Many young professionals are looking for paralegal professions due to the increased demand. But what are paralegals paid? Are attorneys paid well? And how much does the typical paralegal make? Years of experience, business size, and location are some of the elements that affect paralegal pay. In this article, we will study the different average salaries of paralegals per hour for those in Florida and Texas.
How Much Does a Paralegal Make
Legal assistants and attorneys both carry out a variety of activities for attorneys, including fact-finding, document drafting, legal research, case management, and trial preparation. The particular tasks performed by attorneys depend heavily on the area of law in which they practice. like:
- Family Law: The duties of an attorney in a family law profession, including the rules and regulations governing child support, community property, divorce, and conservatorship
- Criminal Law: The paralegal’s responsibilities within the criminal justice system, with a focus on assignments including legal research and drafting, include training on professional skills and a discovery lab for criminal law.
- Corporate Law: Corporate attorneys frequently assist attorneys in drafting shareholder agreements, stock-option programs, employee contracts, and yearly financial reports for businesses. To make sure that the company is informed of new legal obligations, corporate paralegals may monitor and evaluate government rules.
Texas has the third-highest employment level in the nation for attorneys and legal assistants, according to the U.S. Bureau of labor statistics, with an average national income of slightly over $56,000. In Texas, opportunities for attorneys and legal assistants are predicted to increase by 26% between 2018 and 20283, which is over seven times faster than the average growth rate for all occupations in the country, which is 4%. In the rankings for the 100 top Jobs for 2021, a paralegal is listed as the 53rd top position by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings use work-life balance, annual compensation, career demand, and professional advancement to determine rank.
The following factors that could affect your earning potential should be taken into account when you plan your paralegal career:
#1. Education
The level of education of an attorney may affect their compensation. According to O*NET OnLine, 34% of jobholders and subject matter experts said an attorney should have a bachelor’s degree; 50% said they should have an associate’s degree; and 7% said they should have a post-secondary certificate. 2 higher degrees of education, from an associate’s to a master’s degree, are associated with higher average income, according to the annual study conducted by NALA, the paralegal association (formerly the national association of legal assistants). It stated that the average compensation for attorneys with associate degrees was $61,734, while the average salary for attorneys with master’s degrees was $67,823.6
#2. Experience
Another aspect that affects how much attorneys and legal assistants might earn is their level of legal experience. Years of legal experience actually have the biggest impact on the pay of paralegals, according to the NALA survey. The average gross compensation for attorneys with one to five years of experience was $40,385 while the average gross salary for those with over 25 years of experience was $65,458.
#3. Company Size
A paralegal’s income may differ depending on the size of the firm they work for; smaller firms typically provide lower salaries than larger ones. The NALA research shows that attorneys employed by companies with two to five attorneys made an average gross compensation of $54,906 annually, while paralegals employed by firms with more than 46 attorneys made an average gross salary of $64,551 annually.
#4. Industry
The industry, often known as the job sector, is a significant contributor to pay potential. According to the BLS, of the major industries that employ attorneys, the production of petroleum and coal products ($106,780), web search portals, libraries, and other information services ($104,840), the production of computer and peripheral equipment ($102,810), and the production of motor vehicles ($102,420.6) had the highest average salaries ($108,350).
#5. Location
Location can have a big impact on pay as well. The states with the highest attorney annual average earnings in 2022, according to the BLS, were Washington, DC ($91,880), California ($76,080), Washington ($72,590), Massachusetts ($71,670), and New York ($69,860). 1Mississippi and Idaho were the states with the lowest average yearly salaries, both at $46,060.1 The top five highest-paying urban areas for attorneys were San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,460); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($88,270); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($79,810); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($78,230); and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($75,850).
In Texas, paralegals are not required to be certified, however, the state bar of Texas advises that lawyers select paralegals with academic credentials. You will be at a distinct advantage when looking for paralegal jobs if you are certified.
The UTSA paralegal certificate program is created and instructed by local, practicing attorneys with the goal of educating participants and highlighting the legal areas where paralegals are most in demand while preparing them to be educated, ethical, and effective. There are three phases or semesters in the program: Paralegal 1, Paralegal 2, and Paralegal 3. The program (about 14 weeks in per phase) accelerates the development of abilities from scratch. In 11 months, the entire curriculum can be finished.
How Much Does a Paralegal Make per Hour
The average hourly wage for an entry-level paralegal in the United States as of July 19, 2023 is $21.51.
The average entry-level paralegal compensation in the United States is now between $18.27 (25th percentile) and $23.80 (75th percentile), with hourly pay ranging from as high as $28.12 to as low as $13.70. There may be numerous prospects for growth and greater compensation dependent on skill level, region, and years of experience because the typical wage range for an entry-level paralegal ranges substantially (by as much as $5.53).
