Quick answer
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in California earned a median of $77,390 a year ($37.21 an hour) in May 2025, 23% above the national median of $62,890; 47,130 were employed there, ranking #5 of 54 states and territories by median pay, per BLS OEWS.
Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
| Measure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $77,390 | $62,890 |
| Mean annual wage | $81,320 | $69,700 |
| Median hourly wage | $37.21 | $30.24 |
| 10th percentile | $50,460 | $44,740 |
| 25th percentile | $60,170 | $50,340 |
| 75th percentile | $98,430 | $80,080 |
| 90th percentile | $119,580 | $101,500 |
| Employment | 47,130 | 392,880 |
| Jobs per 1,000 | 2.588 | — |
| Location quotient | 1.02 | 1.00 |
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Last updated 2026-10-16. Data only, not financial or tax advice.