Paralegal salary in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL
Tampa-St. Petersburg is a lower-cost market for paralegals: the median of $60,150 a year1 is 1.4% below the Florida statewide median of $61,000, and 4.4% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #150 of 506. About 6,630 paralegals work here, 16% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $43,260 | $60,150 | $80,880 | |
| Florida | $38,830 | $61,000 | $83,410 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Tampa-St. Petersburg earns $48,130–$76,230. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $80,880, 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 $28,100 wide, between the figure for Florida ($27,550) 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 | $43,260 | $3,605 | $20.80 | $55,819 |
| 25th percentile | $48,130 | $4,011 | $23.14 | $62,103 |
| Median | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | $77,613 |
| 75th percentile | $76,230 | $6,352 | $36.65 | $98,361 |
| 90th percentile | $80,880 | $6,740 | $38.88 | $104,361 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $12,020 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $16,080, or about $20,748 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg, and the Florida statewide median of $61,000 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Tampa-St. Petersburg
At the $60,150 median, a local hire costs about $77,613 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,463 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg
Of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg, this one ranks #7 by median pay, between office managers ($63,650) and sales development representatives ($59,600). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,780.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +7.6% | 3,140 | |
| Office Manager | +5.8% | 14,050 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 6,630 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -0.9% | 16,050 | |
| HR Assistant | -12.9% | 530 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg (-4.4%), between virtual receptionists (-3.6%) and project coordinators (-4.4%). The typical role here is at -4.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Paralegals hold 4.1% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Tampa-St. Petersburg, 3.9% across Florida and 2.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $47,840 in Gainesville to $64,660 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $16,820 a year. The one area in Florida with more paralegals, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL ($62,090), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL | +3.2% | 17,820 | |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | +0.9% | 910 | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.4% | 490 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 6,630 | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | -0.1% | 990 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -1.1% | 5,480 | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | -3.2% | 610 |
Tampa-St. Petersburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tampa-St. Petersburg is #11 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 Florida, Bloomington and Lansing-East Lansing pay just above Tampa-St. Petersburg and Walla Walla and Bismarck just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Tampa-St. Petersburg. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | +54.4% | 6,310 | jobs | |
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +32.8% | 6,300 | jobs | |
| Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | +4.1% | 6,280 | jobs | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | +0.1% | 400 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | +0.0% | 260 | pay | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 6,630 | ||
| Walla Walla, WA | -0.0% | 50 | pay | |
| Bismarck, ND | -0.1% | 160 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL?
About $77,613 a year at the median, or $6,468 a month: $60,150 in pay plus about $17,463 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for paralegals in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
The median was $60,150 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,260, the 90th $80,880, and the middle half earned $48,130 to $76,230.
Is Tampa-St. Petersburg cheaper than the rest of Florida for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $60,150 against $61,000 statewide. The next area up in Florida is Port St. Lucie at $60,370, the next down North Port-Bradenton at $60,070.
How many paralegals work in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
BLS counts about 6,630 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the Florida total of 40,950. Only Miami-Fort Lauderdale has more in Florida.
Does a paralegal cost more than a sales development representative in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
Yes: $550 a year more at the median. The medians are $60,150 and $59,600.
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.