Paralegal salary in Topeka, KS
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Topeka than in Kansas or the country as a whole. The median is $50,350 a year1: 8.5% below the Kansas statewide median of $55,000 and 19.9% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #350 of 506. About 350 paralegals work here, 16% of the Kansas total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Topeka, KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Topeka against Kansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $37,770 | $50,350 | $74,340 | |
| Kansas | $38,860 | $55,000 | $79,090 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Topeka earns $45,290–$59,160. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $74,340, only 2.0 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 $13,870 wide, against $17,170 across Kansas and $29,740 nationally: employers in Topeka 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 | $37,770 | $3,148 | $18.16 | $48,735 |
| 25th percentile | $45,290 | $3,774 | $21.77 | $58,439 |
| Median | $50,350 | $4,196 | $24.21 | $64,968 |
| 75th percentile | $59,160 | $4,930 | $28.44 | $76,335 |
| 90th percentile | $74,340 | $6,195 | $35.74 | $95,923 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,810 over the median, the 25th only $5,060 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,368 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Topeka, and the Kansas statewide median of $55,000 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local paralegals earn.
What a hire really costs in Topeka
At the $50,350 median, a local hire costs about $64,968 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,618 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 Topeka
Of the 17 roles we track in Topeka, this one ranks #10 by median pay, between HR assistants ($53,930) and bookkeepers ($48,350). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,000.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll Specialist | +14.3% | 160 | |
| HR Assistant | +7.1% | 90 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 350 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.0% | 1,260 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -11.0% | 510 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Topeka (-19.9%); HR assistants come first (+6.6%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Topeka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Topeka, 1.4% across Kansas and 2.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Kansas
Across the 5 areas of Kansas with data for this job, the median runs from $47,400 in the Kansas nonmetro area to $52,530 in Lawrence, a gap of $5,130 a year. The one area in Kansas with more paralegals, Wichita, KS ($50,240), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | +4.3% | 110 | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 350 | |
| Wichita, KS | -0.2% | 480 | |
| Manhattan, KS | -4.9% | 70 | |
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | -5.9% | 280 |
Topeka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Topeka is #142 of 503 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Kansas, Salisbury and Johnson City pay just above Topeka and Warner Robins and Coeur d'Alene just below. All four are within $210 a year of the median in Topeka. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +37.9% | 350 | jobs | |
| Johnson City, TN | +0.2% | 120 | pay | |
| Salisbury, MD | +0.1% | 80 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 350 | ||
| Warner Robins, GA | -0.0% | 110 | pay | |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -0.4% | 230 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -1.1% | 350 | jobs | |
| Gainesville, FL | -5.0% | 360 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Topeka, KS?
About $64,968 a year at the median, or $5,414 a month: $50,350 in pay plus about $14,618 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Topeka?
The median was $50,350 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,770, the 90th $74,340, and the middle half earned $45,290 to $59,160.
Is Topeka cheaper than the rest of Kansas for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,350 against $55,000 statewide. The next area up in Kansas is Lawrence at $52,530, the next down Wichita at $50,240.
How many paralegals work in Topeka?
BLS counts about 350 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the Kansas total of 2,210. Only Wichita has more in Kansas.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Topeka?
Yes: $2,000 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,350 and $48,350.
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.