Paralegal salary in Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Lansing-East Lansing is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $60,220 a year1 is 3.1% below the Michigan statewide median of $62,170, and 4.2% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #148 of 506. About 400 paralegals work here, 5% of the Michigan total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Lansing-East Lansing, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lansing-East Lansing against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $46,030 | $60,220 | $84,970 | |
| Michigan | $46,590 | $62,170 | $96,610 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Lansing-East Lansing earns $49,100–$74,780. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $84,970, 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 $25,680 wide, between the figure for Michigan ($25,540) and the US figure ($29,740).
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,030 | $3,836 | $22.13 | $59,394 |
| 25th percentile | $49,100 | $4,092 | $23.61 | $63,355 |
| Median | $60,220 | $5,018 | $28.95 | $77,703 |
| 75th percentile | $74,780 | $6,232 | $35.95 | $96,490 |
| 90th percentile | $84,970 | $7,081 | $40.85 | $109,639 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,560 a year in pay and about $18,787 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $11,120 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 Lansing-East Lansing, and the Michigan statewide median of $62,170 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lansing-East Lansing
At the $60,220 median, a local hire costs about $77,703 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,483 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Of the 17 roles we track in Lansing-East Lansing, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($61,510) and HR assistants ($50,540). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,050.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +7.4% | 1,050 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +2.1% | 150 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 400 | |
| HR Assistant | -16.1% | 120 | |
| Bookkeeper | -16.1% | 1,940 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in Lansing-East Lansing (-4.2%), between sales development representatives (-4.1%) and recruiters (-4.5%). The typical role here is at -2.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 1.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lansing-East Lansing, 1.9% across Michigan and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 16 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $47,940 in Muskegon-Norton Shores to $63,400 in Detroit-Warren, a gap of $15,460 a year. All 2 areas in Michigan with more paralegals than Lansing-East Lansing also pay more, among them Detroit-Warren, MI ($63,400) and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI ($62,370).
| Area | Median | vs Lansing-East Lansing | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren, MI | +5.3% | 4,550 | |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +3.6% | 870 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | +2.1% | 380 | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | this area | 400 | |
| Jackson, MI | -2.0% | 70 | |
| Traverse City, MI | -6.6% | 120 | |
| Flint, MI | -8.1% | 240 |
Lansing-East Lansing against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lansing-East Lansing is #128 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Michigan, Akron and Santa Fe pay just above Lansing-East Lansing and Bloomington and Tampa-St. Petersburg just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Lansing-East Lansing. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lansing-East Lansing | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +9.7% | 400 | jobs | |
| Santa Fe, NM | +0.2% | 280 | pay | |
| Akron, OH | +0.1% | 410 | pay | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | this area | 400 | ||
| Bloomington, IL | -0.1% | 260 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | -0.1% | 6,630 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | -4.4% | 400 | jobs | |
| Corpus Christi, TX | -14.8% | 410 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
About $77,703 a year at the median, or $6,475 a month: $60,220 in pay plus about $17,483 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Lansing-East Lansing?
The median was $60,220 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $46,030, the 90th $84,970, and the middle half earned $49,100 to $74,780.
Is Lansing-East Lansing cheaper than the rest of Michigan for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $60,220 against $62,170 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Ann Arbor at $61,480, the next down Jackson at $59,030.
How many paralegals work in Lansing-East Lansing?
BLS counts about 400 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Michigan total of 7,730. Only Detroit-Warren and Grand Rapids-Wyoming have more in Michigan.
Does a paralegal cost more than an HR assistant in Lansing-East Lansing?
Yes: $9,680 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,220 and $50,540.
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.