Paralegal Salary in California

The average paralegal salary in California is $76,200 per year (estimate). This works out to approximately $36.63 per hour based on a standard 2,080-hour work year.

California's average paralegal salary of $76,200 is above the national average of $59,200 by 17,000 (28.7%). California is one of the higher-paying states for this occupation.

Paralegal salaries in California are influenced by cost of living, local demand for workers, industry concentration, years of experience, education level, employer size, and unionization rates. Metro areas within California may pay significantly more than rural areas.

Based on the annual salary of $76,200, the approximate hourly rate for a paralegal in California is $36.63 per hour (assuming 2,080 hours per year). The national average hourly rate is $28.46.

In these estimates, the top paying states for Paralegals and Legal Assistants are: California ($76,200), New York ($74,200), Massachusetts ($70,200), Washington ($70,200), Maryland ($68,200).

State figures on this page are estimates for comparison and planning. They are not official BLS state-level values. For official numbers, check the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables.