Paralegal salary in Trenton-Princeton, NJ
No other area in New Jersey pays paralegals more than Trenton-Princeton: the median is $73,250 a year1. That is 2.4% above the New Jersey statewide median of $71,500, and 16.5% above the US median of $62,890. Only 22 of 506 US areas pay more for this job. With about 790 paralegals, 7% of the New Jersey total, no area in New Jersey employs more.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Trenton-Princeton, NJ. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Trenton-Princeton against New Jersey and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $48,050 | $73,250 | $104,650 | |
| New Jersey | $47,070 | $71,500 | $99,900 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Trenton-Princeton earns $59,810–$86,120. The top tenth earns $104,650 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.3 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $26,310 wide, between the figure for New Jersey ($20,880) 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 | $48,050 | $4,004 | $23.10 | $62,000 |
| 25th percentile | $59,810 | $4,984 | $28.75 | $77,174 |
| Median | $73,250 | $6,104 | $35.22 | $94,516 |
| 75th percentile | $86,120 | $7,177 | $41.40 | $111,123 |
| 90th percentile | $104,650 | $8,721 | $50.31 | $135,032 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,440 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $12,870, or about $16,606 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 25th percentile and the median in Trenton-Princeton, and the New Jersey statewide median of $71,500 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Trenton-Princeton
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $21,266 to the $73,250 median and brings it to $94,516 a year. 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 Trenton-Princeton
Of the 17 roles we track in Trenton-Princeton, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($77,490) and bookkeepers ($58,020). Project Coordinator is the highest at $113,750.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +8.5% | 2,770 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +5.8% | 1,620 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 790 | |
| Bookkeeper | -20.8% | 1,470 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -25.1% | 210 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #2 of the 17 roles we track in Trenton-Princeton (+16.5%), between accountants (+19.0%) and e-commerce order specialists (+15.4%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost more in Trenton-Princeton than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Trenton-Princeton, 2.5% across New Jersey 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 Jersey
Across the 3 areas of New Jersey with data for this job, the median runs from $60,370 in Vineland to $73,250 in Trenton-Princeton, a gap of $12,880 a year. No other area in New Jersey has as many paralegals, and both others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Trenton-Princeton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | this area | 790 | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | -9.2% | 330 | |
| Vineland, NJ | -17.6% | 80 |
Trenton-Princeton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Trenton-Princeton is #78 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 Jersey, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles pay just above Trenton-Princeton and Fairbanks-College and Bremerton-Silverdale just below. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Trenton-Princeton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +2.7% | 280 | pay | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +2.1% | 520 | pay | |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | this area | 790 | ||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | -2.5% | 60 | pay | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | -2.6% | 190 | pay | |
| New Haven, CT | -13.5% | 780 | jobs | |
| Tallahassee, FL | -22.6% | 780 | jobs | |
| Montgomery, AL | -34.0% | 790 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
About $94,516 a year at the median, or $7,876 a month: $73,250 in pay plus about $21,266 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Trenton-Princeton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $73,250 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $48,050, the 90th $104,650, and the middle half earned $59,810 to $86,120.
Is Trenton-Princeton the most expensive area in New Jersey for paralegals?
Yes. Its median of $73,250 is the highest of 3 areas in New Jersey. Atlantic City-Hammonton comes next at $66,540.
How many paralegals work in Trenton-Princeton?
BLS counts about 790 in the May 2025 survey. That is 7% of the New Jersey total of 12,010. No other area in New Jersey has as many.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes: $15,230 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,250 and $58,020.
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.