Paralegal salary in Roanoke, VA
Roanoke is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $60,060 a year1 is 6.1% below the Virginia statewide median of $63,990, and 4.5% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #156 of 506. About 390 paralegals work here, 4% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Roanoke, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Roanoke against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke, VA | $45,790 | $60,060 | $78,040 | |
| Virginia | $47,860 | $63,990 | $100,550 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Roanoke earns $48,710–$67,200. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $78,040, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($59,920) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $18,490 wide, against $25,540 across Virginia and $29,740 nationally: employers in Roanoke 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 | $45,790 | $3,816 | $22.01 | $59,084 |
| 25th percentile | $48,710 | $4,059 | $23.42 | $62,852 |
| Median | $60,060 | $5,005 | $28.88 | $77,497 |
| 75th percentile | $67,200 | $5,600 | $32.31 | $86,710 |
| 90th percentile | $78,040 | $6,503 | $37.52 | $100,697 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $7,140 over it, while the 25th sits $11,350 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $9,213 more a year with benefits. 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 Roanoke, and the Virginia statewide median of $63,990 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Roanoke
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 $17,437 to the $60,060 median and brings it to $77,497 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 Roanoke
Of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($61,800) and sales development representatives ($58,930). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,170.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +3.2% | 230 | |
| Office Manager | +2.9% | 1,460 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 390 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.9% | 1,110 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -15.0% | 140 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #3 of the 17 roles we track in Roanoke (-4.5%), between customer support specialists (+1.6%) and administrative assistants (-5.1%). The typical role here is at -10.9%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Roanoke than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Roanoke, 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. Of the 2 areas in Virginia with more paralegals than Roanoke, 1 pays less: Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC ($59,790).
| Area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | +4.8% | 1,930 | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 390 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | -0.4% | 1,670 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -0.5% | 50 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | -0.5% | 190 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -2.4% | 80 | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | -2.9% | 70 |
Roanoke against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Roanoke is #131 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, North Port-Bradenton and Des Moines-West Des Moines pay just above Roanoke and Sioux Falls and Springfield just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Roanoke. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Roanoke | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | +10.2% | 390 | jobs | |
| Boulder, CO | +10.0% | 400 | jobs | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +0.3% | 400 | jobs | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +0.0% | 1,190 | pay | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +0.0% | 990 | pay | |
| Roanoke, VA | this area | 390 | ||
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| Springfield, IL | -0.1% | 230 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Roanoke, VA?
About $77,497 a year at the median, or $6,458 a month: $60,060 in pay plus about $17,437 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Roanoke?
The median was $60,060 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,790, the 90th $78,040, and the middle half earned $48,710 to $67,200.
Is Roanoke cheaper than the rest of Virginia for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $60,060 against $63,990 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Richmond at $62,940, the next down Virginia Beach-Chesapeake at $59,790.
How many paralegals work in Roanoke?
BLS counts about 390 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Virginia total of 10,250. Only Richmond and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake have more in Virginia.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Roanoke?
Yes: $1,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,060 and $58,930.
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.