Paralegal salary in Dayton-Kettering, OH
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Dayton-Kettering than in Ohio or the country as a whole. The median is $58,680 a year1: 2.9% below the Ohio statewide median of $60,420 and 6.7% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #200 of 506 areas. BLS counts about 470 people in this job here, 5% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Dayton-Kettering against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | $40,490 | $58,680 | $94,580 | |
| Ohio | $41,720 | $60,420 | $94,660 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $94,580, 2.3 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Dayton-Kettering earns $46,940–$73,260. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $26,320 wide, against $27,860 across Ohio and $29,740 nationally: employers in Dayton-Kettering 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 | $40,490 | $3,374 | $19.47 | $52,245 |
| 25th percentile | $46,940 | $3,912 | $22.57 | $60,568 |
| Median | $58,680 | $4,890 | $28.21 | $75,716 |
| 75th percentile | $73,260 | $6,105 | $35.22 | $94,529 |
| 90th percentile | $94,580 | $7,882 | $45.47 | $122,039 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,580 a year in pay and about $18,813 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,740 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 Dayton-Kettering, and the Ohio statewide median of $60,420 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Dayton-Kettering
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 $17,036 to the $58,680 median and brings it to $75,716 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 Dayton-Kettering
Of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($60,100) and HR assistants ($52,040). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,130.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +5.0% | 2,270 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +2.4% | 320 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 470 | |
| HR Assistant | -11.3% | 150 | |
| Bookkeeper | -16.5% | 2,570 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Dayton-Kettering (-6.7%), between accountants (-5.6%) and medical administrative assistants (-7.0%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 1.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Dayton-Kettering, 1.8% across Ohio and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller 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. All 3 areas in Ohio with more paralegals than Dayton-Kettering also pay more, among them Cleveland, OH ($60,960) and Columbus, OH ($60,430).
| Area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | +3.0% | 2,260 | |
| Akron, OH | +2.7% | 410 | |
| Toledo, OH | +2.2% | 340 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 470 | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -1.6% | 210 | |
| Southern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -13.3% | 120 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -15.9% | 140 |
Dayton-Kettering against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Dayton-Kettering is #113 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 Ohio, Abilene and Modesto pay just above Dayton-Kettering and Billings and Greensboro-High Point just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in Dayton-Kettering. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Dayton-Kettering | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | +0.2% | 420 | pay | |
| Abilene, TX | +0.0% | 80 | pay | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | this area | 470 | ||
| Billings, MT | -0.0% | 170 | pay | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -0.1% | 860 | pay | |
| Salem, OR | -2.5% | 480 | jobs | |
| Charleston, WV | -6.6% | 480 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | -11.2% | 470 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Dayton-Kettering, OH?
About $75,716 a year at the median, or $6,310 a month: $58,680 in pay plus about $17,036 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Dayton-Kettering?
The median was $58,680 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,490, the 90th $94,580, and the middle half earned $46,940 to $73,260.
Is Dayton-Kettering cheaper than the rest of Ohio for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $58,680 against $60,420 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Toledo at $59,960, the next down Canton-Massillon at $57,730.
How many paralegals work in Dayton-Kettering?
BLS counts about 470 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Ohio total of 9,270. 3 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Cincinnati, with about 1,700.
Does a paralegal cost more than an HR assistant in Dayton-Kettering?
Yes: $6,640 a year more at the median. The medians are $58,680 and $52,040.
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.