Paralegal salary in Albany-Schenectady, NY
Albany-Schenectady is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $60,680 a year1 is 11.3% below the New York statewide median of $68,410, and 3.5% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #130 of 506. BLS counts about 1,340 people in this job here, 4% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Albany-Schenectady against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | $47,250 | $60,680 | $81,320 | |
| New York | $48,330 | $68,410 | $115,720 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Albany-Schenectady earns $49,480–$70,250. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $81,320, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $20,770 wide, against $36,770 across New York and $29,740 nationally: employers in Albany-Schenectady pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,250 | $3,938 | $22.72 | $60,968 |
| 25th percentile | $49,480 | $4,123 | $23.79 | $63,845 |
| Median | $60,680 | $5,057 | $29.17 | $78,297 |
| 75th percentile | $70,250 | $5,854 | $33.77 | $90,645 |
| 90th percentile | $81,320 | $6,777 | $39.10 | $104,929 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,570 a year in pay and about $12,348 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,200 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $62,890 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Albany-Schenectady, and the New York statewide median of $68,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Albany-Schenectady
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $17,617 to the $60,680 median and brings it to $78,297 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for paralegals we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Albany-Schenectady
Of the 17 roles we track in Albany-Schenectady, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($68,050) and payroll specialists ($56,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,850.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +20.9% | 4,050 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +12.1% | 3,060 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 1,340 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.1% | 570 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.8% | 4,170 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Albany-Schenectady (-3.5%), between marketing specialists (-3.3%) and data entry specialists (-3.6%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Albany-Schenectady than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Albany-Schenectady, 3.1% across New York and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $47,850 in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area to $75,330 in New York-Newark, a gap of $27,480 a year. Of the 2 areas in New York with more paralegals than Albany-Schenectady, 1 pays less: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($58,270).
| Area | Median | vs Albany-Schenectady | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +2.5% | 140 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +1.1% | 600 | |
| Syracuse, NY | +0.8% | 970 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | this area | 1,340 | |
| Ithaca, NY | -0.2% | 80 | |
| Binghamton, NY | -0.4% | 240 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | -2.5% | 100 |
Albany-Schenectady against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Albany-Schenectady is #54 of 503 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside New York, Yuma and Cape Coral-Fort Myers pay just above Albany-Schenectady and Yuba City and Elizabethtown just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Albany-Schenectady. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Albany-Schenectady | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | +1.0% | 1,460 | jobs | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +0.0% | 910 | pay | |
| Yuma, AZ | +0.0% | 90 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | this area | 1,340 | ||
| Yuba City, CA | -0.0% | 40 | pay | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -0.2% | 80 | pay | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | -1.0% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | -6.0% | 1,490 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Albany-Schenectady, NY?
About $78,297 a year at the median, or $6,525 a month: $60,680 in pay plus about $17,617 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Albany-Schenectady?
The median was $60,680 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,250, the 90th $81,320, and the middle half earned $49,480 to $70,250.
Is Albany-Schenectady cheaper than the rest of New York for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $60,680 against $68,410 statewide. The next area up in New York is Syracuse at $61,150, the next down Ithaca at $60,550.
How many paralegals work in Albany-Schenectady?
BLS counts about 1,340 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the New York total of 34,220. Only New York-Newark and Buffalo-Cheektowaga have more in New York.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Albany-Schenectady?
Yes: $4,320 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,680 and $56,360.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.