Paralegal salary in Fresno, CA
For this job Fresno sits right at the US figure, with a median of $62,450 a year1. That is about level with the US median of $62,890, and 19.3% below the California statewide median of $77,390. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#92 of 506). BLS counts about 920 people in this job here, 2% of the California total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Fresno, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Fresno against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | $45,460 | $62,450 | $95,780 | |
| California | $50,460 | $77,390 | $119,580 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Fresno earns $50,290–$77,330. The top tenth earns $95,780 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $27,040 wide, against $38,260 across California and $29,740 nationally: employers in Fresno 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 | $45,460 | $3,788 | $21.86 | $58,658 |
| 25th percentile | $50,290 | $4,191 | $24.18 | $64,890 |
| Median | $62,450 | $5,204 | $30.02 | $80,581 |
| 75th percentile | $77,330 | $6,444 | $37.18 | $99,781 |
| 90th percentile | $95,780 | $7,982 | $46.05 | $123,587 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,880 a year in pay and about $19,200 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,160 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 Fresno, and the California statewide median of $77,390 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Fresno
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 $18,131 to the $62,450 median and brings it to $80,581 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 Fresno
Of the 17 roles we track in Fresno, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($62,880) and sales development representatives ($61,820). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,030.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +15.0% | 3,670 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +0.7% | 1,350 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 920 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.0% | 2,170 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -4.4% | 710 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Fresno (-0.7%), between executive assistants (+1.3%) and HR assistants (-0.8%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Fresno, 2.8% across California and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $58,280 in Chico to $99,250 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $40,970 a year. Of the 6 areas in California with more paralegals than Fresno, 1 pays less: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($61,460).
| Area | Median | vs Fresno | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +1.6% | 300 | |
| El Centro, CA | +0.9% | 60 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 80 | |
| Fresno, CA | this area | 920 | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 120 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | -1.6% | 2,460 | |
| Merced, CA | -1.8% | 90 |
Fresno against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Fresno is #68 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 California, Jacksonville and Kennewick-Richland pay just above Fresno and Grand Rapids-Wyoming and Kingston just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in Fresno. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Fresno | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +0.1% | 270 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.0% | 2,170 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | this area | 920 | ||
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | -0.1% | 870 | pay | |
| Kingston, NY | -0.4% | 140 | pay | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | -2.8% | 910 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -5.5% | 960 | jobs | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | -15.9% | 890 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Fresno, CA?
About $80,581 a year at the median, or $6,715 a month: $62,450 in pay plus about $18,131 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Fresno?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $62,450 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,460, the 90th $95,780, and the middle half earned $50,290 to $77,330.
Is Fresno cheaper than the rest of California for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $62,450 against $77,390 statewide. The next area up in California is the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area at $62,690, the next down the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area at $62,440.
How many paralegals work in Fresno?
BLS counts about 920 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the California total of 47,130. 6 areas in California have more; the closest in size is San Jose-Sunnyvale, with about 2,030.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Fresno?
Yes: $630 a year more at the median. The medians are $62,450 and $61,820.
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.