Side-by-side distribution
Lawyer
$170,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 44%
- Live roles
- 2,470
Paralegal
$85,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 51%
- Live roles
- 1,239
Highest-paying jobs
Associate Attorney
Associate Attorney - Idaho
Associate Attorney - Trial & Defense
Associate Attorney - Montana
Property Coverage Attorney
Associate Attorney - Utah
Senior Attorney - Insurance Coverage
Associate Attorney - Insurance Coverage
Insurance Coverage Attorney
OGC Advisory Counselor Attorney
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Director, Assistant General Counsel – Market Access Legal
Litigation Paralegal - Chicago
Litigation Paralegal - California
Corporate Paralegal
Litigation Paralegal
Litigation Paralegal - D.C
Corporate Paralegal - Dallas
Litigation Paralegal - Pennsylvania
Corporate Paralegal - Chicago
Corporate Paralegal - NYC
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| WE Wilson Elser - Attorneys | $183,750 | 86 |
|
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$190,500 | 56 |
Modern Family Law
|
$151,300 | 42 |
The United Firm | La Liga Defensora, APC
|
$100,000 | 39 |
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $130,000 | 26 |
|
Clyde & Co
|
$196,250 | 24 |
micro1
|
$234,000 | 22 |
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$292,500 | 21 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
CACI
|
$61,693 | 42 |
Amentum
|
$62,483 | 41 |
|
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$77,500 | 24 |
| DP DLA Piper | $114,587 | 19 |
Parnalllaw
|
$66,580 | 19 |
HireHawk
|
$21,000 | 16 |
|
Modern Family Law
|
$72,915 | 15 |
| WE Wilson Elser - Business & Legal Professionals | $75,000 | 14 |
Lawyer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | $234,000 | 22 |
| Boston | $200,575 | 22 |
| San Francisco | $190,500 | 77 |
| Atlanta | $190,500 | 46 |
| New York | $190,000 | 202 |
| Chicago | $185,000 | 65 |
| Seattle | $178,100 | 40 |
| Los Angeles | $177,500 | 85 |
| Austin | $173,000 | 34 |
| Denver | $160,000 | 20 |
Paralegal salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $119,514 | 8 |
| San Francisco | $112,713 | 34 |
| Boston | $104,160 | 22 |
| Los Angeles | $102,940 | 42 |
| New York | $102,673 | 82 |
| Austin | $92,966 | 5 |
| Chicago | $92,500 | 39 |
| Seattle | $91,426 | 22 |
| Toronto | $78,500 | 3 |
| Denver | $69,680 | 11 |
Lawyer vs Paralegal: which pays more?
The median for Lawyer is $170,000 per year (typically $123,617–$207,500), versus $85,000 for Paralegal ($64,480–$109,375). That puts Lawyer about 100% 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.