Paralegal salary in Cleveland, OH
For this job Cleveland sits right at the Ohio figure, with a median of $60,960 a year1. That is about level with the Ohio statewide median of $60,420, and 3.1% below the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#122 of 506). With about 2,960 paralegals, 32% of the Ohio total, no area in Ohio employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Cleveland, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Cleveland against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | $43,410 | $60,960 | $94,540 | |
| Ohio | $41,720 | $60,420 | $94,660 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $94,540, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Cleveland earns $49,640–$78,300. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $28,660 wide, between the figure for Ohio ($27,860) 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 | $43,410 | $3,618 | $20.87 | $56,013 |
| 25th percentile | $49,640 | $4,137 | $23.87 | $64,052 |
| Median | $60,960 | $5,080 | $29.31 | $78,658 |
| 75th percentile | $78,300 | $6,525 | $37.64 | $101,032 |
| 90th percentile | $94,540 | $7,878 | $45.45 | $121,987 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $17,340 over the median, the 25th only $11,320 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $22,374 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 Cleveland, and the Ohio statewide median of $60,420 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Cleveland
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 $17,698 to the $60,960 median and brings it to $78,658 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 Cleveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($64,650) and sales development representatives ($59,830). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,000.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +12.5% | 2,170 | |
| Office Manager | +6.1% | 8,590 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 2,960 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.9% | 7,710 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -3.0% | 1,370 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Cleveland (-3.1%), between administrative assistants (-3.0%) and bookkeepers (-3.6%). The typical role here is at -3.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Cleveland, 1.8% across Ohio and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 15 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $47,040 in Youngstown-Warren to $64,330 in Cincinnati, a gap of $17,290 a year. No other area in Ohio has as many paralegals, and 13 of the other 14 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +5.5% | 1,700 | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 2,960 | |
| Columbus, OH | -0.9% | 2,260 | |
| Akron, OH | -1.1% | 410 | |
| Toledo, OH | -1.6% | 340 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | -3.7% | 470 | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -5.3% | 210 |
Cleveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Cleveland is #25 of 503 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Ohio, Allentown-Bethlehem and Syracuse pay just above Cleveland and Madison and Nashville-Murfreesboro just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Cleveland. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Cleveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +4.8% | 2,900 | jobs | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +1.9% | 2,770 | jobs | |
| Syracuse, NY | +0.3% | 970 | pay | |
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | +0.1% | 430 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | this area | 2,960 | ||
| Madison, WI | -0.3% | 850 | pay | |
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | -0.3% | 2,660 | pay | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -12.6% | 2,900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Cleveland, OH?
About $78,658 a year at the median, or $6,555 a month: $60,960 in pay plus about $17,698 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Cleveland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $60,960 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,410, the 90th $94,540, and the middle half earned $49,640 to $78,300.
Is Cleveland cheaper than the rest of Ohio for paralegals?
About the same: a median of $60,960 against $60,420 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Cincinnati at $64,330, the next down Columbus at $60,430.
How many paralegals work in Cleveland?
BLS counts about 2,960 in the May 2025 survey. That is 32% of the Ohio total of 9,270. No other area in Ohio has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Cleveland?
Yes: $1,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,960 and $59,830.
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.