Paralegal salary in Gulfport-Biloxi, MS
For this job Gulfport-Biloxi sits right at the Mississippi figure, with a median of $46,240 a year1. That is about level with the Mississippi statewide median of $46,180, and 26.5% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally that is #472 of 506 areas, in the bottom tenth. The market is small, about 290 people, 13% of the Mississippi total, so expect few local candidates at a time.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Gulfport-Biloxi, MS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Gulfport-Biloxi against Mississippi and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $36,810 | $46,240 | $65,170 | |
| Mississippi | $35,660 | $46,180 | $67,960 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Gulfport-Biloxi earns $37,240–$54,740. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $65,170, 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 $17,500 wide, against $21,890 across Mississippi and $29,740 nationally: employers in Gulfport-Biloxi 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 | $36,810 | $3,068 | $17.70 | $47,497 |
| 25th percentile | $37,240 | $3,103 | $17.90 | $48,052 |
| Median | $46,240 | $3,853 | $22.23 | $59,665 |
| 75th percentile | $54,740 | $4,562 | $26.32 | $70,632 |
| 90th percentile | $65,170 | $5,431 | $31.33 | $84,090 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,000 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,500, or about $10,968 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Gulfport-Biloxi, and the Mississippi statewide median of $46,180 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local paralegals earn.
What a hire really costs in Gulfport-Biloxi
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 $13,425 to the $46,240 median and brings it to $59,665 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 Gulfport-Biloxi
Of the 17 roles we track in Gulfport-Biloxi, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between HR assistants ($47,070) and payroll specialists ($46,230). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,200.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +4.9% | 440 | |
| HR Assistant | +1.8% | 200 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 290 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -0.0% | 190 | |
| Bookkeeper | -12.3% | 1,500 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Gulfport-Biloxi (-26.5%), between executive assistants (-20.8%) and marketing specialists (-30.4%). The typical role here is at -17.7%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Gulfport-Biloxi than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Gulfport-Biloxi and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Mississippi
Across the 7 areas of Mississippi with data for this job, the median runs from $36,420 in the Lower East Mississippi nonmetro area to $50,470 in Jackson, a gap of $14,050 a year. All 2 areas in Mississippi with more paralegals than Gulfport-Biloxi also pay more, among them Jackson, MS ($50,470) and the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area ($48,030).
| Area | Median | vs Gulfport-Biloxi | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, MS | +9.1% | 960 | |
| Upper East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | +3.9% | 420 | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | this area | 290 | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -2.6% | 100 | |
| West Delta Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -18.7% | 130 | |
| Lower West Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -20.8% | 100 | |
| Lower East Mississippi (Nonmetro) | -21.2% | 120 |
Gulfport-Biloxi against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Gulfport-Biloxi is #158 of 503 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Mississippi, Logan and Houma-Bayou Cane pay just above Gulfport-Biloxi and Cape Girardeau and Eagle Pass just below. All four are within $320 a year of the median in Gulfport-Biloxi. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Gulfport-Biloxi | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | +69.0% | 290 | jobs | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +52.5% | 290 | jobs | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | +37.2% | 300 | jobs | |
| Houma-Bayou Cane, LA | +0.7% | 80 | pay | |
| Logan, UT-ID | +0.1% | 40 | pay | |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | this area | 290 | ||
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | -0.2% | 60 | pay | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -0.5% | 50 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Gulfport-Biloxi, MS?
About $59,665 a year at the median, or $4,972 a month: $46,240 in pay plus about $13,425 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Gulfport-Biloxi?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $46,240 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,810, the 90th $65,170, and the middle half earned $37,240 to $54,740.
Is Gulfport-Biloxi cheaper than the rest of Mississippi for paralegals?
About the same: a median of $46,240 against $46,180 statewide. The next area up in Mississippi is the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area at $48,030, the next down Hattiesburg at $45,050.
How many paralegals work in Gulfport-Biloxi?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 13% of the Mississippi total of 2,270. Only Jackson and the Upper East Mississippi nonmetro area have more in Mississippi.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Gulfport-Biloxi?
Yes: $10 a year more at the median. The medians are $46,240 and $46,230.
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 2026-11-13.