Attainment distributions for workers age 25 and older.
- BLS factors affecting occupational utilizationAugust 28, 2025. Technology, demand, and work-organization factors used in projections.
- BLS May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage StatisticsMay 15, 2026. Current national employment and wage release.
- BLS OEWS technical notesMay 15, 2026. Survey coverage, wage definitions, estimation, and exclusions.
- BLS OEWS Handbook of MethodsVerified August 10, 2026. Collection and production methods for occupational wage estimates.
- O*NET OnLine summary for Paralegals and Legal AssistantsUpdated 2026; accessed August 10, 2026. Occupation definition, 2025 median wage, 2024 employment, outlook band, and openings for 23-2011.00.
- O*NET OnLine details for Paralegals and Legal AssistantsUpdated 2026; accessed August 10, 2026. Detailed tasks, work activities, skills, knowledge, and technology.
Source count: 11. Last verification date: August 10, 2026.
Related research
FAQ
How many paralegals and legal assistants were employed in 2024?
O*NET reports 376,200 employees in 2024 for 23-2011.00.
What was the 2025 median wage for paralegals and legal assistants?
The national median annual employee wage was $62,890 in 2025.
How many openings are projected?
O*NET lists 39,300 openings from 2024 to 2034. The number covers the complete ten-year period.
What is the projected growth outlook?
O*NET classifies projected growth from 2024 to 2034 as little or no change.
Can this wage be used as a contractor rate?
No. OEWS describes employee wages and excludes self-employed workers. It does not establish contractor pricing.
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