Side-by-side distribution
Counsel
$214,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 51.8%
- Live roles
- 1,286
Paralegal
$82,319
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 42.9%
- Live roles
- 536
Highest-paying jobs
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Director, Corporate Counsel
Legal Counsel
General Counsel
Antitrust and Competition Associate / Special Counsel
REIT Special Counsel / Senior Associate
Real Estate Associate / Special Counsel (Lender-Side Focus)
Real Estate Senior Associate / Special Counsel ("Dirt" Focus)
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Estate & Tax Planning Legal Counsel
Highest-paying jobs
Paralegal
Certified Paralegal
Corporate Paralegal - Chicago
Corporate Paralegal
Corporate Paralegal - Dallas
Corporate Paralegal - NYC
Assistant General Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs - Ad Tech & Media Transactions
Corporate Paralegal
Commercial Paralegal - Contracts Manager
Commercial Paralegal - Contracts Manager
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $175,000 | 39 |
Fivetran
|
$214,096 | 23 |
|
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 20 |
Alliance Defending Freedom
|
$159,583 | 12 |
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
|
$275,000 | 10 |
Crusoe
|
$235,000 | 9 |
Clearway Energy
|
$215,000 | 9 |
Harvey
|
$237,500 | 8 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Modern Family Law
|
$67,600 | 19 |
Parnalllaw
|
$66,580 | 18 |
| WE Wilson Elser - Business & Legal Professionals | $75,000 | 15 |
Mandarich Law Group, LLP
|
$52,000 | 11 |
| BJ Brandon J. Broderick | $80,000 | 10 |
|
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
|
$91,380 | 8 |
Build My Great Team
|
$67,650 | 8 |
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$95,000 | 7 |
Counsel salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $228,275 | 126 |
| New York | $222,184 | 165 |
| Seattle | $220,000 | 26 |
| Boston | $219,875 | 12 |
| Los Angeles | $214,750 | 29 |
| Atlanta | $214,750 | 12 |
| Denver | $214,096 | 46 |
| Chicago | $214,050 | 19 |
| Austin | $195,000 | 17 |
| Dublin | $189,072 | 4 |
Paralegal salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $99,000 | 13 |
| Boston | $95,410 | 4 |
| Los Angeles | $95,000 | 16 |
| Toronto | $89,421 | 8 |
| Seattle | $87,500 | 13 |
| New York | $82,500 | 37 |
| Chicago | $75,000 | 11 |
| Denver | $72,500 | 5 |
| Austin | $66,580 | 3 |
Counsel vs Paralegal: which pays more?
The median for Counsel is $214,750 per year (typically $178,500–$250,000), versus $82,319 for Paralegal ($66,580–$105,000). That puts Counsel about 161% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Counsel and Paralegal are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.