Paralegal salary in Chattanooga, TN-GA
Chattanooga pays paralegals close to the Tennessee norm. The median is $59,290 a year1, about level with the Tennessee statewide median of $58,820 and 5.7% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #181 of 506. BLS counts about 530 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Chattanooga, TN-GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Chattanooga against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $38,840 | $59,290 | $81,470 | |
| Tennessee | $43,570 | $58,820 | $83,100 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Chattanooga earns $47,530–$67,470. The top tenth earns $81,470 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. The mean ($58,580) 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 $19,940 wide, against $20,200 across Tennessee and $29,740 nationally: employers in Chattanooga 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 | $38,840 | $3,237 | $18.67 | $50,116 |
| 25th percentile | $47,530 | $3,961 | $22.85 | $61,329 |
| Median | $59,290 | $4,941 | $28.50 | $76,503 |
| 75th percentile | $67,470 | $5,622 | $32.44 | $87,058 |
| 90th percentile | $81,470 | $6,789 | $39.17 | $105,123 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,180 a year in pay and about $10,555 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,760 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 Chattanooga, and the Tennessee statewide median of $58,820 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Chattanooga
At the $59,290 median, a local hire costs about $76,503 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,213 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 Chattanooga
Of the 17 roles we track in Chattanooga, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between recruiters ($61,660) and sales development representatives ($56,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,240.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +8.2% | 3,940 | |
| Recruiter | +4.0% | 1,550 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 530 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -5.3% | 1,630 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -12.5% | 190 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Chattanooga (-5.7%), between data entry specialists (-4.6%) and e-commerce order specialists (-7.2%). The typical role here is at -11.0%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Chattanooga than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 1.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Chattanooga, 1.7% across Tennessee and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $46,640 in the West Tennessee nonmetro area to $60,800 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $14,160 a year. Of the 3 areas in Tennessee with more paralegals than Chattanooga, 2 pay less: Memphis, TN-MS ($56,850) and Knoxville, TN ($49,780).
| Area | Median | vs Chattanooga | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +2.5% | 2,660 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | this area | 530 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -4.1% | 1,120 | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | -5.5% | 240 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -8.6% | 200 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -14.5% | 130 | |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -14.6% | 90 |
Chattanooga against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Chattanooga is #97 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 Tennessee, Albuquerque and Farmington pay just above Chattanooga and Bowling Green and Glens Falls just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Chattanooga. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Chattanooga | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +9.1% | 520 | jobs | |
| Farmington, NM | +0.2% | 30 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | +0.1% | 1,070 | pay | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | this area | 530 | ||
| Bowling Green, KY | -0.2% | 160 | pay | |
| Glens Falls, NY | -0.2% | 100 | pay | |
| Mobile, AL | -16.6% | 520 | jobs | |
| Springfield, MO | -17.0% | 530 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
About $76,503 a year at the median, or $6,375 a month: $59,290 in pay plus about $17,213 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Chattanooga?
The median was $59,290 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,840, the 90th $81,470, and the middle half earned $47,530 to $67,470.
Is Chattanooga cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for paralegals?
About the same: a median of $59,290 against $58,820 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Nashville-Murfreesboro at $60,800, the next down Memphis at $56,850.
How many paralegals work in Chattanooga?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Knoxville, with about 770.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Chattanooga?
Yes: $3,170 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,290 and $56,120.
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.