Paralegal salary in Corpus Christi, TX
Corpus Christi is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $51,290 a year1 is 17.7% below the Texas statewide median of $62,310, and 18.4% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #322 of 506 areas. About 410 paralegals work here, 1% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Corpus Christi, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Corpus Christi against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi, TX | $38,110 | $51,290 | $81,720 | |
| Texas | $39,190 | $62,310 | $98,440 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $81,720, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Corpus Christi earns $43,620–$63,530. The mean ($56,960) is 11% 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 only $19,910 wide, against $30,330 across Texas and $29,740 nationally: employers in Corpus Christi 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 | $38,110 | $3,176 | $18.32 | $49,174 |
| 25th percentile | $43,620 | $3,635 | $20.97 | $56,284 |
| Median | $51,290 | $4,274 | $24.66 | $66,181 |
| 75th percentile | $63,530 | $5,294 | $30.54 | $81,974 |
| 90th percentile | $81,720 | $6,810 | $39.29 | $105,445 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $12,240 over the median, the 25th only $7,670 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $15,794 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 Corpus Christi, and the Texas statewide median of $62,310 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Corpus Christi
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 $14,891 to the $51,290 median and brings it to $66,181 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 Corpus Christi
Of the 17 roles we track in Corpus Christi, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($55,980) and payroll specialists ($46,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $90,320.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +12.1% | 1,220 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +9.1% | 380 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 410 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -9.2% | 170 | |
| Bookkeeper | -10.4% | 1,570 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Corpus Christi (-18.4%), between sales development representatives (-17.9%) and payroll specialists (-20.0%). The typical role here is at -16.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Corpus Christi, 1.9% across Texas and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 30 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $45,480 in Brownsville-Harlingen to $64,500 in Midland, a gap of $19,020 a year. Of the 6 areas in Texas with more paralegals than Corpus Christi, 1 pays less: McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($47,330).
| Area | Median | vs Corpus Christi | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hill Country Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | +4.6% | 190 | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | +3.9% | 2,900 | |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | +2.5% | 60 | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | this area | 410 | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -4.7% | 220 | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | -6.2% | 60 | |
| Longview, TX | -6.4% | 140 |
Corpus Christi against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Corpus Christi is #126 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Texas, Panama City-Panama City Beach and St. George pay just above Corpus Christi and Sebring and Wheeling just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Corpus Christi. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Corpus Christi | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | +17.7% | 420 | jobs | |
| Akron, OH | +17.5% | 410 | jobs | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | +0.5% | 420 | jobs | |
| St. George, UT | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | +0.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | this area | 410 | ||
| Sebring, FL | -0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | -0.3% | 110 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Corpus Christi, TX?
About $66,181 a year at the median, or $5,515 a month: $51,290 in pay plus about $14,891 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Corpus Christi?
The median was $51,290 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,110, the 90th $81,720, and the middle half earned $43,620 to $63,530.
Is Corpus Christi cheaper than the rest of Texas for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $51,290 against $62,310 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Texarkana at $52,590, the next down Beaumont-Port Arthur at $48,890.
How many paralegals work in Corpus Christi?
BLS counts about 410 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Texas total of 29,540. 6 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is El Paso, with about 490.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Corpus Christi?
Yes: $4,700 a year more at the median. The medians are $51,290 and $46,590.
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.