Paralegal salary in Olympia-Lacey, WA
Olympia-Lacey pays paralegals less than Washington as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $71,140 a year1: 10.4% below the Washington statewide median of $79,400 and 13.1% above the US median of $62,890. Only 27 of 506 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 570 people in this job here, 6% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Olympia-Lacey against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | $51,100 | $71,140 | $80,700 | |
| Washington | $50,470 | $79,400 | $116,750 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Olympia-Lacey earns $59,240–$78,460. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $80,700, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($69,100) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $19,220 wide, against $38,290 across Washington and $29,740 nationally: employers in Olympia-Lacey 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 | $51,100 | $4,258 | $24.57 | $65,935 |
| 25th percentile | $59,240 | $4,937 | $28.48 | $76,439 |
| Median | $71,140 | $5,928 | $34.20 | $91,794 |
| 75th percentile | $78,460 | $6,538 | $37.72 | $101,239 |
| 90th percentile | $80,700 | $6,725 | $38.80 | $104,129 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $7,320 over it, while the 25th sits $11,900 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $9,445 more a year with benefits. 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 Olympia-Lacey, and the Washington statewide median of $79,400 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Olympia-Lacey
At the $71,140 median, a local hire costs about $91,794 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,654 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 Olympia-Lacey
Of the 17 roles we track in Olympia-Lacey, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($75,180) and payroll specialists ($65,790). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,000.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +10.0% | 1,210 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.7% | 560 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 570 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -7.5% | 80 | |
| Bookkeeper | -21.9% | 1,050 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Olympia-Lacey (+13.1%), between recruiters (+14.2%) and payroll specialists (+12.9%). The typical role here is at +12.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 4.2% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Olympia-Lacey, 2.8% across Washington and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 12 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $59,540 in Spokane-Spokane Valley to $92,900 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $33,360 a year. Of the 2 areas in Washington with more paralegals than Olympia-Lacey, 1 pays less: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($59,540).
| Area | Median | vs Olympia-Lacey | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +30.6% | 6,310 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | +5.7% | 70 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +0.2% | 190 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | this area | 570 | |
| Bellingham, WA | -10.1% | 180 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | -10.2% | 190 | |
| Yakima, WA | -11.2% | 180 |
Olympia-Lacey against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Olympia-Lacey is #94 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 Washington, Burlington-South Burlington and Fairbanks-College pay just above Olympia-Lacey and Worcester and Chicago-Naperville just below. All four are within $590 a year of the median in Olympia-Lacey. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Olympia-Lacey | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | +0.4% | 60 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +0.0% | 300 | pay | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | this area | 570 | ||
| Worcester, MA | -0.2% | 480 | pay | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | -0.8% | 11,590 | pay | |
| Colorado Springs, CO | -8.9% | 560 | jobs | |
| Wilmington, NC | -21.2% | 580 | jobs | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -33.5% | 560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Olympia-Lacey, WA?
About $91,794 a year at the median, or $7,649 a month: $71,140 in pay plus about $20,654 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Olympia-Lacey?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,140 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,100, the 90th $80,700, and the middle half earned $59,240 to $78,460.
Is Olympia-Lacey cheaper than the rest of Washington for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $71,140 against $79,400 statewide. The next area up in Washington is Bremerton-Silverdale at $71,310, the next down Bellingham at $63,950.
How many paralegals work in Olympia-Lacey?
BLS counts about 570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Washington total of 9,460. Only Seattle-Tacoma and Spokane-Spokane Valley have more in Washington.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Olympia-Lacey?
Yes: $5,350 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,140 and $65,790.
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.