Boasting one of the biggest economies in the U.S. that’s largely supported by the state’s massive tourism and agriculture industries, along with growing aviation, aerospace, financial/professional services industries, Florida is a force to be reckoned with. Del Monte Foods, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Winn-Dixie… these Florida corporations can translate into exciting opportunities for Florida’s paralegals specializing in corporate law.
But that’s not all… paralegals in Florida may land themselves a sought-after position with one of Miami’s big-name law firms like Holland & Knight LLP and Akerman LLP; a spot in Central Florida’s massive defense industry; or a career with a major nonprofit like Gainesville’s UF Health Shands Hospital.
Paralegal Job Market Trends in Florida
For professional opportunities in the paralegal profession, you simply can’t do better than Florida. As of May 2020, Florida was ranked first in the nation for its employment of paralegals – 33,760, beating out the massive states of California and Texas.
Florida also boasts strong paralegal salaries to match. As of May 2020, the average salary for paralegals in Florida was $52,100, or $25.05 per hour. Plenty of experience and a law specialty on your resume will allow you to rise through the ranks among Florida’s paralegals and be among the top earners (90th percentile) here who earned about $75,280, or $36.19 per hour, during this time.
Average Paralegal Salary in Florida by City
The Lakeland-Winter Haven metro region reported the highest salaries among Florida’s paralegals as of May 2020, although all metro regions reported average salaries that either approached or exceeded $50,000. Not surprising, the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach reported an average salary of $56,420, which is about $4,000 above the state average.
Cape Coral-Fort Meyers:
Average Annual Salary – $51,930 ($24.96 hourly)
Top 10% – $68,780 ($33.07 hourly)
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach:
Average Annual Salary – $45,050 ($21.66 hourly)
Top 10% – $74,770 ($35.95 hourly)
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach:
Average Annual Salary – $43,530 ($20.93 hourly)
Top 10% – $52,490 ($25.24 hourly)
Gainesville:
Average Annual Salary – $49,310 ($23.71 hourly)
Top 10% – $71,920 ($34.58 hourly)
Jacksonville:
Average – $50,740 ($24.39 hourly)
Top 10% – $72,470 ($34.84 hourly)
Lakeland-Winter Haven:
Average Annual Salary – $61,500 ($29.57 hourly)
Top 10% – $83,540 ($40.16 hourly)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach:
Average Annual Salary – $56,420 ($27.13 hourly)
Top 10% – $79,210 ($38.08 hourly)
Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island:
Average Annual Salary – $52,630 ($25.30 hourly)
Top 10% – $75,240 ($36.17 hourly)
Ocala:
Average Annual Salary – $40,550 ($19.49 hourly)
Top 10% – $46,920 ($22.56 hourly)
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford:
Average Annual Salary – $51,060 ($24.55 hourly)
Top 10% – $75,890 ($36.48 hourly)
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville:
Average Annual Salary – $46,660 ($22.43 hourly)
Top 10% – $68,240 ($32.81 hourly)
Panama City:
Average Annual Salary – $46,680 ($22.44 hourly)
Top 10% – $74,820 ($35.97 hourly)
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent:
Average Annual Salary – $46,010 ($22.12 hourly)
Top 10% – $63,180 ($30.38 hourly)
Port St. Lucie:
Average Annual Salary – $48,820 ($23.47 hourly)
Top 10% – $63,660 ($30.61 hourly)
Tallahassee:
Average Annual Salary – $47,120 ($22.66 hourly)
Top 10% – $64,170 ($30.85 hourly)
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater:
Average Annual Salary – $48,180 ($23.16 hourly)
Top 10% – $68,700 ($33.03 hourly)
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary, growth, and job market trends for paralegals and legal assistants. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2021.