Paralegal salary in Lincoln, NE
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Lincoln than in Nebraska or the country as a whole. The median is $61,440 a year1: 2.9% below the Nebraska statewide median of $63,250 and 2.3% below the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#112 of 506). BLS counts about 420 people in this job here, 26% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Lincoln, NE. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Lincoln against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | $44,840 | $61,440 | $85,160 | |
| Nebraska | $44,230 | $63,250 | $86,990 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Lincoln earns $49,080–$73,130. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $85,160, only 1.9 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 $24,050 wide, against $24,550 across Nebraska and $29,740 nationally: employers in Lincoln 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 | $44,840 | $3,737 | $21.56 | $57,858 |
| 25th percentile | $49,080 | $4,090 | $23.60 | $63,329 |
| Median | $61,440 | $5,120 | $29.54 | $79,277 |
| 75th percentile | $73,130 | $6,094 | $35.16 | $94,361 |
| 90th percentile | $85,160 | $7,097 | $40.94 | $109,884 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,360 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $11,690, or about $15,084 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 median and the 75th percentile in Lincoln, and the Nebraska statewide median of $63,250 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Lincoln
At the $61,440 median, a local hire costs about $79,277 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,837 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 Lincoln
Of the 17 roles we track in Lincoln, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($61,590) and payroll specialists ($60,280). Executive Assistant is the highest at $65,410.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +0.6% | 1,050 | |
| Office Manager | +0.2% | 1,850 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 420 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -1.9% | 140 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -4.4% | 750 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Lincoln (-2.3%), between administrative assistants (-0.7%) and virtual receptionists (-2.5%). The typical role here is at -8.6%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Lincoln than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Lincoln, 1.6% across Nebraska and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 5 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $47,520 in the South Nebraska nonmetro area to $64,230 in Omaha, a gap of $16,710 a year. The one area in Nebraska with more paralegals, Omaha, NE-IA ($64,230), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Lincoln | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha, NE-IA | +4.5% | 1,010 | |
| Lincoln, NE | this area | 420 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -8.8% | 70 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -22.5% | 40 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -22.7% | 90 |
Lincoln against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Lincoln is #121 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 Nebraska, Mount Vernon-Anacortes and Riverside-San Bernardino pay just above Lincoln and Grand Junction and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in Lincoln. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Lincoln | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +0.0% | 2,460 | pay | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | +0.0% | 80 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | this area | 420 | ||
| Grand Junction, CO | -0.0% | 100 | pay | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -1.7% | 420 | jobs | |
| Modesto, CA | -4.3% | 420 | jobs | |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | -16.1% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Lincoln, NE?
About $79,277 a year at the median, or $6,606 a month: $61,440 in pay plus about $17,837 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Lincoln?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $61,440 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $44,840, the 90th $85,160, and the middle half earned $49,080 to $73,130.
Is Lincoln cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $61,440 against $63,250 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is Omaha at $64,230, the next down the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area at $56,040.
How many paralegals work in Lincoln?
BLS counts about 420 in the May 2025 survey. That is 26% of the Nebraska total of 1,630. Only Omaha has more in Nebraska.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Lincoln?
Yes: $1,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $61,440 and $60,280.
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.