Salary by Years Experience for Paralegal Jobs

Average Starting Salary – Paralegal

If you're interested in law, but not yet ready to commit several years of time and money to law school, you might consider becoming a paralegal. With a good average starting salary, paralegal jobs can be quite rewarding, and can also be perfect for gaining hands-on experience within a law firm. The chart above shows that a paralegal average starting salary is around $34,000, which is pretty good figuring you save the $80,000 expense (or more) of law school. Although, in terms of salary, the initial investment of law school typically pays off in the long run, with the Average Starting Salary for an Attorney surpassing the paralegal average starting salary by a considerable amount. But, if you're still uncertain about law school, a job as a paralegal could be a wise decision. According to the salary chart above, a paralegal average starting salary will lead to significantly higher salaries after just a few years of experience. And If you do decide to pursue a law degree later on, your experience as a paralegal could get you one foot in the door of a law firm, and help land you that golden paycheck.

If you're wondering which employers offer the highest average starting salary, paralegal workers in the corporate world experience a sizable advantage over paralegals employed elsewhere. Comparing the overall paralegal average starting salary to the Corporate Paralegal Average Starting Salary confirms that corporate paralegals come out on top by around $4,000 a year. This starting salary advantage also expands into the upper experience levels, with corporate paralegals of 20 years or more earning an average salary range of between around $56,000 and $76,000. That's a significant jump from the average starting salary for paralegal novices.