Paralegal salary in Winston-Salem, NC
Hiring a paralegal costs less in Winston-Salem than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $50,680 a year1: 11.9% below the North Carolina statewide median of $57,500 and 19.4% below the US median of $62,890. Among US areas it comes in at #339 of 506. BLS counts about 830 people in this job here, 6% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 23-2011, area Winston-Salem, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Winston-Salem against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | $38,840 | $50,680 | $75,040 | |
| North Carolina | $38,570 | $57,500 | $84,410 | |
| United States | $44,740 | $62,890 | $101,500 |
The middle half of paralegals in Winston-Salem earns $40,020–$64,630. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $75,040, only 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 2.3 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($55,240) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $24,610 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($24,290) 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 | $38,840 | $3,237 | $18.67 | $50,116 |
| 25th percentile | $40,020 | $3,335 | $19.24 | $51,639 |
| Median | $50,680 | $4,223 | $24.37 | $65,394 |
| 75th percentile | $64,630 | $5,386 | $31.07 | $83,394 |
| 90th percentile | $75,040 | $6,253 | $36.08 | $96,826 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $10,660 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $13,950, or about $18,000 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 Winston-Salem, and the North Carolina statewide median of $57,500 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Winston-Salem
At the $50,680 median, a local hire costs about $65,394 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $14,714 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 Winston-Salem
Of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between sales development representatives ($58,240) and payroll specialists ($49,990). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,560.
| Role | Median | vs paralegal | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +23.0% | 1,880 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +14.9% | 1,790 | |
| Paralegal | this role | 830 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -1.4% | 220 | |
| Bookkeeper | -4.6% | 2,880 |
Measured against the US median, paralegals rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem (-19.4%), between sales development representatives (-16.8%) and project coordinators (-22.2%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, paralegals cost less in Winston-Salem than the area's general pay level would suggest. Paralegals hold 3.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Winston-Salem, 2.6% across North Carolina and 2.5% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $46,520 in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area to $61,880 in Raleigh-Cary, a gap of $15,360 a year. All 4 areas in North Carolina with more paralegals than Winston-Salem also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($59,870) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($61,880).
| Area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +3.6% | 890 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | +1.9% | 210 | |
| Burlington, NC | +1.9% | 110 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 830 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | -1.6% | 80 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | -2.5% | 120 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -2.5% | 250 |
Winston-Salem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Winston-Salem is #75 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 North Carolina, Brunswick-St. Simons and Tulsa pay just above Winston-Salem and Missoula and Lynchburg just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in Winston-Salem. Of the three markets with about as many paralegals, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +23.1% | 870 | jobs | |
| Madison, WI | +20.0% | 850 | jobs | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +10.8% | 810 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | +0.1% | 980 | pay | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | +0.0% | 170 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 830 | ||
| Missoula, MT | -0.0% | 270 | pay | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -0.0% | 140 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a paralegal in Winston-Salem, NC?
About $65,394 a year at the median, or $5,449 a month: $50,680 in pay plus about $14,714 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do paralegals earn in Winston-Salem?
The median was $50,680 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,840, the 90th $75,040, and the middle half earned $40,020 to $64,630.
Is Winston-Salem cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for paralegals?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $50,680 against $57,500 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Burlington at $51,620, the next down Goldsboro at $49,890.
How many paralegals work in Winston-Salem?
BLS counts about 830 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the North Carolina total of 13,650. 4 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Greensboro-High Point, with about 860.
Does a paralegal cost more than a payroll specialist in Winston-Salem?
Yes: $690 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,680 and $49,990.
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.