Paralegal salary in Richmond, VA
Richmond is the most expensive place in Virginia to hire a paralegal. The median is $62,940 a year1, 1.6% below the Virginia statewide median of $63,990 and about level with the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#85 of 506). With about 1,930 paralegals, 19% of the Virginia total, no area in Virginia employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Richmond, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Richmond against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | $48,400 | $62,940 | $91,960 | |
| Virginia | $47,860 | $63,990 | $100,550 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Richmond earns $53,080–$77,090. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $91,960, 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 only $24,010 wide, against $25,540 across Virginia and $29,740 nationally: employers in Richmond 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 | $48,400 | $4,033 | $23.27 | $62,452 |
| 25th percentile | $53,080 | $4,423 | $25.52 | $68,490 |
| Median | $62,940 | $5,245 | $30.26 | $81,213 |
| 75th percentile | $77,090 | $6,424 | $37.06 | $99,471 |
| 90th percentile | $91,960 | $7,663 | $44.21 | $118,658 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $14,150 a year in pay and about $18,258 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,860 in pay. 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 Richmond, and the Virginia statewide median of $63,990 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Richmond
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $18,273 to the $62,940 median and brings it to $81,213 a year. 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 Richmond
Of the 17 roles we track in Richmond, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($64,690) and sales development representatives ($61,510). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,170.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +23.1% | 2,060 | |
| Office Manager | +2.8% | 6,490 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 1,930 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.3% | 5,710 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -4.7% | 630 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in Richmond (+0.1%), between administrative assistants (+0.6%) and project coordinators (-0.1%). The typical role here is at +0.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 2.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Richmond, 2.4% across Virginia and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $46,670 in the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area to $62,940 in Richmond, a gap of $16,270 a year. No other area in Virginia has as many paralegals, and all 12 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | this area | 1,930 | |
| Roanoke, VA | -4.6% | 390 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -5.0% | 1,670 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -5.0% | 50 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -5.1% | 190 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -6.8% | 80 | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | -7.3% | 70 |
Richmond against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Richmond is #44 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 Virginia, El Centro and Yakima pay just above Richmond and Honolulu and Houston-Pasadena just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in Richmond. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Richmond | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +57.7% | 2,030 | jobs | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | +7.2% | 1,930 | jobs | |
| Yakima, WA | +0.3% | 180 | pay | |
| El Centro, CA | +0.1% | 60 | pay | |
| Richmond, VA | this area | 1,930 | ||
| Honolulu, HI | -0.2% | 880 | pay | |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | -0.3% | 7,320 | pay | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | -4.1% | 1,880 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Richmond, VA?
About $81,213 a year at the median, or $6,768 a month: $62,940 in pay plus about $18,273 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Richmond?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $62,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,400, the 90th $91,960, and the middle half earned $53,080 to $77,090.
Is Richmond the most expensive area in Virginia for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $62,940 is the highest of 13 areas in Virginia. Roanoke comes next at $60,060.
How many paralegals work in Richmond?
BLS counts about 1,930 in the May 2025 survey. That is 19% of the Virginia total of 10,250. No other area in Virginia has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Richmond?
Yes: $1,430 a year more at the median. The medians are $62,940 and $61,510.
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.