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Paralegal salary and cost of hiring in Rhode Island

The median paralegal in Rhode Island earned $56,250 a year in May 2025[1], 10.6% below the US median of $62,890. That puts Rhode Island at #42 of 51 states for this job.

$4,688median pay per month in Rhode Island
$6,696employer cost per month with benefits
$27.04median pay per hour
2,070people in this job in Rhode Island

BLS occupation 23-2011. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.

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Salary range

Range10thMedian90th
Rhode Island$43,370$56,250$79,650
United States$44,740$62,890$101,500
10th to 90th percentilemiddle half (25th to 75th)median

The middle half of paralegals in Rhode Island earns $44,860–$66,120; the top tenth earns $79,650 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth.

What a hire really costs

Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the Rhode Island median that makes about $80,357 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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].

$80,357local hire, first year incl. benefits
-remote hire, first year incl. fee
-difference in year one
-of the local cost saved

Pay by metro area in Rhode Island

AreaMedian75th percentileJobs
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
$57,100
$72,1402,420

What a paralegal does

A paralegal supports lawyers with research, document drafting, filing and case management, under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

Neighbours in the ranking

StateMedianvs Rhode Island
Montana
$57,290
+1.8%
Indiana
$57,030
+1.4%
Rhode Island
$56,250
+0.0%
Kansas
$55,000
-2.2%
Iowa
$54,550
-3.0%

Questions

How much does a paralegal earn in Rhode Island?

The median was $56,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $44,860 to $66,120.

What does it cost to employ a paralegal in Rhode Island?

About $80,357 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).

Where in Rhode Island do paralegals earn the most?

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA, with a median of $57,100 a year.

Other roles in Rhode Island

Hire paralegals remotely

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS May 2025, 23-2011: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
  2. BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
  3. Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
  4. Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/

How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.