SALARY · PARALEGALS AND LEGAL ASSISTANTS · CALIFORNIA

Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in California

You do not need a national average when you are deciding about one state. This page sticks to California for paralegals and legal assistants. The median here was $77,390 a year, and the rest of the page shows how wide the range runs around it.

MEDIAN ANNUAL SALARY

$77,390

$37 per hour at the median · That is $14,500 (23.1 percent) above the national median of $62,890 for this occupation.

$81,320Mean annual salary
$39Mean hourly wage
$47,130People employed in this job in California

Salary range

25th: $60,170Median: $77,39075th: $98,430
MeasureAnnual
25th percentile$60,170
Median (50th percentile)$77,390
75th percentile$98,430
Mean$81,320

The middle half of workers earned from $60,170 to $98,430 a year. Hourly pay matters if your hours vary. An annual figure can look strong while the hourly rate tells a different story, especially in jobs with seasonal hours or overtime. Check both before you compare two offers.

What stays in your pocket on the median salary

ESTIMATED TAKE-HOME PAY

$60,418 a year
$5,035 a month
Federal tax $8,196 · FICA $5,920 · State tax $2,856
Read this before you use the take-home figure. It is a single-filer estimate using the 2026 standard deduction. It leaves out credits, other deductions, local taxes, and retirement or health deductions. Your actual paycheck can differ, and for states without a verified 2026 table in this build, state tax is still to be added once its table is verified.

Same job, other states

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