Paralegal salary in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT
Bridgeport-Stamford is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $59,950 a year1 is 6.1% below the Connecticut statewide median of $63,820, and 4.7% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #160 of 506. About 1,600 paralegals work here, 31% of the Connecticut total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bridgeport-Stamford against Connecticut and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | $47,350 | $59,950 | $99,810 | |
| Connecticut | $46,440 | $63,820 | $100,040 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $99,810, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Bridgeport-Stamford earns $57,200–$78,870. The mean ($68,910) is 15% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $21,670 wide, against $30,400 across Connecticut and $29,740 nationally: employers in Bridgeport-Stamford 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 | $47,350 | $3,946 | $22.76 | $61,097 |
| 25th percentile | $57,200 | $4,767 | $27.50 | $73,806 |
| Median | $59,950 | $4,996 | $28.82 | $77,355 |
| 75th percentile | $78,870 | $6,572 | $37.92 | $101,768 |
| 90th percentile | $99,810 | $8,318 | $47.99 | $128,787 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,920 over the median, the 25th only $2,750 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $24,413 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 Bridgeport-Stamford, and the Connecticut statewide median of $63,820 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Bridgeport-Stamford
At the $59,950 median, a local hire costs about $77,355 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,405 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 Bridgeport-Stamford
Of the 17 roles we track in Bridgeport-Stamford, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($61,390) and administrative assistants ($57,440). Project Coordinator is the highest at $109,990.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +6.8% | 310 | |
| Bookkeeper | +2.4% | 3,710 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 1,600 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -4.2% | 5,800 | |
| HR Assistant | -4.6% | 240 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Bridgeport-Stamford (-4.7%), between marketing specialists (+2.9%) and e-commerce order specialists (-11.7%). The typical role here is at +12.0%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Bridgeport-Stamford than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Bridgeport-Stamford, 2.9% across Connecticut and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Connecticut
Across the 6 areas of Connecticut with data for this job, the median runs from $56,120 in Norwich-New London to $67,500 in Hartford-West Hartford, a gap of $11,380 a year. The one area in Connecticut with more paralegals, Hartford-West Hartford, CT ($67,500), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Bridgeport-Stamford | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +12.6% | 1,930 | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +7.7% | 420 | |
| New Haven, CT | +5.7% | 780 | |
| Connecticut (Nonmetro) | +0.5% | 100 | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | this area | 1,600 | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | -6.4% | 260 |
Bridgeport-Stamford against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bridgeport-Stamford is #50 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 Connecticut, Toledo and Springfield pay just above Bridgeport-Stamford and Odessa and St. Cloud just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Bridgeport-Stamford. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bridgeport-Stamford | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | +0.1% | 230 | pay | |
| Toledo, OH | +0.0% | 340 | pay | |
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | this area | 1,600 | ||
| Odessa, TX | -0.1% | 100 | pay | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.1% | 210 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -0.3% | 1,670 | jobs | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | -3.6% | 1,600 | jobs | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | -4.0% | 1,650 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Bridgeport-Stamford, CT?
About $77,355 a year at the median, or $6,446 a month: $59,950 in pay plus about $17,405 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Bridgeport-Stamford?
The median was $59,950 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,350, the 90th $99,810, and the middle half earned $57,200 to $78,870.
Is Bridgeport-Stamford cheaper than the rest of Connecticut for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,950 against $63,820 statewide. The next area up in Connecticut is the Connecticut nonmetro area at $60,240, the next down Norwich-New London at $56,120.
How many paralegals work in Bridgeport-Stamford?
BLS counts about 1,600 in the May 2025 survey. That is 31% of the Connecticut total of 5,210. Only Hartford-West Hartford has more in Connecticut.
Does a paralegal cost more than an administrative assistant in Bridgeport-Stamford?
Yes: $2,510 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,950 and $57,440.
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.