Paralegal salary in Portland-South Portland, ME
Portland-South Portland is the most expensive place in Maine to hire a paralegal. The median is $64,280 a year1, 3.0% above the Maine statewide median of $62,420 and 2.2% above the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#61 of 506). It is the largest market for the job in Maine: about 700 people, 58% of the Maine total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Portland-South Portland, ME. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Portland-South Portland against Maine and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $57,160 | $64,280 | $80,580 | |
| Maine | $48,260 | $62,420 | $80,550 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Portland-South Portland earns $61,740–$76,990. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $80,580, only 1.4 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 $15,250 wide, between the figure for Maine ($13,660) 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 | $57,160 | $4,763 | $27.48 | $73,755 |
| 25th percentile | $61,740 | $5,145 | $29.68 | $79,665 |
| Median | $64,280 | $5,357 | $30.90 | $82,942 |
| 75th percentile | $76,990 | $6,416 | $37.01 | $99,342 |
| 90th percentile | $80,580 | $6,715 | $38.74 | $103,974 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $12,710 over the median, the 25th only $2,540 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $16,400 a year in employer cost. 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 Portland-South Portland, and the Maine statewide median of $62,420 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Portland-South Portland
At the $64,280 median, a local hire costs about $82,942 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,662 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 Portland-South Portland
Of the 17 roles we track in Portland-South Portland, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between executive assistants ($66,750) and payroll specialists ($61,590). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,530.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +6.4% | 1,070 | |
| Executive Assistant | +3.8% | 1,090 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 700 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -4.2% | 210 | |
| Bookkeeper | -15.0% | 2,670 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #12 of the 17 roles we track in Portland-South Portland (+2.2%), between HR assistants (+2.3%) and office managers (+1.1%). The typical role here is at +2.8%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Portland-South Portland, 2.2% across Maine and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maine
Across the 5 areas of Maine with data for this job, the median runs from $58,280 in Bangor to $64,280 in Portland-South Portland, a gap of $6,000 a year. No other area in Maine has as many paralegals, and all 4 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Portland-South Portland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | this area | 700 | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | -5.4% | 90 | |
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | -7.9% | 190 | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -9.1% | 90 | |
| Bangor, ME | -9.3% | 120 |
Portland-South Portland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Portland-South Portland is #83 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 Maine, Barnstable Town and Cincinnati pay just above Portland-South Portland and Omaha and Helena just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Portland-South Portland. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Portland-South Portland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +0.1% | 1,700 | pay | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | +0.0% | 190 | pay | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | this area | 700 | ||
| Omaha, NE-IA | -0.1% | 1,010 | pay | |
| Helena, MT | -0.1% | 170 | pay | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -1.0% | 640 | jobs | |
| Knoxville, TN | -22.6% | 770 | jobs | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | -25.8% | 680 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Portland-South Portland, ME?
About $82,942 a year at the median, or $6,912 a month: $64,280 in pay plus about $18,662 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Portland-South Portland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $64,280 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $57,160, the 90th $80,580, and the middle half earned $61,740 to $76,990.
Is Portland-South Portland the most expensive area in Maine for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $64,280 is the highest of 5 areas in Maine. The Northeast Maine nonmetro area comes next at $60,810.
How many paralegals work in Portland-South Portland?
BLS counts about 700 in the May 2025 survey. That is 58% of the Maine total of 1,210. No other area in Maine has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Portland-South Portland?
Yes: $2,690 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,280 and $61,590.
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.