Paralegal salary in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL
For this job Davenport-Moline sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $57,030 a year1. That is 4.5% above the Iowa statewide median of $54,550, and 9.3% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #246 of 506. The market is small, about 280 people, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Davenport-Moline against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | $38,280 | $57,030 | $81,170 | |
| Iowa | $37,900 | $54,550 | $83,520 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $81,170, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Davenport-Moline earns $48,060–$65,980. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $17,920 wide, against $18,740 across Iowa and $29,740 nationally: employers in Davenport-Moline 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 | $38,280 | $3,190 | $18.40 | $49,394 |
| 25th percentile | $48,060 | $4,005 | $23.11 | $62,013 |
| Median | $57,030 | $4,752 | $27.42 | $73,587 |
| 75th percentile | $65,980 | $5,498 | $31.72 | $85,135 |
| 90th percentile | $81,170 | $6,764 | $39.02 | $104,735 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,970 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,950, or about $11,548 once benefits are added. 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 Davenport-Moline, and the Iowa statewide median of $54,550 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Davenport-Moline
At the $57,030 median, a local hire costs about $73,587 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,557 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 Davenport-Moline
Of the 17 roles we track in Davenport-Moline, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($57,250) and payroll specialists ($56,900). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,880.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +5.9% | 340 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.4% | 1,100 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 280 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -0.2% | 160 | |
| HR Assistant | -11.7% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Davenport-Moline (-9.3%), between marketing specialists (-9.1%) and office managers (-9.3%). The typical role here is at -7.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 1.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Davenport-Moline, 2.2% across Iowa and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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 3 areas in Iowa with more paralegals than Davenport-Moline also pay more, among them Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ($60,080) and Iowa City, IA ($66,400).
| Area | Median | vs Davenport-Moline | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | +16.4% | 330 | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +5.3% | 1,190 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +0.7% | 310 | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | this area | 280 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE | -1.6% | 80 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -2.3% | 80 | |
| Ames, IA | -6.8% | 60 |
Davenport-Moline against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Davenport-Moline is #161 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Charleston-North Charleston and Great Falls pay just above Davenport-Moline and Sebastian-Vero Beach and Memphis just below. All four are within $180 a year of the median in Davenport-Moline. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Davenport-Moline | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +31.9% | 280 | jobs | |
| Great Falls, MT | +0.1% | 70 | pay | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +0.0% | 1,490 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | this area | 280 | ||
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | -0.1% | 190 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | -0.3% | 1,120 | pay | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -1.2% | 280 | jobs | |
| Evansville, IN | -10.4% | 280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Davenport-Moline, IA-IL?
About $73,587 a year at the median, or $6,132 a month: $57,030 in pay plus about $16,557 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Davenport-Moline?
The median was $57,030 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,280, the 90th $81,170, and the middle half earned $48,060 to $65,980.
Is Davenport-Moline cheaper than the rest of Iowa for paralegals?
No, it costs more: a median of $57,030 against $54,550 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Cedar Rapids at $57,420, the next down Sioux City at $56,100.
How many paralegals work in Davenport-Moline?
BLS counts about 280 in the May 2025 survey. 3 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Cedar Rapids, with about 310.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Davenport-Moline?
Yes: $130 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,030 and $56,900.
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 2026-11-13.