Many people are extremely interested in pursuing a career in the legal field, and a career as a paralegal is a great way to have a job in this field without having to spend three grueling years at law school. Paralegals are often able to make a decent salary, and there are many opportunities with top law firms that offer a great deal of potential for high salaries. Paralegal salaries can vary greatly on a number of factors.
Some schools, especially technical and vocational schools, offer a paralegal program and training certification, which can often be completed in several months or less than two years. By gaining this certification, a person is more marketable to many firms, as they’ve specifically been trained for the job. Often, a person’s first job is likely to produce higher paying job options if they have some level of certification as a paralegal before applying to their first jobs.Many top law firms seek highly experienced paralegals, and often require that applicants have five or more years of experience. It is not uncommon to find law firms seeking paralegals with even more then five years for their firms. These highly experienced paralegals are the ones that are making the most money, and very experienced paralegals that are working for the best law firms could very well be making over $100,000, though it’s more likely to find top paralegals making between $70,000 and $90,000, especially in larger cities. In smaller cities and suburbs, this amount is likely to be much less.
For novice paralegals, the entry level salary for a new job can vary drastically. Paralegals at non-profits and government funded law offices are likely to see much lower starting salaries, often around $20,000. Paralegals working in the private sector can find a wide range of different salaries, from the low 20s to upwards of $40,000, sometimes more. Areas of law that often bring about higher salaries include law firms in personal injury, banking, and other types of finance. It is important to note, however, that the higher paying jobs often include long work hours and extensive overtime. Especially for entry level paralegals, there are often a number of extra demands that must be met in the law office. Entry level paralegals should take advantage of the early job experiences they are given before they are able to move in to larger firms with higher salaries.