The paralegal job outlook for 2024-2034 shows stable employment with little or no change projected, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While new job creation is minimal, approximately 39,300 annual openings will arise from professionals retiring or changing careers. Paralegals earn a median salary of $61,010 nationally, with opportunities across law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies.
If you’re considering a paralegal career, you’ve probably wondered about job prospects and long-term opportunities in the field. The legal profession continues to evolve, shaped by economic trends, technological advances, and changing client needs. Understanding the current paralegal job outlook helps you make informed decisions about education, specialization, and career planning.
The paralegal field offers stable employment opportunities backed by steady turnover from law firms, corporate legal departments, and government agencies. While job growth projections show minimal expansion compared to previous decades, the profession maintains stability with thousands of annual openings. This guide examines current employment data, salary trends, and factors shaping paralegal careers through 2034.
National Paralegal Job Outlook 2024-2034
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects little or no change in paralegal employment over the next decade. Between 2024 and 2034, the field is expected to add approximately 600 positions nationwide. This represents a shift from previous decades when paralegal employment experienced more substantial expansion.
Current employment stands at 376,200 professionals nationwide, and that number should reach approximately 376,800 by 2034. The minimal growth reflects market maturation rather than declining interest in paralegal services.
What matters most for job seekers is turnover. The BLS estimates approximately 39,300 paralegal openings will occur annually through 2034. These openings result primarily from professionals retiring, changing careers, or moving into other roles—not from the creation of new positions. For aspiring paralegals, this means regular entry opportunities despite flat overall growth.
| Metric | 2024 Data | 2034 Projection | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Employment | 376,200 | 376,800 | +600 jobs |
| Percent Growth | — | — | Little or no change |
| Annual Openings | — | — | 39,300/year |
| Opening Source | — | — | Primarily turnover |
Law firms remain the largest employer of paralegals, though the composition of legal employment continues shifting. Corporate legal departments have expanded as companies bring more legal work in-house to control costs. Government agencies maintain steady paralegal staffing levels across federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
The paralegal role itself continues evolving. Many firms now rely on paralegals to handle work previously assigned to junior attorneys, particularly in areas like discovery management, legal research, and client communication. This expanded responsibility creates opportunities for experienced paralegals to take on more complex work and earn higher salaries.
Paralegal Salary Trends
Paralegal salaries have grown steadily over the past several years, reflecting increased responsibility. According to 2024 BLS data, paralegals earn a median salary of $61,010 annually, with mean earnings of $66,510.
Salary ranges vary significantly based on experience level, geographic location, and specialization. Entry-level paralegals in the 10th percentile earn approximately $39,710, while top earners in the 90th percentile make $98,990 or more. This wide range reflects differences in education, credentials, years of experience, and practice area focus.
| Experience Level | Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | 10th Percentile | $39,710 | $19.09 |
| Early Career | 25th Percentile | $48,190 | $23.17 |
| Mid-Career | Median (50th) | $61,010 | $29.33 |
| Experienced | 75th Percentile | $78,280 | $37.63 |
| Top Earners | 90th Percentile | $98,990 | $47.59 |
| Average (Mean) | — | $66,510 | $31.98 |
The difference between median ($61,010) and mean ($66,510) salary indicates that high earners pull the average upward. Most paralegals earn closer to the median, though specialization and experience can push earnings well above that mark.
Salary growth tends to accelerate after the first few years of experience. Paralegals who develop expertise in specialized areas, earn professional certifications, or take on supervisory responsibilities often see faster compensation increases. Geographic location also significantly impacts earning potential, with major metropolitan areas typically offering higher salaries that reflect the local cost of living and market conditions.
Employment by Industry and Specialization
Paralegals work across diverse industries and practice areas, each offering different compensation levels and employment characteristics. Understanding employment distribution helps you target areas with opportunities that match your interests and goals.
Law firms employ the largest number of paralegals, but corporate legal departments have grown as companies maintain in-house legal teams rather than paying higher hourly rates to outside counsel. This shift has created corporate paralegal positions, particularly in industries with complex regulatory requirements like healthcare, finance, and technology.
According to BLS occupational employment data, compensation varies substantially by employer type and industry. Federal government positions tend to offer higher compensation, while employer types and geographic regions vary considerably. Individual earnings depend heavily on location, employer size, specialization, and experience level.
Specialization can impact both job prospects and earnings potential. Paralegals focusing on certain practice areas may find different opportunities depending on market conditions. Key specializations include:
- Corporate and Securities: Working with mergers, acquisitions, compliance, and SEC filings. Corporate paralegals often work standard business hours in office environments.
- Intellectual Property: Supporting patent, trademark, and copyright work. IP paralegals need technical knowledge and often work in technology-focused markets.
- Litigation: Managing discovery, preparing trial exhibits, and coordinating with expert witnesses. Litigation remains one of the largest paralegal specializations.
- Healthcare and Medical Malpractice: Understanding medical terminology and records while navigating complex healthcare regulations.
- Real Estate and Banking: Handling closings, title work, and loan documentation. These positions offer work in both law firms and financial institutions.
- Immigration: Assisting with visa applications, citizenship processes, and deportation defense. Immigration work reflects ongoing policy developments.
Paralegals increasingly take on hybrid roles that combine traditional paralegal duties with legal assistant functions, project management, or administrative oversight. This trend toward multifunctional roles creates opportunities for professionals who can handle diverse responsibilities.
Factors Influencing Paralegal Employment
Several key factors shape paralegal employment prospects and explain why turnover remains steady despite minimal overall job growth.
Cost Pressures on Legal Services
Legal clients—whether individuals, corporations, or government entities—continue seeking ways to reduce legal costs. Paralegals represent a cost-effective solution since they handle substantive legal work at lower billing rates than attorneys. This economic reality helps maintain steady paralegal employment by replacing retiring or departing professionals.
Many law firms structure their staffing to maximize paralegal utilization, assigning work that doesn’t require bar admission to qualified paralegals. This approach allows firms to offer competitive pricing while maintaining profitability.
Technology and Automation
Technology tools are changing how some paralegals work, though the long-term impact remains unclear. E-discovery platforms, contract analysis software, and AI-powered research tools may automate certain routine tasks. Some industry observers suggest this could free paralegals to focus on more complex work that requires human judgment, while others note that technology could reduce overall staffing needs in some practice areas.
Paralegals who develop proficiency with legal software tools may position themselves more competitively. Skills like e-discovery management, legal project management software, and document automation represent areas where technical knowledge complements legal expertise.
Regulatory Complexity
Regulatory requirements across industries create an ongoing need for legal professionals who can manage compliance, monitor regulatory changes, and maintain required documentation. Corporate compliance teams frequently include paralegals who specialize in specific regulatory frameworks.
Healthcare, financial services, environmental law, and data privacy represent areas where regulatory complexity influences paralegal work. Professionals who develop subject-matter expertise in these highly regulated fields may find opportunities for career development.
Remote Work Opportunities
The shift toward remote work has potentially expanded paralegal opportunities beyond traditional geographic constraints. Some law firms and corporate legal departments now offer hybrid or fully remote positions, which may allow paralegals to work for employers outside their local area.
This flexibility could open positions in expensive markets like San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., to paralegals living in lower-cost-of-living areas, though the extent and permanence of remote work arrangements vary by employer.
Geographic Variations in Employment
Paralegal employment and compensation vary significantly by state and metropolitan area. National averages don’t reflect these substantial regional differences, which depend on local legal markets, cost of living, and economic conditions.
States with the largest paralegal employment include California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Illinois. These states host major metropolitan areas with substantial legal markets, corporate headquarters, and government agencies.
Metropolitan areas show considerable variation in both paralegal concentration and compensation. Major legal markets include:
- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA: Higher salaries reflecting cost of living and concentration of corporate legal departments
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: Federal government and association presence
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA: Major law firms and financial institutions
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: Diverse legal market, including entertainment law and corporate work
- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH: Educational institutions, healthcare, and technology companies
Growing metropolitan areas in the South and Southwest, including Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, and Atlanta, may exhibit employment patterns different from those of established East Coast markets, though projections vary by region. These areas combine population growth with expanding business sectors.
Rural areas and smaller cities generally offer fewer paralegal positions but also face less competition. Paralegals willing to work in smaller markets may find opportunities with local firms or government offices, or through remote work arrangements, where available.
Skills in Demand for Future Paralegals
The paralegal role continues evolving, and professionals who develop relevant skills may position themselves more competitively for career opportunities and advancement.
Technology Proficiency
Modern paralegals increasingly work with legal technology tools. Relevant technical skills include:
- E-discovery platforms (Relativity, Everlaw, Logikcull)
- Case management software (Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther)
- Document automation tools
- Legal research databases (Westlaw, LexisNexis)
- Trial presentation software
- Microsoft Office Suite advanced features
Paralegals who can train others on technology tools or serve as system administrators may find opportunities for advancement into leadership roles.
Specialized Legal Knowledge
Deep knowledge in specific practice areas can distinguish experienced paralegals from entry-level candidates. Specialization requires understanding relevant statutes, regulations, procedures, and industry practices beyond general legal principles.
Developing expertise takes time and intentional focus. Paralegals can build specialization through continuing education, professional certifications, and deliberately seeking work in target practice areas.
