Paralegal salary in Burlington-South Burlington, VT
Paralegals earn more in Burlington-South Burlington than anywhere else in Vermont. Expect a median of $71,160 a year1, 6.0% above the Vermont statewide median of $67,160 and 13.1% above the US median of $62,890. Nationally that is #27 of 506 areas, in the top tenth. With about 300 paralegals, 45% of the Vermont total, no area in Vermont employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Burlington-South Burlington, VT. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Burlington-South Burlington against Vermont and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $51,310 | $71,160 | $85,490 | |
| Vermont | $48,650 | $67,160 | $87,390 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Burlington-South Burlington earns $59,120–$79,090. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $85,490, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($69,730) 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 $19,970 wide, against $20,090 across Vermont and $29,740 nationally: employers in Burlington-South Burlington 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 | $51,310 | $4,276 | $24.67 | $66,206 |
| 25th percentile | $59,120 | $4,927 | $28.42 | $76,284 |
| Median | $71,160 | $5,930 | $34.21 | $91,819 |
| 75th percentile | $79,090 | $6,591 | $38.02 | $102,052 |
| 90th percentile | $85,490 | $7,124 | $41.10 | $110,310 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $7,930 over it, while the 25th sits $12,040 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $10,232 more a year with benefits. 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 25th percentile and the median in Burlington-South Burlington, and the Vermont statewide median of $67,160 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Burlington-South Burlington
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 $20,659 to the $71,160 median and brings it to $91,819 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 Burlington-South Burlington
Of the 16 roles we track in Burlington-South Burlington, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between executive assistants ($73,240) and office managers ($69,720). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,410.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +5.0% | 410 | |
| Executive Assistant | +2.9% | 300 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 300 | |
| Office Manager | -2.0% | 570 | |
| Bookkeeper | -20.3% | 1,020 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in Burlington-South Burlington (+13.1%), between sales development representatives (+13.8%) and customer support specialists (+12.0%). The typical role here is at +5.3%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Burlington-South Burlington than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.2% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in Burlington-South Burlington, 2.8% across Vermont and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Vermont
Across the 3 areas of Vermont with data for this job, the median runs from $65,390 in the Southern Vermont nonmetro area to $71,160 in Burlington-South Burlington, a gap of $5,770 a year. No other area in Vermont has as many paralegals, and both others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Burlington-South Burlington | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | this area | 300 | |
| Northern Vermont (Nonmetro) | -7.7% | 160 | |
| Southern Vermont (Nonmetro) | -8.1% | 190 |
Burlington-South Burlington against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Burlington-South Burlington is #155 of 503 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Vermont, Bremerton-Silverdale and Fairbanks-College pay just above Burlington-South Burlington and Olympia-Lacey and Worcester just below. All four are within $230 a year of the median in Burlington-South Burlington. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Burlington-South Burlington | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +0.3% | 60 | pay | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +0.2% | 190 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | this area | 300 | ||
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -0.0% | 570 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | -0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -10.9% | 300 | jobs | |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC | -24.2% | 300 | jobs | |
| Ocala, FL | -28.5% | 300 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Burlington-South Burlington, VT?
About $91,819 a year at the median, or $7,652 a month: $71,160 in pay plus about $20,659 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Burlington-South Burlington?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,160 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,310, the 90th $85,490, and the middle half earned $59,120 to $79,090.
Is Burlington-South Burlington the most expensive area in Vermont for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $71,160 is the highest of 3 areas in Vermont. The Northern Vermont nonmetro area comes next at $65,700.
How many paralegals work in Burlington-South Burlington?
BLS counts about 300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 45% of the Vermont total of 660. No other area in Vermont has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than an office manager in Burlington-South Burlington?
Yes: $1,440 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,160 and $69,720.
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.