Paralegal salary in McAllen-Edinburg, TX
McAllen-Edinburg is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $47,330 a year1 is 24.0% below the Texas statewide median of $62,310, and 24.7% below the US median of $62,890. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#447 of 506). About 560 paralegals work here, 2% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in McAllen-Edinburg against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | $30,820 | $47,330 | $74,120 | |
| Texas | $39,190 | $62,310 | $98,440 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in McAllen-Edinburg earns $37,220–$59,770. The top tenth earns $74,120 or more, 2.4 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 $22,550 wide, against $30,330 across Texas and $29,740 nationally: employers in McAllen-Edinburg 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 | $30,820 | $2,568 | $14.82 | $39,768 |
| 25th percentile | $37,220 | $3,102 | $17.89 | $48,026 |
| Median | $47,330 | $3,944 | $22.75 | $61,071 |
| 75th percentile | $59,770 | $4,981 | $28.74 | $77,123 |
| 90th percentile | $74,120 | $6,177 | $35.63 | $95,639 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,110 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,440, or about $16,052 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 McAllen-Edinburg, and the Texas statewide median of $62,310 falls there too. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local paralegals earn.
What a hire really costs in McAllen-Edinburg
At the $47,330 median, a local hire costs about $61,071 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,741 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 McAllen-Edinburg
Of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($48,350) and bookkeepers ($41,960). Project Coordinator is the highest at $69,910.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +4.3% | 1,910 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +2.2% | 570 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 560 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.3% | 2,070 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.8% | 280 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #11 of the 17 roles we track in McAllen-Edinburg (-24.7%), between accountants (-23.0%) and virtual receptionists (-24.9%). The typical role here is at -21.6%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in McAllen-Edinburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in McAllen-Edinburg, 1.9% across Texas and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 30 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $45,480 in Brownsville-Harlingen to $64,500 in Midland, a gap of $19,020 a year. All 4 areas in Texas with more paralegals than McAllen-Edinburg also pay more, among them Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ($63,220) and Houston-Pasadena, TX ($62,730).
| Area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +1.6% | 60 | |
| Longview, TX | +1.4% | 140 | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | +0.1% | 50 | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 560 | |
| Laredo, TX | -0.6% | 140 | |
| Eagle Pass, TX | -2.7% | 50 | |
| Lubbock, TX | -3.3% | 340 |
McAllen-Edinburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, McAllen-Edinburg is #96 of 503 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Fond du Lac and Greenville pay just above McAllen-Edinburg and Dothan and Mansfield just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in McAllen-Edinburg. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs McAllen-Edinburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +50.3% | 570 | jobs | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | +37.0% | 560 | jobs | |
| Wilmington, NC | +18.4% | 580 | jobs | |
| Greenville, NC | +0.4% | 200 | pay | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | +0.2% | 30 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | this area | 560 | ||
| Dothan, AL | -0.1% | 120 | pay | |
| Mansfield, OH | -0.4% | 30 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in McAllen-Edinburg, TX?
About $61,071 a year at the median, or $5,089 a month: $47,330 in pay plus about $13,741 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in McAllen-Edinburg?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $47,330 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,820, the 90th $74,120, and the middle half earned $37,220 to $59,770.
Is McAllen-Edinburg cheaper than the rest of Texas for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $47,330 against $62,310 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Wichita Falls at $47,360, the next down Laredo at $47,060.
How many paralegals work in McAllen-Edinburg?
BLS counts about 560 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Texas total of 29,540. 4 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is San Antonio-New Braunfels, with about 2,900.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in McAllen-Edinburg?
Yes: $5,370 a year more at the median. The medians are $47,330 and $41,960.
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.