Project Management
Legal work increasingly incorporates project management principles, particularly for large-scale litigation, transactions, or compliance initiatives. Paralegals who can coordinate teams, manage timelines, track budgets, and ensure deliverables meet quality standards may add value to their employers.
Project management skills translate across practice areas and could position paralegals for supervisory roles or positions managing other legal professionals.
Communication and Client Service
Paralegals with strong written and verbal communication skills may excel in roles requiring client interaction, witness interviews, or coordination with opposing counsel. The ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers can increase value to attorneys and clients.
Many paralegals serve as points of contact for clients on routine matters, making client service skills important. Building rapport with clients and managing expectations professionally contributes to client retention.
Adaptability and Continuous Learning
Legal practice areas, regulations, and technology tools change over time. Paralegals who embrace continuous learning may maintain relevance throughout their careers.
Professional development through continuing education courses, industry conferences, and professional association membership helps paralegals stay current. Many states and certifying organizations require ongoing education for credential maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a paralegal a good career in 2025?
Paralegal work offers a stable career with regular opportunities from turnover despite little projected job growth. The field provides approximately 39,300 annual openings due to retirements and career changes, meaning regular replacement positions for new paralegals. Median salaries of $61,010 nationally (with top earners exceeding $98,000) provide solid earning potential, particularly for those who specialize or gain experience. The career offers intellectual challenge, diverse practice areas, and opportunities for advancement without requiring law school.
Is the paralegal field growing or declining?
The paralegal field shows little or no change projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (essentially flat growth from 2024-2034). While this represents slower expansion than previous decades, the field isn’t declining. Current employment of 376,200 paralegals should remain essentially steady through 2034, with approximately 600 new positions over 10 years. The minimal new job creation is offset by substantial annual openings from turnover, providing regular employment opportunities. Market maturation rather than reduced need explains the stable outlook.
How much can paralegals expect to earn in 2025?
Paralegals earn a median salary of $61,010 annually, according to 2024 BLS data. Entry-level paralegals (10th percentile) earn approximately $39,710, while experienced professionals (75th percentile) make $78,280. Top earners (90th percentile) exceed $98,990. Actual earnings depend heavily on location, with major metropolitan areas offering significantly different salaries based on local market conditions and cost of living. Specialization, credentials, employer type, and years of experience also substantially impact compensation.
What types of employers hire paralegals?
Law firms remain the largest employer of paralegals, though corporate legal departments have grown as companies bring more legal work in-house. Government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels employ substantial numbers of paralegals. Other employers include insurance companies, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, real estate companies, and nonprofit organizations. Compensation varies significantly by employer type, industry, and location, with federal government positions among the higher-paying employer categories according to BLS data.
Will AI and automation replace paralegals?
The long-term impact of AI and automation on paralegal employment remains uncertain. Some technology tools handle routine tasks like document review, basic research, and data organization. Industry observers have varying perspectives: some suggest technology may allow paralegals to focus on complex analyses that require human judgment, while others note that automation could affect overall staffing needs in certain practice areas. The BLS projects little or no change in paralegal employment through 2034, suggesting that current technology trends haven’t eliminated the need for paralegal professionals, though the field may continue to evolve.
What skills might help paralegals remain competitive?
Paralegals may benefit from developing proficiency in technology (e-discovery, case management software, document automation), specialized legal knowledge in specific practice areas, and project management capabilities. Strong communication skills for client interaction and team coordination remain important. Adaptability and commitment to continuous learning help paralegals navigate changes in legal practice. Professionals combining substantive legal expertise with technical skills and business acumen may position themselves more competitively for opportunities and advancement.
How many paralegal jobs open up each year?
The BLS projects approximately 39,300 paralegal job openings annually through 2034. These openings result primarily from professionals retiring, changing careers, or advancing into new roles—not from the creation of new positions. This turnover rate means regular replacement opportunities for new paralegals despite minimal overall growth. The annual opening rate accounts for about 10% of total employment, providing regular opportunities for qualified candidates to enter the field through turnover rather than expansion.
Key Takeaways
- Paralegal employment shows little or no change projected from 2024-2034 per BLS, with approximately 39,300 annual openings from turnover providing regular entry opportunities
- Median paralegal salary is $61,010 nationally (2024 BLS data), though earnings vary significantly by location, employer type, and specialization
- Most annual job openings result from retirements and career changes rather than new position creation
- Technology’s long-term impact on paralegal employment remains uncertain, though the field continues adapting to new tools and workflows
- Specialization in specific practice areas and the development of technical skills may help paralegals position themselves more competitively
- Geographic location substantially impacts both job availability and compensation, with considerable variation between markets
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2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market figures for Paralegals and Legal Assistants reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2025.
