Paralegal salary and cost of hiring in Florida
The median paralegal in Florida earned $61,000 a year in May 2025[1], 3.0% below the US median of $62,890. That puts Florida at #29 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 23-2011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $38,830 | $61,000 | $83,410 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Florida earns $48,230–$75,780; the top tenth earns $83,410 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Florida median that makes about $87,143 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in Florida
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $81,720 | 520 | |
| Jacksonville, FL | $75,200 | 2,170 | |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $77,730 | 17,820 | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $75,120 | 910 | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $62,340 | 490 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $76,230 | 6,630 | |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $70,050 | 990 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $70,880 | 5,480 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $73,770 | 610 | |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $75,800 | 50 | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $65,110 | 510 | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $63,560 | 190 | |
| South Florida nonmetropolitan area | $62,210 | 220 | |
| Tallahassee, FL | $61,560 | 780 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $62,530 | 810 | |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $72,740 | 180 | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $60,230 | 190 | |
| Sebring, FL | $59,600 | 60 | |
| Ocala, FL | $66,180 | 300 | |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $60,290 | 630 | |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $58,350 | 80 | |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $61,450 | 130 | |
| North Florida nonmetropolitan area | $60,950 | 200 | |
| Gainesville, FL | $61,240 | 360 |
Naples-Marco Island, FL pays the most ($64,660) and Gainesville, FL the least ($47,840): $16,820 a year apart for the same job.
What a paralegal does
A paralegal supports lawyers with research, document drafting, filing and case management, under the supervision of a licensed attorney.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | +0.8% | |
| Missouri | +0.7% | |
| Florida | +0.0% | |
| Ohio | -1.0% | |
| Louisiana | -1.2% |
Questions
How much does a paralegal earn in Florida?
The median was $61,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $48,230 to $75,780.
What does it cost to employ a paralegal in Florida?
About $87,143 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in Florida do paralegals earn the most?
Naples-Marco Island, FL, with a median of $64,660 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.