Cost of hiring a paralegal in New York-Newark, NY-NJ
Paralegals earn more in New York-Newark than anywhere else in New York. Expect a median of $75,330 a year[1], 10.1% above the New York statewide median of $68,410 and 19.8% above the US median of $62,890. Only 16 of 506 US areas pay more for this job. With about 33,850 paralegals, no area in New York employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in New York-Newark against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ | $49,180 | $75,330 | $121,170 | |
| New York | $48,330 | $68,410 | $115,720 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $121,170, 2.5 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in New York-Newark earns $61,040–$97,720.
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,180 | $4,098 | $23.64 | $70,257 |
| 25th percentile | $61,040 | $5,087 | $29.35 | $87,200 |
| Median | $75,330 | $6,278 | $36.22 | $107,614 |
| 75th percentile | $97,720 | $8,143 | $46.98 | $139,600 |
| 90th percentile | $121,170 | $10,098 | $58.25 | $173,100 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $22,390 a year in pay and about $31,986 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $14,290 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.
What a hire really costs in New York-Newark
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], which adds about $32,284 to the $75,330 median and brings it to $107,614 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Other roles in New York-Newark
Of the 17 roles we track in New York-Newark, this one ranks #8 by median pay. Project Coordinator is the highest at $126,660 and Virtual Receptionist the lowest at $44,690.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +68.1% | 68,910 | |
| Accountant | +40.2% | 111,930 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +33.4% | 79,290 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +24.5% | 91,680 | |
| Recruiter | +19.2% | 52,370 | |
| Executive Assistant | +11.3% | 76,950 | |
| Office Manager | +7.2% | 95,180 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 33,850 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -15.7% | 7,770 | |
| Bookkeeper | -19.5% | 77,010 | |
| HR Assistant | -24.5% | 7,640 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -31.7% | 122,680 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -34.2% | 125,570 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -34.6% | 52,640 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -36.5% | 4,120 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -39.8% | 10,110 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -40.7% | 74,190 |
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $47,850 in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area to $75,330 in New York-Newark, a gap of $27,480 a year.
| Area | Median | vs New York-Newark | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ | this area | 33,850 | |
| Kingston, NY | -17.4% | 140 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -18.6% | 600 | |
| Syracuse, NY | -18.8% | 970 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -19.4% | 1,340 | |
| Ithaca, NY | -19.6% | 80 | |
| Binghamton, NY | -19.8% | 240 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in New York-Newark, NY-NJ?
About $107,614 a year at the median, or $8,968 a month: $75,330 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in New York-Newark?
The median was $75,330 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,180, the 90th $121,170, and the middle half earned $61,040 to $97,720.
Is New York-Newark the most expensive area in New York for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $75,330 is the highest of 16 areas in New York. Kingston comes next at $62,210.
How many paralegals work in New York-Newark?
BLS counts about 33,850 in the May 2025 survey.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in New York-Newark?
Yes: $11,830 a year more at the median. The medians are $75,330 and $63,500.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-06.