National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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IT Managers earn a national median of $169,510/year vs Paralegals at $59,200/year. IT Managers earn 65% more nationally. The gap is $110,310 per year — or $9,193 per month.
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IT Manager
$169,510
national median/year
$14,126/mo • $81/hr
VS
Paralegal
$59,200
national median/year
$4,933/mo • $28/hr
Annual salary gap
$110,310
IT Managers earn 65% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $1,250,396.
Best states for Paralegals
vs IT Managers
Mississippi+$-76,310
West Virginia+$-78,310
Arkansas+$-82,310
North Dakota+$-82,310
Wyoming+$-82,310
Best states for IT Managers
vs Paralegals
California+$136,310
Virginia+$132,310
Washington+$132,310
Massachusetts+$128,310
New York+$128,310
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IT Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for IT Managers is $169,510 versus $59,200 for Paralegals — a difference of $110,310 per year or $9,193 per month.
The national median salary gap between IT Managers and Paralegals is $110,310 per year. IT Managers earn 65% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $1,250,396.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays IT Managers the highest median salary at $212,510 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Paralegals the highest median salary at $76,200 per year.
Salary is one factor — IT Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Computer and Information Systems Managers and Paralegals and Legal Assistants both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, IT Managers earn approximately $81 per hour nationally and Paralegals earn approximately $28 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
