Legal Assistants


Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security > Legal Assistants > Wages & Trends
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Legal Assistants

Legal Assistants - Wages & Trends

Wages vary by the paralegal's education, training, and experience. In general, the more education and training paralegals have, the higher their wages. The type and size of the employer and the area of the country also affect wages. Those who work for large firms in large cities generally earn the highest wages.

Many paralegals also receive bonuses when cases are successful or the firm has shown a profit that year.

Paralegals who work full time usually receive benefits. Typical benefits include sick leave, paid vacation, and health insurance. Some paralegals also receive a retirement plan.

Paralegals and legal assistants (SOC 23-2011)
Location
Pay Period
25%
Median
75%
Illinois Hourly $23.37 $29.14 $37.37
Yearly $48,618 $60,612 $77,715
    Champaign Area Hourly $22.80 $28.14 $34.64
Yearly $47,419 $58,534 $72,069
    Charleston-Effingham-Centralia Area Hourly $19.16 $24.00 $31.24
Yearly $39,843 $49,937 $64,960
    Cook County Hourly $23.43 $29.74 $37.70
Yearly $48,736 $61,870 $78,416
    Decatur Area Hourly $22.17 $23.97 $24.41
Yearly $46,122 $49,854 $50,772
    Dekalb-Elgin-Aurora Area Hourly $23.40 $23.44 $37.35
Yearly $48,679 $48,771 $77,690
    Du Page County Hourly $23.43 $29.56 $37.37
Yearly $48,736 $61,472 $77,715
    Edwardsville Area Hourly $18.13 $23.03 $29.01
Yearly $37,716 $47,905 $60,338
    Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area Hourly $19.16 $23.43 $29.91
Yearly $39,843 $48,737 $62,201
    Lake County Hourly $23.43 $30.06 $37.71
Yearly $48,736 $62,537 $78,443
    McHenry County Hourly $23.40 $23.44 $36.71
Yearly $48,679 $48,771 $76,350
    Mt. Vernon-Marion-Carbondale Area Hourly $14.46 $19.16 $23.43
Yearly $30,084 $39,843 $48,734
    Northwest Illinois Area Hourly $19.16 $23.32 $29.07
Yearly $39,843 $48,504 $60,466
    Peoria-Bloomington Area Hourly $21.47 $25.27 $36.28
Yearly $44,639 $52,559 $75,463
    Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area Hourly $19.16 $23.43 $31.24
Yearly $39,843 $48,737 $64,960
    Rock Island-Moline Area Hourly $18.58 $23.29 $31.82
Yearly $38,647 $48,451 $66,168
    Rockford Area Hourly $19.16 $24.00 $29.68
Yearly $39,843 $49,917 $61,736
    Springfield Area Hourly $19.10 $24.22 $31.27
Yearly $39,742 $50,390 $65,040
    St. Louis-Belleville Area Hourly $18.13 $24.31 $29.81
Yearly $37,717 $50,579 $61,995
    Vermilion County Hourly $18.13 $23.13 $24.00
Yearly $37,713 $48,110 $49,935
    Will County Hourly $23.32 $23.44 $37.37
Yearly $48,511 $48,771 $77,715
United States Hourly $22.52 $28.46 $36.33
Yearly $46,850 $59,200 $75,560

Source: Illinois Career Information System (CIS) brought to you by Illinois Department of Employment Security.