Paralegal salary in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
The median paralegal in Fort Collins-Loveland earned $69,440 a year in May 20251. That is 10.4% above the US median of $62,890, even though it is 11.2% below the Colorado statewide median of $78,190. Nationally that is #35 of 506 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 350 people in this job here, 6% of the Colorado total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Fort Collins-Loveland, CO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fort Collins-Loveland against Colorado and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $49,380 | $69,440 | $81,890 | |
| Colorado | $56,930 | $78,190 | $106,160 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Fort Collins-Loveland earns $60,920–$69,440. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $81,890, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($68,100) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $8,520 wide, against $32,510 across Colorado and $29,740 nationally: employers in Fort Collins-Loveland 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 | $49,380 | $4,115 | $23.74 | $63,716 |
| 25th percentile | $60,920 | $5,077 | $29.29 | $78,606 |
| Median | $69,440 | $5,787 | $33.38 | $89,600 |
| 75th percentile | $69,440 | $5,787 | $33.38 | $89,600 |
| 90th percentile | $81,890 | $6,824 | $39.37 | $105,665 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,520 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $0, or about $0 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 25th percentile and the median in Fort Collins-Loveland, and the Colorado statewide median of $78,190 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Fort Collins-Loveland
At the $69,440 median, a local hire costs about $89,600 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,160 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 Fort Collins-Loveland
Of the 17 roles we track in Fort Collins-Loveland, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($73,740) and payroll specialists ($67,710). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,310.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +6.9% | 1,610 | |
| Office Manager | +6.2% | 1,480 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 350 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -2.5% | 100 | |
| Executive Assistant | -11.9% | 620 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Fort Collins-Loveland (+10.4%), between sales development representatives (+10.5%) and e-commerce order specialists (+9.2%). The typical role here is at +5.2%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Fort Collins-Loveland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fort Collins-Loveland, 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. Of the 3 areas in Colorado with more paralegals than Fort Collins-Loveland, 2 pay less: Colorado Springs, CO ($64,830) and Boulder, CO ($66,090).
| Area | Median | vs Fort Collins-Loveland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora, CO | +15.9% | 3,740 | |
| Northwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | +6.9% | 100 | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | this area | 350 | |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 70 | |
| Southwest Colorado (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | n/a | |
| Boulder, CO | -4.8% | 400 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -6.6% | 560 |
Fort Collins-Loveland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fort Collins-Loveland is #140 of 503 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Colorado, Hanford-Corcoran and Carson City pay just above Fort Collins-Loveland and Hartford-West Hartford and Kahului-Wailuku just below. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fort Collins-Loveland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City, NV | +0.8% | 80 | pay | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | +0.2% | 50 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | this area | 350 | ||
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | -2.8% | 1,930 | pay | |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | -2.8% | 100 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | -27.5% | 350 | jobs | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -28.3% | 350 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, FL | -31.1% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
About $89,600 a year at the median, or $7,467 a month: $69,440 in pay plus about $20,160 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $69,440 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,380, the 90th $81,890, and the middle half earned $60,920 to $69,440.
Is Fort Collins-Loveland cheaper than the rest of Colorado for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $69,440 against $78,190 statewide. The next area up in Colorado is the Northwest Colorado nonmetro area at $74,210, the next down the Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetro area at $69,110.
How many paralegals work in Fort Collins-Loveland?
BLS counts about 350 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Colorado total of 5,620. 3 areas in Colorado have more; the closest in size is Boulder, with about 400.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Yes: $1,730 a year more at the median. The medians are $69,440 and $67,710.
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.