Legal Assistants


Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security > Legal Assistants > Wages & Trends
Occupation is in demand.
111200
100146
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 $24.11 $30.76 $39.92
Yearly $50,147 $63,983 $83,027
    Champaign Area Hourly $22.39 $23.64 $30.61
Yearly $46,568 $49,167 $63,670
    Charleston-Effingham-Centralia Area Hourly $19.76 $22.71 $31.12
Yearly $41,107 $47,247 $64,739
    Cook County Hourly $24.73 $34.51 $42.07
Yearly $51,450 $71,777 $87,519
    Decatur Area Hourly $23.27 $30.47 $39.86
Yearly $48,389 $63,366 $82,926
    Dekalb-Elgin-Aurora Area Hourly $24.04 $24.97 $34.51
Yearly $50,003 $51,947 $71,777
    Du Page County Hourly $24.12 $29.93 $37.91
Yearly $50,177 $62,269 $78,866
    Edwardsville Area Hourly $20.03 $23.04 $30.32
Yearly $41,662 $47,912 $63,071
    Jacksonville-Carlinville-Litchfield Area Hourly $22.93 $29.42 $32.71
Yearly $47,694 $61,193 $68,037
    Kankakee-Morris-Pontiac Area Hourly $22.93 $24.18 $30.54
Yearly $47,694 $50,294 $63,526
    Lake County Hourly $24.18 $34.48 $42.97
Yearly $50,294 $71,727 $89,371
    McHenry County Hourly $23.68 $24.18 $31.17
Yearly $49,248 $50,294 $64,836
    Northwest Illinois Area Hourly $19.85 $22.52 $29.40
Yearly $41,278 $46,825 $61,157
    Peoria-Bloomington Area Hourly $22.85 $28.64 $31.13
Yearly $47,532 $59,575 $64,764
    Quincy-Macomb-Galesburg Area Hourly $22.93 $23.54 $30.54
Yearly $47,694 $48,960 $63,526
    Rock Island-Moline Area Hourly $21.75 $28.56 $32.56
Yearly $45,232 $59,402 $67,720
    Rockford Area Hourly $20.72 $22.84 $31.21
Yearly $43,099 $47,522 $64,906
    Springfield Area Hourly $22.52 $28.59 $34.70
Yearly $46,826 $59,452 $72,182
    Vermilion County Hourly $21.56 $22.71 $36.01
Yearly $44,850 $47,247 $74,905
    Will County Hourly $24.18 $32.80 $38.67
Yearly $50,294 $68,219 $80,446
United States Hourly $23.17 $29.33 $37.63
Yearly $48,190 $61,010 $78,280

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