Paralegals at the 90th percentile in Massachusetts earn $117,480 per year. That figure represents senior specialists with deep experience, often in high-demand practice areas such as corporate law or litigation. When budgeting for a senior hire, treat $117,480 as a realistic target rather than an outlier, and expect candidates with specialized credentials to negotiate toward or above it.
Paralegal salary in Massachusetts (2026)
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The average paralegal salary in Massachusetts is $81,160 per year. A small pool of very high earners pulls that average upward, so the median of $77,640 gives you a more reliable starting point for most hiring decisions. Massachusetts employs 7,800 paralegals, and the $3,520 gap between the mean and median reflects real variation in the candidate pool you will be evaluating. Junior paralegals in Massachusetts typically earn around $49,770, while senior specialists typically reach or exceed $117,480. Plan for a range rather than a single number when budgeting for a paralegal hire, and anchor that range to the seniority and specialization of the role you are filling.
Metric / Value
Metric | Value |
Median Annual Salary | $77,640 |
Average Annual Salary | $81,160 |
vs. National Average | 16.4% above the national mean of $69,700 |
Data comes from the BLS OEWS and covers 7,800 employed paralegals across Massachusetts.
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Paralegal salary percentiles in Massachusetts
Percentile | Annual Salary |
10th Percentile | $49,770 |
25th Percentile | $62,580 |
75th Percentile | $96,820 |
90th Percentile | $117,480 |
If you are hiring an entry-level paralegal in Massachusetts, expect to anchor your offer near $49,770, while a senior specialist with deep practice-area expertise will likely require a figure closer to $117,480 or above. The wide spread between those two points means that role scope and experience level should drive your offer more than a single statewide average.
Paralegal salary by city in Massachusetts
City | Average Annual Salary |
Boston | $84,580 |
Worcester | $70,240 |
Barnstable | $68,830 |
Springfield | $66,630 |
Employers hiring in Boston should budget noticeably more than those hiring elsewhere in the state, since location alone accounts for a meaningful difference in compensation expectations. Boston's average of $84,580 sits roughly $17,950 above Springfield's average of $66,630, which means a multi-office firm may need location-adjusted pay bands rather than a single statewide figure. Worcester and Barnstable fall in a similar range to each other, giving employers in those markets a narrower target to work with.
How Massachusetts compares to other states
State | Average Annual Salary | Median Annual Salary |
Massachusetts | $81,160 | $77,640 |
New York | $76,890 | $68,410 |
New Jersey | $72,550 | $71,500 |
Connecticut | $69,040 | $63,820 |
Pennsylvania | $68,510 | $63,370 |
Rhode Island | $58,630 | $56,250 |
Employers in Massachusetts should expect to pay more for paralegal talent than in any neighboring state in this comparison. Massachusetts leads the region with a mean of $81,160, ahead of New York at $76,890 and New Jersey at $72,550. If your firm operates across multiple Northeast locations, compensation benchmarks will need to reflect Massachusetts as the highest-cost market in the group.
Frequently asked questions about paralegal salary in Massachusetts
What do the top-earning paralegals make in Massachusetts?
How does Massachusetts compare to other states for paralegal salary?
Massachusetts pays paralegals more than any neighboring state in the Northeast comparison group. The state mean of $81,160 exceeds New York's mean of $76,890 and sits well above Rhode Island's mean of $58,630. If you are recruiting across state lines, candidates from Massachusetts will likely arrive with higher salary expectations than those from most surrounding markets.
What is the salary range for a paralegal in Massachusetts?
The published salary range for paralegals in Massachusetts runs from $49,770 at the 10th percentile to $117,480 at the 90th percentile. That spread of nearly $68,000 reflects the difference between entry-level roles and senior specialists with significant experience. When setting your offer, use the 25th percentile of $62,580 and the 75th percentile of $96,820 to frame a realistic mid-market range for most hires.
What is the average paralegal salary in Massachusetts?
The average paralegal salary in Massachusetts is $81,160 per year, which sits 16.4% above the national mean of $69,700. The median of $77,640 is a more grounded benchmark for most hiring decisions, since a smaller group of higher-paid roles pulls the average upward. Use the median as your baseline offer anchor and adjust upward based on the candidate's experience and specialization.
Paralegal salary by state
Data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2025, SOC code 23-2011 (Paralegals and Legal Assistants).
Disclaimer
Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.
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