Paralegal salary in Baton Rouge, LA
Baton Rouge is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $59,030 a year1 is 2.0% below the Louisiana statewide median of $60,250, and 6.1% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #190 of 506. About 960 paralegals work here, 20% of the Louisiana total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Baton Rouge, LA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Baton Rouge against Louisiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $43,400 | $59,030 | $76,860 | |
| Louisiana | $36,960 | $60,250 | $78,230 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Baton Rouge earns $49,760–$67,150. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $76,860, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($58,610) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,390 wide, against $25,270 across Louisiana and $29,740 nationally: employers in Baton Rouge 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 | $43,400 | $3,617 | $20.87 | $56,000 |
| 25th percentile | $49,760 | $4,147 | $23.92 | $64,206 |
| Median | $59,030 | $4,919 | $28.38 | $76,168 |
| 75th percentile | $67,150 | $5,596 | $32.28 | $86,645 |
| 90th percentile | $76,860 | $6,405 | $36.95 | $99,174 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,120 a year in pay and about $10,477 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,270 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 Baton Rouge, and the Louisiana statewide median of $60,250 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Baton Rouge
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 $17,138 to the $59,030 median and brings it to $76,168 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 Baton Rouge
Of the 17 roles we track in Baton Rouge, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($59,680) and executive assistants ($58,800). Project Coordinator is the highest at $86,650.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +2.0% | 1,730 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +1.1% | 1,260 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 960 | |
| Executive Assistant | -0.4% | 2,050 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.5% | 540 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Baton Rouge (-6.1%), between HR assistants (-4.3%) and payroll specialists (-6.3%). The typical role here is at -13.4%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Baton Rouge than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Baton Rouge, 2.8% across Louisiana and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Louisiana
Across the 12 areas of Louisiana with data for this job, the median runs from $44,740 in the Southwest Louisiana nonmetro area to $64,780 in New Orleans-Metairie, a gap of $20,040 a year. The one area in Louisiana with more paralegals, New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($64,780), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Baton Rouge | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +9.7% | 2,120 | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | this area | 960 | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | -0.2% | 240 | |
| Slidell-Mandeville, LA | -1.6% | 200 | |
| Alexandria, LA | -3.8% | 120 | |
| Lafayette, LA | -11.7% | 470 | |
| Northeast Louisiana (Nonmetro) | -16.4% | 70 |
Baton Rouge against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Baton Rouge is #66 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 Louisiana, Paducah and Bozeman pay just above Baton Rouge and Jackson and Killeen-Temple just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Baton Rouge. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Baton Rouge | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | +3.6% | 970 | jobs | |
| Bozeman, MT | +0.2% | 90 | pay | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | +0.1% | 90 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | this area | 960 | ||
| Jackson, MI | +0.0% | 70 | pay | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | -0.1% | 220 | pay | |
| Tucson, AZ | -11.2% | 980 | jobs | |
| Jackson, MS | -14.5% | 960 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Baton Rouge, LA?
About $76,168 a year at the median, or $6,347 a month: $59,030 in pay plus about $17,138 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Baton Rouge?
The median was $59,030 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,400, the 90th $76,860, and the middle half earned $49,760 to $67,150.
Is Baton Rouge cheaper than the rest of Louisiana for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,030 against $60,250 statewide. The next area up in Louisiana is New Orleans-Metairie at $64,780, the next down Shreveport-Bossier City at $58,900.
How many paralegals work in Baton Rouge?
BLS counts about 960 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the Louisiana total of 4,890. Only New Orleans-Metairie has more in Louisiana.
Does a paralegal cost more than an executive assistant in Baton Rouge?
Yes: $230 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,030 and $58,800.
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.