Paralegal salary in Denver-Aurora, CO
No other area in Colorado pays paralegals more than Denver-Aurora: the median is $80,500 a year1. That is 3.0% above the Colorado statewide median of $78,190, and 28.0% above the US median of $62,890. Nationally that is #6 of 506 areas, in the top tenth. It is the largest market for the job in Colorado: about 3,740 people, 67% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Denver-Aurora against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | $60,590 | $80,500 | $111,560 | |
| Colorado | $56,930 | $78,190 | $106,160 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Denver-Aurora earns $68,120–$97,800. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $111,560, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $29,680 wide, against $32,510 across Colorado and $29,740 nationally: employers in Denver-Aurora 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 | $60,590 | $5,049 | $29.13 | $78,181 |
| 25th percentile | $68,120 | $5,677 | $32.75 | $87,897 |
| Median | $80,500 | $6,708 | $38.70 | $103,871 |
| 75th percentile | $97,800 | $8,150 | $47.02 | $126,194 |
| 90th percentile | $111,560 | $9,297 | $53.63 | $143,948 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $17,300 a year in pay and about $22,323 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,380 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 10th and 25th percentiles in Denver-Aurora, and the Colorado statewide median of $78,190 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local paralegals earn.
What a hire really costs in Denver-Aurora
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 $23,371 to the $80,500 median and brings it to $103,871 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 Denver-Aurora
Of the 17 roles we track in Denver-Aurora, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($80,650) and office managers ($79,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $116,740.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +2.5% | 12,520 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +0.2% | 24,480 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 3,740 | |
| Office Manager | -1.7% | 14,710 | |
| Executive Assistant | -15.5% | 5,930 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in Denver-Aurora (+28.0%); executive assistants come last (-11.2%). The typical role here is at +11.2%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Denver-Aurora than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Denver-Aurora, 1.8% across Colorado and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Colorado
Across the 10 areas of Colorado with data for this job, the median runs from $59,880 in Pueblo to $80,500 in Denver-Aurora, a gap of $20,620 a year. No other area in Colorado has as many paralegals, and all 9 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Denver-Aurora | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | this area | 3,740 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -7.8% | 100 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | -13.7% | 350 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -14.1% | 70 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -14.1% | n/a | |
| Boulder, CO | -17.9% | 400 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -19.5% | 560 |
Denver-Aurora against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Denver-Aurora is #23 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 Colorado, Santa Maria-Santa Barbara and Washington-Arlington pay just above Denver-Aurora and Boston-Cambridge and Vallejo just below. All four are within $1,220 a year of the median in Denver-Aurora. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Denver-Aurora | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | +1.4% | 12,990 | pay | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | +0.5% | 360 | pay | |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | this area | 3,740 | ||
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | -0.8% | 6,300 | pay | |
| Vallejo, CA | -1.5% | 160 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | -6.3% | 3,510 | jobs | |
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | -18.5% | 3,880 | jobs | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -23.0% | 4,030 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Denver-Aurora, CO?
About $103,871 a year at the median, or $8,656 a month: $80,500 in pay plus about $23,371 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Denver-Aurora?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $60,590, the 90th $111,560, and the middle half earned $68,120 to $97,800.
Is Denver-Aurora the most expensive area in Colorado for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $80,500 is the highest of 10 areas in Colorado. The Northwest Colorado nonmetro area comes next at $74,210.
How many paralegals work in Denver-Aurora?
BLS counts about 3,740 in the May 2025 survey. That is 67% of the Colorado total of 5,620. No other area in Colorado has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than an office manager in Denver-Aurora?
Yes: $1,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,500 and $79,120.
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.