Paralegal salary in Tulsa, OK
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Tulsa than in Oklahoma or the country as a whole. The median is $50,740 a year1: 4.6% below the Oklahoma statewide median of $53,170 and 19.3% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #336 of 506. BLS counts about 980 people in this job here, 32% of the Oklahoma total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Tulsa, OK. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tulsa against Oklahoma and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa, OK | $36,020 | $50,740 | $79,440 | |
| Oklahoma | $36,020 | $53,170 | $82,060 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
Paralegals at the 90th percentile earn $79,440, 2.2 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.3. The middle half of paralegals in Tulsa earns $37,770–$61,900. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $24,130 wide, between the figure for Oklahoma ($21,510) 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 | $36,020 | $3,002 | $17.32 | $46,477 |
| 25th percentile | $37,770 | $3,148 | $18.16 | $48,735 |
| Median | $50,740 | $4,228 | $24.39 | $65,471 |
| 75th percentile | $61,900 | $5,158 | $29.76 | $79,871 |
| 90th percentile | $79,440 | $6,620 | $38.19 | $102,503 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,160 a year in pay and about $14,400 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $12,970 in pay. 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 Tulsa, and the Oklahoma statewide median of $53,170 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 Tulsa
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 $14,731 to the $50,740 median and brings it to $65,471 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 Tulsa
Of the 17 roles we track in Tulsa, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($52,710) and bookkeepers ($48,250). Project Coordinator is the highest at $93,240.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +8.4% | 2,870 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +3.9% | 520 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 980 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.9% | 4,400 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -9.1% | 290 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Tulsa (-19.3%), between recruiters (-16.4%) and marketing specialists (-19.8%). The typical role here is at -11.6%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Tulsa than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 2.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Tulsa, 1.8% across Oklahoma and 2.5% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Oklahoma
Across the 8 areas of Oklahoma with data for this job, the median runs from $41,600 in the Northwest Oklahoma nonmetro area to $57,550 in Oklahoma City, a gap of $15,950 a year. The one area in Oklahoma with more paralegals, Oklahoma City, OK ($57,550), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Tulsa | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City, OK | +13.4% | 1,650 | |
| Southeast Oklahoma (Nonmetro) | +7.9% | 120 | |
| Southwest Oklahoma (Nonmetro) | +3.3% | 40 | |
| Tulsa, OK | this area | 980 | |
| Northeast Oklahoma (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 90 | |
| Lawton, OK | -1.6% | 40 | |
| Enid, OK | -10.4% | 40 |
Tulsa against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Tulsa is #64 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 Oklahoma, Janesville-Beloit and Muncie pay just above Tulsa and Brunswick-St. Simons and Winston-Salem just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in Tulsa. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Tulsa | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | +20.5% | 970 | jobs | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +18.4% | 990 | jobs | |
| Tucson, AZ | +3.3% | 980 | jobs | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.1% | 50 | pay | |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | +0.1% | 80 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | this area | 980 | ||
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -0.1% | 170 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | -0.1% | 830 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Tulsa, OK?
About $65,471 a year at the median, or $5,456 a month: $50,740 in pay plus about $14,731 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Tulsa?
The median was $50,740 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,020, the 90th $79,440, and the middle half earned $37,770 to $61,900.
Is Tulsa cheaper than the rest of Oklahoma for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,740 against $53,170 statewide. The next area up in Oklahoma is the Southwest Oklahoma nonmetro area at $52,420, the next down the Northeast Oklahoma nonmetro area at $50,540.
How many paralegals work in Tulsa?
BLS counts about 980 in the May 2025 survey. That is 32% of the Oklahoma total of 3,110. Only Oklahoma City has more in Oklahoma.
Does a paralegal cost more than a bookkeeper in Tulsa?
Yes: $2,490 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,740 and $48,250.
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.