Paralegal salary in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
BLS publishes pay for this job in only one area of Rhode Island, and it is Providence-Warwick. The median is $57,100 a year1, 1.5% above the Rhode Island statewide median of $56,250 and 9.2% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #243 of 506 areas. BLS counts about 2,420 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Providence-Warwick, RI-MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Providence-Warwick against Rhode Island and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $43,370 | $57,100 | $80,850 | |
| Rhode Island | $43,370 | $56,250 | $79,650 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Providence-Warwick earns $44,990–$72,140. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $80,850, 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 $27,150 wide, between the figure for Rhode Island ($21,260) 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 | $43,370 | $3,614 | $20.85 | $55,961 |
| 25th percentile | $44,990 | $3,749 | $21.63 | $58,052 |
| Median | $57,100 | $4,758 | $27.45 | $73,677 |
| 75th percentile | $72,140 | $6,012 | $34.68 | $93,084 |
| 90th percentile | $80,850 | $6,738 | $38.87 | $104,323 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,110 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,040, or about $19,406 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 Providence-Warwick, and the Rhode Island statewide median of $56,250 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Providence-Warwick
At the $57,100 median, a local hire costs about $73,677 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,577 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 Providence-Warwick
Of the 17 roles we track in Providence-Warwick, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($59,720) and bookkeepers ($54,630). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,510.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +30.4% | 6,930 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +4.6% | 620 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 2,420 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.3% | 6,400 | |
| HR Assistant | -6.2% | 220 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Providence-Warwick (-9.2%); accountants come first (+13.6%). The typical role here is at +5.9%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Providence-Warwick than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.7% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Providence-Warwick, 4.1% across Rhode Island and 2.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Providence-Warwick against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Providence-Warwick is #36 of 503 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Rhode Island, Deltona-Daytona Beach and Medford pay just above Providence-Warwick and Great Falls and Charleston-North Charleston just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Providence-Warwick. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Providence-Warwick | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +8.4% | 2,540 | jobs | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +7.6% | 2,460 | jobs | |
| Medford, OR | +0.2% | 170 | pay | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | +0.0% | 510 | pay | |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | this area | 2,420 | ||
| Great Falls, MT | -0.0% | 70 | pay | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | -0.1% | 1,490 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -6.9% | 2,420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Providence-Warwick, RI-MA?
About $73,677 a year at the median, or $6,140 a month: $57,100 in pay plus about $16,577 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Providence-Warwick?
The median was $57,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,370, the 90th $80,850, and the middle half earned $44,990 to $72,140.
How many paralegals work in Providence-Warwick?
BLS counts about 2,420 in the May 2025 survey.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Providence-Warwick?
Yes: $2,470 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,100 and $54,630.
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.