The paralegal salary is known to be pretty high; however, the salary is not always the same and it can vary based on education, training, experience, area, economy and work place. All in all, good paralegals with a few years of experience usually earn decent salaries.

Your Education

In the first three years, the paralegal’s salary is determined by education. A well-educated paralegal that went to college, has a bachelor’s degree and a paralegal certificate, will probably have the best starting point, and for that reason, will get the highest salary.

At the lower level we can find the paralegals that took the 2-year program and have an associate degree. Below them, the paralegals with no degree. In most cases, paralegals without degrees have some sort of certificate for courses they had and it might increase their pay check a little.

Experience

Experience is a much respected quality in the law world. Experience is the number one factor to determine the paralegal salary. Most paralegals enter the “desired” levels of salary only after few years, as they gain experience and recognition. Paralegals often meet other paralegals and they always compare salaries.

If a paralegal suspects they are not being paid enough, they will probably ask for more. Employers know that a good paralegal should bring home a decent salary or they will leave for another attorney who pays more. There is always competition between the law firms. Everyone wants to have the best staff.

The Average Paralegal

The average paralegal salary is close to 90,000 a year. It begins with a lower salary, and after 10 years of experience the salary goes up significantly and keeps growing if the paralegal proves their worth. Undoubtedly, that’s a good salary for only 10 years of experience and that’s why so many people choose to go this way. Many of them originally plan on going for low school but change their mind and choose to go this route.

Looking at the bigger picture, there is more than just money to consider when you want to start a new career. Paralegals spend most of their time researching and doing paper work, but they enjoy it. They help in solving cases, searching for facts, helping attorneys and even managing other, younger paralegals. Most of them love their work, even after 20 years.

More than Just Money

The reason for their satisfaction is probably the adrenaline and the fact that they are not doing the usual 9 to 5 job. The one thing they would like to change is their authorization. Many of them feel able to sign agreements and advise clients but the law doesn’t allow it.

The average paralegal salary is not expected to change anytime soon, and that’s another factor when entering this field. The job also brings some degree of stability with it, which is important if you plan on getting married or already have. Paralegals who work for the government instead of private law firms say their jobs are more stable and that there is less completion involved; however, the potential for higher salaries is in the big, private companies.