Paralegal salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Allentown-Bethlehem than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $61,000 a year1: 3.7% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $63,370 and 3.0% below the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#121 of 506). BLS counts about 430 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Allentown-Bethlehem against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | $48,040 | $61,000 | $92,920 | |
| Pennsylvania | $45,710 | $63,370 | $96,080 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Allentown-Bethlehem earns $51,130–$76,440. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $92,920, only 1.9 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 $25,310 wide, against $28,270 across Pennsylvania and $29,740 nationally: employers in Allentown-Bethlehem 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 | $48,040 | $4,003 | $23.10 | $61,987 |
| 25th percentile | $51,130 | $4,261 | $24.58 | $65,974 |
| Median | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29.33 | $78,710 |
| 75th percentile | $76,440 | $6,370 | $36.75 | $98,632 |
| 90th percentile | $92,920 | $7,743 | $44.67 | $119,897 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $15,440 over the median, the 25th only $9,870 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $19,923 a year in employer cost. 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 Allentown-Bethlehem, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $63,370 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Allentown-Bethlehem
At the $61,000 median, a local hire costs about $78,710 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,710 here. 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 Allentown-Bethlehem
Of the 17 roles we track in Allentown-Bethlehem, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($65,770) and sales development representatives ($59,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,050.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +11.0% | 1,400 | |
| Office Manager | +7.8% | 3,230 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 430 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.6% | 3,430 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -5.3% | 260 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Allentown-Bethlehem (-3.0%), between project coordinators (-2.2%) and bookkeepers (-3.1%). The typical role here is at -3.0%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 1.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Allentown-Bethlehem, 2.6% across Pennsylvania and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 19 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $49,110 in Altoona to $70,430 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $21,320 a year. Of the 3 areas in Pennsylvania with more paralegals than Allentown-Bethlehem, 1 pays less: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA ($60,360).
| Area | Median | vs Allentown-Bethlehem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | +15.5% | 11,150 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | +4.3% | 2,620 | |
| Lancaster, PA | +1.3% | 330 | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | this area | 430 | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -1.0% | 1,000 | |
| Lebanon, PA | -2.5% | 40 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | -2.6% | 240 |
Allentown-Bethlehem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Allentown-Bethlehem is #117 of 503 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Pennsylvania, Syracuse and Peoria pay just above Allentown-Bethlehem and Cleveland and Madison just below. All four are within $220 a year of the median in Allentown-Bethlehem. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Allentown-Bethlehem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, MA | +7.9% | 430 | jobs | |
| Peoria, IL | +0.4% | 370 | pay | |
| Syracuse, NY | +0.2% | 970 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | this area | 430 | ||
| Cleveland, OH | -0.1% | 2,960 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | -0.3% | 850 | pay | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -15.5% | 420 | jobs | |
| Huntsville, AL | -23.6% | 440 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ?
About $78,710 a year at the median, or $6,559 a month: $61,000 in pay plus about $17,710 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $61,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,040, the 90th $92,920, and the middle half earned $51,130 to $76,440.
Is Allentown-Bethlehem cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $61,000 against $63,370 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Lancaster at $61,780, the next down Harrisburg-Carlisle at $60,360.
How many paralegals work in Allentown-Bethlehem?
BLS counts about 430 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is Harrisburg-Carlisle, with about 1,000.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Allentown-Bethlehem?
Yes: $1,590 a year more at the median. The medians are $61,000 and $59,410.
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.