Paralegal salary in Cedar Rapids, IA
For this job Cedar Rapids sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $57,420 a year1. That is 5.3% above the Iowa statewide median of $54,550, and 8.7% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #233 of 506 areas. BLS counts about 310 people in this job here, 10% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Cedar Rapids, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cedar Rapids against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $37,900 | $57,420 | $76,860 | |
| Iowa | $37,900 | $54,550 | $83,520 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Cedar Rapids earns $47,520–$63,590. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $76,860, only 2.0 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($56,440) 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 $16,070 wide, against $18,740 across Iowa and $29,740 nationally: employers in Cedar Rapids 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 | $37,900 | $3,158 | $18.22 | $48,903 |
| 25th percentile | $47,520 | $3,960 | $22.85 | $61,316 |
| Median | $57,420 | $4,785 | $27.61 | $74,090 |
| 75th percentile | $63,590 | $5,299 | $30.57 | $82,052 |
| 90th percentile | $76,860 | $6,405 | $36.95 | $99,174 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $6,170 over it, while the 25th sits $9,900 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $7,961 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 median and the 75th percentile in Cedar Rapids, and the Iowa statewide median of $54,550 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cedar Rapids
At the $57,420 median, a local hire costs about $74,090 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,670 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 Cedar Rapids
Of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between executive assistants ($57,500) and payroll specialists ($53,260). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,760.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +9.8% | 670 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.1% | 360 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 310 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.2% | 110 | |
| Bookkeeper | -15.2% | 1,120 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Cedar Rapids (-8.7%), between payroll specialists (-8.6%) and HR assistants (-9.0%). The typical role here is at -8.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cedar Rapids, 2.2% across Iowa and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $47,870 in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area to $66,400 in Iowa City, a gap of $18,530 a year. All 2 areas in Iowa with more paralegals than Cedar Rapids also pay more, among them Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($60,080) and Iowa City, IA ($66,400).
| Area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | +15.6% | 330 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +4.6% | 1,190 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 310 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.7% | 280 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -2.3% | 80 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -2.9% | 80 | |
| Ames, IA | -7.4% | 60 |
Cedar Rapids against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cedar Rapids is #151 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Appleton and Asheville pay just above Cedar Rapids and Grants Pass and Tyler just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Cedar Rapids. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cedar Rapids | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +10.4% | 300 | jobs | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | +0.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Asheville, NC | +0.1% | 590 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | +0.1% | 180 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | this area | 310 | ||
| Grants Pass, OR | -0.1% | 30 | pay | |
| Tyler, TX | -0.2% | 360 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -20.8% | 320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Cedar Rapids, IA?
About $74,090 a year at the median, or $6,174 a month: $57,420 in pay plus about $16,670 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Cedar Rapids?
The median was $57,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,900, the 90th $76,860, and the middle half earned $47,520 to $63,590.
Is Cedar Rapids cheaper than the rest of Iowa for paralegals?
No, it costs more: a median of $57,420 against $54,550 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Des Moines-West Des Moines at $60,080, the next down Davenport-Moline at $57,030.
How many paralegals work in Cedar Rapids?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Iowa total of 2,980. Only Des Moines-West Des Moines and Iowa City have more in Iowa.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Cedar Rapids?
Yes: $4,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,420 and $53,260.
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.