Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay range in San Jose
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,030 a year or less, while the top 10% make $157,450 or more. The middle half of paralegals and legal assistants in San Jose earn between $77,610 and $119,120.
- $60K10th
- $78K25th
- $99KMedian
- $119K75th
- $157K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $103,080 | $8,590 | $49.56 |
| Median | $99,250 | $8,271 | $47.72 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $77,610 | $6,468 | $37.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $119,120 | $9,927 | $57.27 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay in San Jose vs. California and the U.S.
Paralegals and legal assistants in San Jose earn 27% more than the California average ($81,320) and 48% more than the U.S. average ($69,700). At the median the gap is +58% against the U.S. median of $62,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $103,080 | $99,250 | $60,030 | $157,450 | 2,030 |
| California | $81,320 | $77,390 | $50,460 | $119,580 | 47,130 |
| United States | $69,700 | $62,890 | $44,740 | $101,500 | 392,880 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary after taxes in San Jose
On the average salary of $103,080, a single filer in San Jose takes home about $75,852 a year, or $6,321 a month and $2,917 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Jose a good place for paralegals and legal assistants? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Jose area are 10% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 110.4), so the average $103,080 buys what about $93,350 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Jose ($84,050). A typical home costs $1,610,466, or 15.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in other California cities
San Jose ranks 1st of 25 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Jose$103,080
- San Francisco$92,830
- Sacramento$81,560
- Santa Maria$79,840
- Los Angeles$79,550
- San Diego$78,860
- Santa Rosa$77,820
- Vallejo$77,730
- Napa$77,240
- Oxnard$74,270
Highest-paying cities for paralegals and legal assistants
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($103,080).
- San Jose, CA$103,080
- San Francisco, CA$92,830
- Seattle, WA$92,230
- Washington, DC$87,900
- Denver, CO$85,240
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Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in San Jose: questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make an hour in San Jose?
$49.56 an hour on average, and $47.72 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level paralegals and legal assistants salary in San Jose?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $60,030 a year and the 25th percentile is $77,610, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the paralegals and legal assistants take-home pay in San Jose?
About $75,852 a year ($6,321 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $103,080. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do paralegals and legal assistants earn more in San Jose than elsewhere?
The average here is 48% more than the U.S. average for this job ($69,700).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 23-2011; area San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (41940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.71, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.71).
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