Paralegal salary in Rochester, NY
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Rochester than in New York or the country as a whole. The median is $57,250 a year1: 16.3% below the New York statewide median of $68,410 and 9.0% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #236 of 506 areas. About 1,300 paralegals work here, 4% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Rochester, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Rochester against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | $43,100 | $57,250 | $81,830 | |
| New York | $48,330 | $68,410 | $115,720 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Rochester earns $45,120–$65,340. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $81,830, 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 $20,220 wide, against $36,770 across New York and $29,740 nationally: employers in Rochester 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 | $43,100 | $3,592 | $20.72 | $55,613 |
| 25th percentile | $45,120 | $3,760 | $21.69 | $58,219 |
| Median | $57,250 | $4,771 | $27.52 | $73,871 |
| 75th percentile | $65,340 | $5,445 | $31.41 | $84,310 |
| 90th percentile | $81,830 | $6,819 | $39.34 | $105,587 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,090 a year in pay and about $10,439 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,130 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 median and the 75th percentile in Rochester, and the New York statewide median of $68,410 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Rochester
At the $57,250 median, a local hire costs about $73,871 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,621 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 Rochester
Of the 17 roles we track in Rochester, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($57,440) and bookkeepers ($50,870). Project Coordinator is the highest at $103,520.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +17.7% | 3,510 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +0.3% | 590 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 1,300 | |
| Bookkeeper | -11.1% | 4,380 | |
| HR Assistant | -15.5% | 610 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Rochester (-9.0%); virtual receptionists come first (+1.4%). The typical role here is at -2.0%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Rochester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Rochester, 3.1% across New York and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in New York
Across the 16 areas of New York with data for this job, the median runs from $47,850 in the Capital/Northern New York nonmetro area to $75,330 in New York-Newark, a gap of $27,480 a year. All 3 areas in New York with more paralegals than Rochester also pay more, among them New York-Newark, NY-NJ ($75,330) and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($58,270).
| Area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton, NY | +5.5% | 240 | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +3.4% | 100 | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | +1.8% | 2,060 | |
| Rochester, NY | this area | 1,300 | |
| Elmira, NY | -1.8% | 50 | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -1.9% | 50 | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | -4.2% | 170 |
Rochester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Rochester is #55 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 New York, Tyler and Grants Pass pay just above Rochester and Salem and Columbia just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Rochester. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Rochester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | +7.0% | 1,460 | jobs | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +4.9% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Grants Pass, OR | +0.2% | 30 | pay | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.1% | 360 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | this area | 1,300 | ||
| Salem, OR | -0.0% | 480 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -0.1% | 1,790 | pay | |
| Boise City, ID | -6.6% | 1,140 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Rochester, NY?
About $73,871 a year at the median, or $6,156 a month: $57,250 in pay plus about $16,621 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Rochester?
The median was $57,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,100, the 90th $81,830, and the middle half earned $45,120 to $65,340.
Is Rochester cheaper than the rest of New York for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $57,250 against $68,410 statewide. The next area up in New York is Buffalo-Cheektowaga at $58,270, the next down Elmira at $56,230.
How many paralegals work in Rochester?
BLS counts about 1,300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the New York total of 34,220. 3 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Albany-Schenectady, with about 1,340.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Rochester?
Yes: $6,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,250 and $50,870.
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.