Paralegal salary in Seattle-Tacoma, WA
Seattle-Tacoma is the most expensive place in Washington to hire a paralegal. The median is $92,900 a year1, 17.0% above the Washington statewide median of $79,400 and 47.7% above the US median of $62,890. Only 1 of 506 US areas pay more for this job. With about 6,310 paralegals, 67% of the Washington total, no area in Washington employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Seattle-Tacoma against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | $59,320 | $92,900 | $119,820 | |
| Washington | $50,470 | $79,400 | $116,750 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Seattle-Tacoma earns $74,470–$108,160. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $119,820, only 2.0 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($92,230) 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 $33,690 wide, between the figure for Washington ($38,290) and the US figure ($29,740).
What to budget for a paralegal here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $59,320 | $4,943 | $28.52 | $76,542 |
| 25th percentile | $74,470 | $6,206 | $35.80 | $96,090 |
| Median | $92,900 | $7,742 | $44.66 | $119,871 |
| 75th percentile | $108,160 | $9,013 | $52.00 | $139,561 |
| 90th percentile | $119,820 | $9,985 | $57.61 | $154,606 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $15,260 a year in pay and about $19,690 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $18,430 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 10th and 25th percentiles in Seattle-Tacoma, and the Washington statewide median of $79,400 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would be lower than what three quarters of local paralegals earn.
What a hire really costs in Seattle-Tacoma
At the $92,900 median, a local hire costs about $119,871 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $26,971 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 Seattle-Tacoma
Of the 17 roles we track in Seattle-Tacoma, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between accountants ($99,370) and recruiters ($92,770). Project Coordinator is the highest at $130,380.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +10.0% | 18,030 | |
| Accountant | +7.0% | 22,100 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 6,310 | |
| Recruiter | -0.1% | 14,120 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -11.2% | 12,450 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in Seattle-Tacoma (+47.7%); executive assistants come last (+5.6%). The typical role here is at +19.4%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Seattle-Tacoma than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.0% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Seattle-Tacoma, 2.8% across Washington and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 12 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $59,540 in Spokane-Spokane Valley to $92,900 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $33,360 a year. No other area in Washington has as many paralegals, and all 11 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Seattle-Tacoma | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | this area | 6,310 | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -19.0% | 70 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | -23.2% | 190 | |
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -23.4% | 570 | |
| Bellingham, WA | -31.2% | 180 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | -31.3% | 190 | |
| Yakima, WA | -32.0% | 180 |
Seattle-Tacoma against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Seattle-Tacoma is #12 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 Washington, San Jose-Sunnyvale pay just above Seattle-Tacoma and San Francisco-Oakland and Washington-Arlington just below. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Seattle-Tacoma | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale, CA | +6.8% | 2,030 | pay | |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | this area | 6,310 | ||
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | -9.5% | 7,630 | pay | |
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | -12.2% | 12,990 | pay | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | -14.0% | 6,300 | jobs | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | -32.6% | 6,280 | jobs | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | -35.3% | 6,630 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Seattle-Tacoma, WA?
About $119,871 a year at the median, or $9,989 a month: $92,900 in pay plus about $26,971 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Seattle-Tacoma?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $92,900 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $59,320, the 90th $119,820, and the middle half earned $74,470 to $108,160.
Is Seattle-Tacoma the most expensive area in Washington for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $92,900 is the highest of 12 areas in Washington. Wenatchee-East Wenatchee comes next at $75,230.
How many paralegals work in Seattle-Tacoma?
BLS counts about 6,310 in the May 2025 survey. That is 67% of the Washington total of 9,460. No other area in Washington has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a recruiter in Seattle-Tacoma?
Yes: $130 a year more at the median. The medians are $92,900 and $92,770.
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.