Paralegal demographics and statistics in the US
Paralegal demographics research summary. Zippia estimates paralegal demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our paralegal estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about paralegals after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 298,497 paralegals currently employed in the United States.
- 77.6% of all paralegals are women, while 22.4% are men.
- The average paralegal age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of paralegals is White (59.6%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.2%), Black or African American (9.2%) and Asian (5.7%).
- Paralegals are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The professional industry is the highest-paying for paralegals.
- 9% of all paralegals are LGBT.
On This Page
Paralegal demographics by:
Paralegal gender statistics
77.6% of paralegals are women and 22.4% of paralegals are men.
- Female, 77.6%
- Male, 22.4%
Paralegal gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 77.6% |
| Male | 22.4% |
Paralegal gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$51,305
Female Income
$49,845
Paralegal gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in paralegal positions over time. Currently, 77.6% of paralegals are female.
Paralegal gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.63% | 79.37% |
| 2011 | 19.71% | 80.29% |
| 2012 | 20.10% | 79.90% |
| 2013 | 20.49% | 79.51% |
| 2014 | 18.91% | 81.09% |
| 2015 | 22.14% | 77.86% |
| 2016 | 20.25% | 79.75% |
| 2017 | 22.70% | 77.30% |
| 2018 | 22.18% | 77.82% |
| 2019 | 19.57% | 80.43% |
| 2020 | 20.85% | 79.15% |
| 2021 | 22.37% | 77.63% |
Paralegal related jobs gender ratio
We compared paralegals with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, advisory title officer and court monitor have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Freelance Court Stenographer | 6% | 94% |
| Paralegal Secretary | 6% | 94% |
| Legal Transcriptionist | 6% | 94% |
| Paralegal | 22% | 78% |
| Court Monitor | 66% | 34% |
| Advisory Title Officer | 77% | 23% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Paralegal demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among paralegals is White, which makes up 59.6% of all paralegals. Comparatively, 20.2% of paralegals are Hispanic or Latino and 9.2% of paralegals are Black or African American.
- White, 59.6%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.2%
- Black or African American, 9.2%
- Asian, 5.7%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
Paralegal Race
| Paralegal Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.2% |
| Black or African American | 9.2% |
| Asian | 5.7% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.5% |
Paralegal race and ethnicity over time
See how paralegal racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Paralegal race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.35% | 10.40% | 4.75% | 16.12% |
| 2011 | 67.29% | 10.01% | 4.70% | 15.68% |
| 2012 | 64.50% | 9.98% | 5.18% | 17.74% |
| 2013 | 66.22% | 10.07% | 4.41% | 16.49% |
| 2014 | 66.05% | 8.88% | 4.66% | 17.85% |
| 2015 | 65.35% | 9.17% | 4.81% | 17.57% |
| 2016 | 63.68% | 10.30% | 4.92% | 18.28% |
| 2017 | 63.72% | 9.91% | 4.34% | 19.31% |
| 2018 | 63.74% | 9.86% | 4.76% | 18.57% |
| 2019 | 65.10% | 8.94% | 5.33% | 18.29% |
| 2020 | 60.87% | 9.57% | 4.88% | 19.81% |
| 2021 | 59.64% | 9.24% | 5.74% | 20.15% |
Paralegal wage gap by race
According to our data, asian paralegals have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown paralegals have the lowest average salary at $49,278.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,278 |
| White | $50,421 |
| Black or African American | $53,154 |
| Asian | $53,208 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $50,585 |
Average paralegal age
See how the average age of paralegals varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Paralegal age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 33 | 50 |
| Unknown | 38.5 | 45 |
| Asian | 39 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 32 | 41 |
| White | 39 | 50 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 47.5 |
Paralegal age breakdown
The average age of paralegals is 40+ years years old, representing 65% of the paralegal population.
Paralegal age breakdown
| Paralegal Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 65% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Paralegal educational attainment
The most common degree for paralegals is bachelor's degree, with 51% of paralegals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 51%
- Associate, 29%
- Master's, 5%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 11%
Paralegals by degree level
| Paralegal Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 51% |
| Associate | 29% |
| Master's | 5% |
| Doctorate | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 11% |
Paralegal Jobs You Might Like
Paralegal wage gap by degree level
According to the data, paralegals with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $57,177 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, paralegals earn a median annual income of $54,802 compared to $54,375 for paralegals with an Master's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $54,375 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,873 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,802 |
| Doctorate Degree | $57,177 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $50,143 |
Paralegal employment statistics
Most paralegals work for a private in the professional industry.
Company size where paralegals work
Below, you can see the size of companies where paralegals work.
Paralegal jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 25% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Paralegal jobs by company type
Employees with the paralegal job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most paralegals prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Paralegal jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 83% |
| Government | 6% |
Paralegal jobs by industry
The most common industries for paralegals are professional, manufacturing and government.
Paralegal industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Professional | 51% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Government | 5% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Paralegal turnover and employment statistics
Paralegal unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for paralegals between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
Paralegal unemployment rate by year
| Year | Paralegal Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.83% |
| 2011 | 6.37% |
| 2012 | 6.43% |
| 2013 | 5.62% |
| 2014 | 4.30% |
| 2015 | 3.48% |
| 2016 | 3.07% |
| 2017 | 2.56% |
| 2018 | 2.62% |
| 2019 | 2.49% |
| 2020 | 3.92% |
| 2021 | 4.04% |
Average paralegal tenure
The average paralegal stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 81,648 paralegals resumes in Zippia's database.
Paralegal tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Paralegal LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of paralegals that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Court Stenographer | 4.96% | 751 |
| Patent Searcher | 7.68% | 402 |
| Paralegal | 9.16% | - |
| Tariff Expert | 12.79% | 8,317 |
Similar paralegal jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Court Stenographer | 4.96% | 751 |
| Patent Searcher | 7.68% | 402 |
| Tariff Expert | 12.79% | 8,317 |
Foreign languages spoken by paralegals
The most common foreign language among paralegals is Spanish at 55.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.5% and Mandarin is the third-most popular at 4.0%.
- Spanish, 55.7%
- French, 10.5%
- Mandarin, 4.0%
- Russian, 3.9%
- Chinese, 3.7%
- Other, 22.2%
Paralegal languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 55.7% |
| French | 10.5% |
| Mandarin | 4.0% |
| Russian | 3.9% |
| Chinese | 3.7% |
| Other | 22.2% |