In your location, the average hourly wage for an entry-level attorney is $23, which is $1.15 (5%) higher than the $21.51 national average. Ranked first nationally among the 50 states for entry-level paralegal pay. We regularly analyze its database of millions of active jobs posted locally across America in order to determine the most precise hourly salary range for entry-level attorney positions.
There are ten cities where entry-level paralegal jobs often pay more than the national average. New York City, NY is at the top of the list, followed closely by Great Neck Gardens, NY, and Berkeley, CA in the second and third spots, respectively. Both Great Neck Gardens, NY, and New York City, NY surpass the $44,749 national average by $7,525 (16.8%) and $8,815 (19.7%), respectively.
The average salary in these ten cities is higher than the national average, therefore moving seems to offer the best chance of economic advancement for entry-level attorneys.
The average pay in these top 10 cities differs only 4% between New York City, NY, and Woburn, MA, supporting the limited prospect for significant wage development. This brings us to our final point. The ideal aspect to employ when weighing location and compensation for an entry level attorney career may be the potential for a cheaper cost of living.
How Much Does a Paralegal Make in Florida
How much money does a paralegal make in Florida?
A paralegal makes, on average, $46,033 in Florida. The usual range of paralegal salaries in Florida is between $30,000 and $68,000 per year. In contrast, the US average compensation for paralegals is $46,033. Paralegals in Florida earn, on average, $22.13 per hour.
The highest-paying businesses and industries are further broken down below along with the average paralegal income in Florida. Additionally, you may see how Florida’s average paralegal income has changed over time by comparing the earnings of various subtypes of attorneys employed there.
Florida was one of the states with the highest paralegal salaries, according to the BLS. Florida’s annual wage varies depending on the region. In Tallahassee, Florida, for instance, the average hourly wage is $21.72, or $45,180 annually. But in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, the average hourly wage is $27.19, or $56,560 annually. According to the 2019 BLS report, the average salary looks to be greater in places with a higher number of paralegals. There are only 790 paralegals in Tallahassee compared to 12,030 in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
How Much Does a Paralegal Make in Texas
The majority of the time, paralegals work for law firms, but they can also work for themselves. They are skilled at handling a variety of responsibilities in the legal industry. The salary of a paralegal in Texas depends on a variety of things. The income of a paralegal might vary depending on their region, experience, credentials, and level of schooling.
How Much Money Do Texas Paralegals Make? In Texas, a paralegal is thought to earn an average yearly pay of $56,270. In Texas, paralegals make an average hourly income of $27.05, or $56,270 annually. However, there is a large variety of pay for this occupation. The attorney with the lowest salary earns $29,980 a year, while those with the highest salaries earn over $105,614.
Is It Hard Getting a Job as a Paralegal?
It can be hard to locate and get a paralegal position, but there are still methods to make the application you submit stand out. Your chances will be improved by applying to a wide range of positions, networking, and getting legal experience.
Is It Harder to Be a Lawyer or Paralegal?
No, being a paralegal is not challenging. Although attorney employment might be demanding, earning a paralegal credential is not challenging. There are numerous routes one might take to become an attorney. The prerequisites to become a paralegal vary by state. Working directly for a lawyer who will assist you in your attorney in training is one route to becoming an attorney. Although it could be challenging to find an entry-level position without experience at major companies. Moreover, it is quite difficult to find a job as a paralegal due to the intense competition.
What Are the Cons of Being a Paralegal?
- Stress. Paralegals frequently have tight timelines to meet. They have a ton of things to finish, which can be really stressful for them. It may not be for you to
- Ongoing education. Paralegals are always picking up new knowledge and developing their existing skills. This can be thrilling, but you must also be eager to learn and willing to put in the necessary effort to do so.
What Is a Typical Day for a Paralegal?
Paralegals write, conduct research, schedule interviews, and do many other things during the day. Depending on the legal specialty they practice in or the law company they work for, their regular activities can range from attending court to working on administrative tasks.
What State Pays Paralegals the Most?
Salary can be significantly impacted by geographic location as well. The states with the highest paralegal annual average earnings in 2022, according to the BLS, were Washington DC ($91,880), California ($76,080), Washington ($72,590), Massachusetts ($71,670), and New York ($69,860).
Related Articles
- LAWYER ASSISTANT: Salary, Legal Assistant vs Paralegal, Responsibilites
- MINIMUM WAGE SALARY: All You Need to Know
- LAWYER SALARY: Average Salaries By State, Experience & Field of Practice (Updated!)
Reference
- utsa.edu
- bestaccreditedcolleges.org
- online-paralegal-programs.com
