Paralegal salary in Salem, OR
Salem is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $57,230 a year1 is 6.9% below the Oregon statewide median of $61,490, and 9.0% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #237 of 506 areas. About 480 paralegals work here, 10% of the Oregon total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Salem, OR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Salem against Oregon and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | $49,570 | $57,230 | $92,680 | |
| Oregon | $48,250 | $61,490 | $98,640 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Salem earns $55,140–$76,040. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $92,680, only 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($64,580) is 13% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $20,900 wide, against $25,460 across Oregon and $29,740 nationally: employers in Salem 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 | $49,570 | $4,131 | $23.83 | $63,961 |
| 25th percentile | $55,140 | $4,595 | $26.51 | $71,148 |
| Median | $57,230 | $4,769 | $27.51 | $73,845 |
| 75th percentile | $76,040 | $6,337 | $36.56 | $98,116 |
| 90th percentile | $92,680 | $7,723 | $44.56 | $119,587 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $18,810 over the median, the 25th only $2,090 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $24,271 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 Salem, and the Oregon statewide median of $61,490 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Salem
At the $57,230 median, a local hire costs about $73,845 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $16,615 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 Salem
Of the 17 roles we track in Salem, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($61,590) and administrative assistants ($55,660). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,730.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +9.0% | 710 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +7.6% | 290 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 480 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.7% | 3,220 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.9% | 2,230 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Salem (-9.0%), between executive assistants (-8.2%) and sales development representatives (-10.8%). The typical role here is at +5.7%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Salem than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Salem, 2.5% across Oregon and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Oregon
Across the 11 areas of Oregon with data for this job, the median runs from $51,620 in the Eastern Oregon nonmetro area to $75,430 in Portland-Vancouver, a gap of $23,810 a year. The one area in Oregon with more paralegals, Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA ($75,430), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Salem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Oregon (Nonmetro) | +6.9% | 70 | |
| Bend, OR | +5.4% | 230 | |
| Grants Pass, OR | +0.3% | 30 | |
| Salem, OR | this area | 480 | |
| Coast Oregon (Nonmetro) | +0.0% | 110 | |
| Medford, OR | -0.1% | 170 | |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | -1.6% | 280 |
Salem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Salem is #110 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 Oregon, Rochester and Tyler pay just above Salem and Columbia and Deltona-Daytona Beach just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Salem. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Salem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | +24.0% | 480 | jobs | |
| Tyler, TX | +0.2% | 360 | pay | |
| Rochester, NY | +0.0% | 1,300 | pay | |
| Salem, OR | this area | 480 | ||
| Columbia, SC | -0.0% | 1,790 | pay | |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach, FL | -0.2% | 510 | pay | |
| Charleston, WV | -4.3% | 480 | jobs | |
| Wichita, KS | -12.2% | 480 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Salem, OR?
About $73,845 a year at the median, or $6,154 a month: $57,230 in pay plus about $16,615 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Salem?
The median was $57,230 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,570, the 90th $92,680, and the middle half earned $55,140 to $76,040.
Is Salem cheaper than the rest of Oregon for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $57,230 against $61,490 statewide. The next area up in Oregon is Grants Pass at $57,380, the next down the Coast Oregon nonmetro area at $57,230.
How many paralegals work in Salem?
BLS counts about 480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 10% of the Oregon total of 4,870. Only Portland-Vancouver has more in Oregon.
Does a paralegal cost more than an administrative assistant in Salem?
Yes: $1,570 a year more at the median. The medians are $57,230 and $55,660.
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.