Paralegal salary in Charleston, WV
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Charleston than in West Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $54,780 a year1: 7.2% below the West Virginia statewide median of $59,000 and 12.9% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #281 of 506. With about 480 paralegals, 29% of the West Virginia total, no area in West Virginia employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Charleston, WV. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Charleston against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, WV | $34,590 | $54,780 | $107,870 | |
| West Virginia | $35,770 | $59,000 | $107,310 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $107,870 or more, 3.1 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of paralegals in Charleston earns $44,490–$75,360. The mean ($61,220) is 12% 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 $30,870 wide, between the figure for West Virginia ($36,950) and the US figure ($29,740).
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,590 | $2,882 | $16.63 | $44,632 |
| 25th percentile | $44,490 | $3,708 | $21.39 | $57,406 |
| Median | $54,780 | $4,565 | $26.34 | $70,684 |
| 75th percentile | $75,360 | $6,280 | $36.23 | $97,239 |
| 90th percentile | $107,870 | $8,989 | $51.86 | $139,187 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $20,580 over the median, the 25th only $10,290 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $26,555 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 Charleston, and the West Virginia statewide median of $59,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Charleston
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 $15,904 to the $54,780 median and brings it to $70,684 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 Charleston
Of the 16 roles we track in Charleston, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between office managers ($57,670) and sales development representatives ($50,880). Project Coordinator is the highest at $89,600.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +12.3% | 540 | |
| Office Manager | +5.3% | 1,070 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 480 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -7.1% | 270 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -7.8% | 260 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in Charleston (-12.9%), between project coordinators (-12.4%) and virtual receptionists (-13.7%). The typical role here is at -16.7%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Charleston than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 4.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Charleston, 2.8% across West Virginia and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in West Virginia
Across the 8 areas of West Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $35,900 in Beckley to $76,400 in Parkersburg-Vienna, a gap of $40,500 a year. No other area in West Virginia has as many paralegals, and 5 of the other 7 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Charleston | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +39.5% | 200 | |
| Morgantown, WV | +12.9% | 100 | |
| Charleston, WV | this area | 480 | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -4.3% | 180 | |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY | -5.3% | 240 | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | -6.6% | 110 | |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -32.0% | 70 |
Charleston against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Charleston is #109 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 West Virginia, Utica-Rome and Kenosha pay just above Charleston and Kingsport-Bristol and Bay City just below. All four are within $610 a year of the median in Charleston. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Charleston | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +29.6% | 480 | jobs | |
| Salem, OR | +4.5% | 480 | jobs | |
| Kenosha, WI | +0.3% | 110 | pay | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | +0.1% | 170 | pay | |
| Charleston, WV | this area | 480 | ||
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -1.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Bay City, MI | -1.1% | 40 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | -8.3% | 480 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Charleston, WV?
About $70,684 a year at the median, or $5,890 a month: $54,780 in pay plus about $15,904 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Charleston?
The median was $54,780 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,590, the 90th $107,870, and the middle half earned $44,490 to $75,360.
Is Charleston cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $54,780 against $59,000 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Morgantown at $61,840, the next down the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area at $52,400.
How many paralegals work in Charleston?
BLS counts about 480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 29% of the West Virginia total of 1,660. No other area in West Virginia has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Charleston?
Yes: $3,900 a year more at the median. The medians are $54,780 and $50,880.
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.