Paralegal salary in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
No other area in Washington pays paralegals less than Spokane-Spokane Valley. The median is $59,540 a year1, 25.0% below the Washington statewide median of $79,400 and 5.3% below the US median of $62,890. Nationally it ranks #173 of 506 areas. BLS counts about 610 people in this job here, 6% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Spokane-Spokane Valley against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $49,280 | $59,540 | $80,450 | |
| Washington | $50,470 | $79,400 | $116,750 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Spokane-Spokane Valley earns $49,760–$71,660. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $80,450, only 1.6 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 $21,900 wide, against $38,290 across Washington and $29,740 nationally: employers in Spokane-Spokane Valley 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 | $49,280 | $4,107 | $23.69 | $63,587 |
| 25th percentile | $49,760 | $4,147 | $23.92 | $64,206 |
| Median | $59,540 | $4,962 | $28.62 | $76,826 |
| 75th percentile | $71,660 | $5,972 | $34.45 | $92,465 |
| 90th percentile | $80,450 | $6,704 | $38.68 | $103,806 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $9,780 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,120, or about $15,639 once benefits are added. 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley, and the Washington statewide median of $79,400 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles.
What a hire really costs in Spokane-Spokane Valley
At the $59,540 median, a local hire costs about $76,826 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,286 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley
Of the 17 roles we track in Spokane-Spokane Valley, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($63,400) and bookkeepers ($53,050). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,840.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +17.5% | 1,240 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +6.5% | 230 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 610 | |
| Bookkeeper | -10.9% | 2,550 | |
| HR Assistant | -10.9% | 150 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Spokane-Spokane Valley (-5.3%), between project coordinators (-3.4%) and executive assistants (-6.6%). The typical role here is at +4.0%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Spokane-Spokane Valley than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.6% of the jobs in the 16 of these roles with a job count in Spokane-Spokane Valley, 2.8% across Washington and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. The one area in Washington with more paralegals, Seattle-Tacoma, WA ($92,900), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Spokane-Spokane Valley | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +7.3% | 190 | |
| Yakima, WA | +6.0% | 180 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | +5.0% | 270 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | +3.2% | 80 | |
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 140 | |
| Walla Walla, WA | +1.0% | 50 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | this area | 610 |
Spokane-Spokane Valley against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Spokane-Spokane Valley is #90 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 Washington, Redding and Decatur pay just above Spokane-Spokane Valley and Lebanon and Mankato just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Spokane-Spokane Valley. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Spokane-Spokane Valley | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +3.0% | 600 | jobs | |
| Savannah, GA | +1.4% | 610 | jobs | |
| Decatur, IL | +0.3% | 30 | pay | |
| Redding, CA | +0.1% | 120 | pay | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | this area | 610 | ||
| Lebanon, PA | -0.1% | 40 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | -0.1% | 100 | pay | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -2.2% | 610 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?
About $76,826 a year at the median, or $6,402 a month: $59,540 in pay plus about $17,286 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
The median was $59,540 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $49,280, the 90th $80,450, and the middle half earned $49,760 to $71,660.
Is Spokane-Spokane Valley the cheapest area in Washington for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $59,540 is the lowest of 12 areas in Washington. Walla Walla is next at $60,120.
How many paralegals work in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
BLS counts about 610 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Washington total of 9,460. Only Seattle-Tacoma has more in Washington.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Yes: $6,490 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,540 and $53,050.
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.