Paralegal salary in Kansas City, MO-KS
Paralegals earn more in Kansas City than anywhere else in Missouri. Expect a median of $63,880 a year1, 4.0% above the Missouri statewide median of $61,410 and 1.6% above the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#71 of 506). About 2,900 paralegals work here.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Kansas City, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kansas City against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $47,230 | $63,880 | $97,890 | |
| Missouri | $42,150 | $61,410 | $96,820 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $97,890, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Kansas City earns $50,600–$78,360. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $27,760 wide, against $28,460 across Missouri and $29,740 nationally: employers in Kansas City 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 | $47,230 | $3,936 | $22.71 | $60,942 |
| 25th percentile | $50,600 | $4,217 | $24.33 | $65,290 |
| Median | $63,880 | $5,323 | $30.71 | $82,426 |
| 75th percentile | $78,360 | $6,530 | $37.67 | $101,110 |
| 90th percentile | $97,890 | $8,158 | $47.06 | $126,310 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,280 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $14,480, or about $18,684 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 Kansas City, and the Missouri statewide median of $61,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Kansas City
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 $18,546 to the $63,880 median and brings it to $82,426 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 Kansas City
Of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between executive assistants ($64,460) and payroll specialists ($56,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,050.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +1.7% | 9,250 | |
| Executive Assistant | +0.9% | 2,940 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 2,900 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -11.4% | 1,260 | |
| HR Assistant | -18.4% | 400 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City (+1.6%), between HR assistants (+3.0%) and bookkeepers (+0.5%). The typical role here is at -1.7%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Kansas City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kansas City, 2.6% across Missouri and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $41,600 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $63,880 in Kansas City, a gap of $22,280 a year. The one area in Missouri with more paralegals, St. Louis, MO-IL ($61,970), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 2,900 | |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | -3.0% | 4,030 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -22.1% | 50 | |
| Columbia, MO | -22.7% | 230 | |
| Springfield, MO | -23.0% | 530 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -25.1% | 170 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -26.3% | 120 |
Kansas City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kansas City is #26 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 Missouri, Salinas and Bellingham pay just above Kansas City and Lexington Park and Lexington-Fayette just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in Kansas City. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham, WA | +0.1% | 180 | pay | |
| Salinas, CA | +0.1% | 230 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 2,900 | ||
| Lexington Park, MD | -0.2% | 100 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.4% | 640 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -2.7% | 2,770 | jobs | |
| Cleveland, OH | -4.6% | 2,960 | jobs | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -16.6% | 2,900 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Kansas City, MO-KS?
About $82,426 a year at the median, or $6,869 a month: $63,880 in pay plus about $18,546 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Kansas City?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $63,880 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,230, the 90th $97,890, and the middle half earned $50,600 to $78,360.
Is Kansas City the most expensive area in Missouri for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $63,880 is the highest of 12 areas in Missouri. St. Louis comes next at $61,970.
How many paralegals work in Kansas City?
BLS counts about 2,900 in the May 2025 survey. Only St. Louis has more in Missouri.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Kansas City?
Yes: $7,290 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,880 and $56,590.
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.