Paralegal salary in Fargo, ND-MN
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Fargo than in North Dakota or the country as a whole. The median is $57,550 a year1: 3.2% below the North Dakota statewide median of $59,430 and 8.5% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #227 of 506. With about 310 paralegals, no area in North Dakota employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Fargo, ND-MN. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fargo against North Dakota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND-MN | $45,300 | $57,550 | $79,980 | |
| North Dakota | $45,300 | $59,430 | $78,430 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Fargo earns $45,300–$67,200. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $79,980, 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 $21,900 wide, between the figure for North Dakota ($16,830) 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 | $45,300 | $3,775 | $21.78 | $58,452 |
| 25th percentile | $45,300 | $3,775 | $21.78 | $58,452 |
| Median | $57,550 | $4,796 | $27.67 | $74,258 |
| 75th percentile | $67,200 | $5,600 | $32.31 | $86,710 |
| 90th percentile | $79,980 | $6,665 | $38.45 | $103,200 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,650 a year in pay and about $12,452 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,250 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 Fargo, and the North Dakota statewide median of $59,430 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Fargo
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 $16,708 to the $57,550 median and brings it to $74,258 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 Fargo
Of the 15 roles we track in Fargo, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($59,750) and bookkeepers ($50,570). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,430.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +7.2% | 790 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +3.8% | 130 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 310 | |
| Bookkeeper | -12.1% | 1,520 | |
| HR Assistant | -13.7% | 60 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #10 of the 15 roles we track in Fargo (-8.5%), between project coordinators (-4.8%) and customer support specialists (-8.6%). The typical role here is at -2.5%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Fargo than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Fargo, 2.2% across North Dakota and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in North Dakota
Across the 6 areas of North Dakota with data for this job, the median runs from $49,290 in Grand Forks to $61,620 in the West North Dakota nonmetro area, a gap of $12,330 a year. No other area in North Dakota has as many paralegals, and 1 of the other 5 pays less.
| Area | Median | vs Fargo | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| West North Dakota (Nonmetro) | +7.1% | 70 | |
| East North Dakota (Nonmetro) | +5.8% | 50 | |
| Bismarck, ND | +4.4% | 160 | |
| Minot, ND | +3.3% | 70 | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | this area | 310 | |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | -14.4% | 110 |
Fargo against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fargo is #152 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Dakota, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and State College pay just above Fargo and Oklahoma City and College Station-Bryan just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Fargo. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fargo | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +10.2% | 300 | jobs | |
| State College, PA | +0.2% | 80 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.1% | 400 | pay | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | this area | 310 | ||
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.0% | 1,650 | pay | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -0.1% | 180 | pay | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -0.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -21.0% | 320 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Fargo, ND-MN?
About $74,258 a year at the median, or $6,188 a month: $57,550 in pay plus about $16,708 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Fargo?
The median was $57,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,300, the 90th $79,980, and the middle half earned $45,300 to $67,200.
Is Fargo cheaper than the rest of North Dakota for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $57,550 against $59,430 statewide. The next area up in North Dakota is Minot at $59,430, the next down Grand Forks at $49,290.
How many paralegals work in Fargo?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. No other area in North Dakota has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Fargo?
Yes: $6,980 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,550 and $50,570.
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.