Paralegal salary in Syracuse, NY
Syracuse is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $61,150 a year1 is 10.6% below the New York statewide median of $68,410, and 2.8% below the US median of $62,890. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#120 of 506). About 970 paralegals work here, 3% of the New York total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Syracuse, NY. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Syracuse against New York and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | $47,290 | $61,150 | $81,460 | |
| New York | $48,330 | $68,410 | $115,720 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Syracuse earns $51,490–$77,760. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $81,460, only 1.7 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 $26,270 wide, against $36,770 across New York and $29,740 nationally: employers in Syracuse 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 | $47,290 | $3,941 | $22.74 | $61,019 |
| 25th percentile | $51,490 | $4,291 | $24.75 | $66,439 |
| Median | $61,150 | $5,096 | $29.40 | $78,903 |
| 75th percentile | $77,760 | $6,480 | $37.38 | $100,335 |
| 90th percentile | $81,460 | $6,788 | $39.16 | $105,110 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $16,610 over the median, the 25th only $9,660 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $21,432 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 Syracuse, and the New York statewide median of $68,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Syracuse
At the $61,150 median, a local hire costs about $78,903 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,753 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 Syracuse
Of the 17 roles we track in Syracuse, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($63,810) and payroll specialists ($55,410). Project Coordinator is the highest at $105,390.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +18.8% | 2,510 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +4.3% | 1,720 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 970 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -9.4% | 290 | |
| Bookkeeper | -15.0% | 2,980 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Syracuse (-2.8%), between medical administrative assistants (-2.3%) and payroll specialists (-4.9%). The typical role here is at +1.3%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Syracuse than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Syracuse, 3.1% across New York and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
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. Of the 4 areas in New York with more paralegals than Syracuse, 3 pay less: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ($58,270), Albany-Schenectady, NY ($60,680) and Rochester, NY ($57,250).
| Area | Median | vs Syracuse | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark, NY-NJ | +23.2% | 33,850 | |
| Kingston, NY | +1.7% | 140 | |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | +0.3% | 600 | |
| Syracuse, NY | this area | 970 | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -0.8% | 1,340 | |
| Ithaca, NY | -1.0% | 80 | |
| Binghamton, NY | -1.2% | 240 |
Syracuse against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Syracuse is #65 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 New York, Peoria and Rochester pay just above Syracuse and Allentown-Bethlehem and Cleveland just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Syracuse. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Syracuse | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, MN | +0.1% | 200 | pay | |
| Peoria, IL | +0.1% | 370 | pay | |
| Syracuse, NY | this area | 970 | ||
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | -0.2% | 430 | pay | |
| Cleveland, OH | -0.3% | 2,960 | pay | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -3.5% | 960 | jobs | |
| Tucson, AZ | -14.3% | 980 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | -17.0% | 980 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Syracuse, NY?
About $78,903 a year at the median, or $6,575 a month: $61,150 in pay plus about $17,753 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Syracuse?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $61,150 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $47,290, the 90th $81,460, and the middle half earned $51,490 to $77,760.
Is Syracuse cheaper than the rest of New York for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $61,150 against $68,410 statewide. The next area up in New York is Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie at $61,350, the next down Albany-Schenectady at $60,680.
How many paralegals work in Syracuse?
BLS counts about 970 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the New York total of 34,220. 4 areas in New York have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 1,300.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Syracuse?
Yes: $5,740 a year more at the median. The medians are $61,150 and $55,410.
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.