Paralegal salary in Reno, NV
No other area in Nevada pays paralegals less than Reno. The median is $55,410 a year1, 14.3% below the Nevada statewide median of $64,680 and 11.9% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #273 of 506 areas. About 770 paralegals work here, 21% of the Nevada total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Reno, NV. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Reno against Nevada and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno, NV | $36,840 | $55,410 | $77,810 | |
| Nevada | $47,640 | $64,680 | $82,160 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $77,810, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Reno earns $51,010–$63,380. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,370 wide, against $21,570 across Nevada and $29,740 nationally: employers in Reno 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 | $36,840 | $3,070 | $17.71 | $47,535 |
| 25th percentile | $51,010 | $4,251 | $24.52 | $65,819 |
| Median | $55,410 | $4,618 | $26.64 | $71,497 |
| 75th percentile | $63,380 | $5,282 | $30.47 | $81,781 |
| 90th percentile | $77,810 | $6,484 | $37.41 | $100,400 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,970 over the median, the 25th only $4,400 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,284 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 median and the 75th percentile in Reno, and the Nevada statewide median of $64,680 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Reno
At the $55,410 median, a local hire costs about $71,497 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,087 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 Reno
Of the 17 roles we track in Reno, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($59,720) and bookkeepers ($52,000). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,500.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +19.6% | 780 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +7.8% | 320 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 770 | |
| Bookkeeper | -6.2% | 3,160 | |
| HR Assistant | -11.7% | 250 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Reno (-11.9%), between executive assistants (-11.1%) and e-commerce order specialists (-12.5%). The typical role here is at -1.9%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Reno than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Reno, 2.5% across Nevada and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nevada
Across the 4 areas of Nevada with data for this job, the median runs from $55,410 in Reno to $70,010 in Carson City, a gap of $14,600 a year. The one area in Nevada with more paralegals, Las Vegas-Henderson, NV ($66,720), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Reno | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City, NV | +26.3% | 80 | |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | +20.4% | 2,660 | |
| Balance of Nevada (Nonmetro) | +9.1% | 90 | |
| Reno, NV | this area | 770 |
Reno against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Reno is #82 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 Nevada, Albany and Dubuque pay just above Reno and Flint and Corvallis just below. All four are within $330 a year of the median in Reno. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Reno | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven, CT | +14.4% | 780 | jobs | |
| Tallahassee, FL | +2.3% | 780 | jobs | |
| Dubuque, IA | +0.6% | 80 | pay | |
| Albany, OR | +0.3% | 60 | pay | |
| Reno, NV | this area | 770 | ||
| Flint, MI | -0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| Corvallis, OR | -0.4% | 50 | pay | |
| Knoxville, TN | -10.2% | 770 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Reno, NV?
About $71,497 a year at the median, or $5,958 a month: $55,410 in pay plus about $16,087 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Reno?
The median was $55,410 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,840, the 90th $77,810, and the middle half earned $51,010 to $63,380.
Is Reno the cheapest area in Nevada for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $55,410 is the lowest of 4 areas in Nevada. The Balance of Nevada nonmetro area is next at $60,480.
How many paralegals work in Reno?
BLS counts about 770 in the May 2025 survey. That is 21% of the Nevada total of 3,620. Only Las Vegas-Henderson has more in Nevada.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Reno?
Yes: $3,410 a year more at the median. The medians are $55,410 and $52,000.
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.