Side-by-side distribution
Lawyer
$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44.8%
- Live roles
- 1,434
Paralegal
$80,833
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 42.2%
- Live roles
- 552
Highest-paying jobs
Immigration Attorney, Practice Owner
Corporation Immigration Attorney, Practice Owner
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Legal Counsel
Trial Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Trial Attorney
Nursing Home Attorney
Highest-paying jobs
Paralegal
Certified Paralegal
Corporate Paralegal
Corporate Paralegal - Chicago
Corporate Paralegal - NYC
Corporate Paralegal - Dallas
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 |
|---|---|---|
| WE Wilson Elser - Attorneys | $185,000 | 75 |
|
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 62 |
Parnalllaw
|
$300,000 | 44 |
The United Firm | La Liga Defensora, APC
|
$100,000 | 44 |
Modern Family Law
|
$151,000 | 36 |
|
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$292,500 | 24 |
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $133,750 | 24 |
Michael & Associates, Attorneys at Law
|
$177,500 | 15 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Modern Family Law
|
$67,600 | 19 |
|
Parnalllaw
|
$66,580 | 18 |
| WE Wilson Elser - Business & Legal Professionals | $75,000 | 16 |
Mandarich Law Group, LLP
|
$52,000 | 11 |
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
|
$91,380 | 8 |
| BJ Brandon J. Broderick | $81,250 | 8 |
Build My Great Team
|
$67,650 | 8 |
|
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$87,500 | 7 |
Paralegal salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $97,500 | 3 |
| San Francisco | $95,000 | 13 |
| Los Angeles | $93,750 | 16 |
| Toronto | $88,021 | 8 |
| Seattle | $87,500 | 13 |
| New York | $85,000 | 38 |
| Chicago | $75,000 | 9 |
| Denver | $72,977 | 7 |
| Austin | $66,580 | 3 |
Lawyer vs Paralegal: which pays more?
The median for Lawyer is $175,000 per year (typically $134,719–$214,750), versus $80,833 for Paralegal ($66,580–$105,000). That puts Lawyer about 116% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Lawyer 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.