SOC 23-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Paralegals and Legal Assistants — Rhode Island
Rhode Island · 1 metro areas compared
The median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Rhode Island is $56,250 per year, 10.6% below the national median of $62,890.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Rhode Island is $56,250 per year, 10.6% below the national median of $62,890. Pay ranges from under $43,370 at the tenth percentile to more than $79,650 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $44,860 to $66,120.
The area has 2,070 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 4.1 of every thousand jobs. Among the 51 states with published data for this occupation, Rhode Island ranks 42nd by median wage. Providence leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $57,100. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 346th of 545 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $43,370 | −31.0% |
| 25th | $44,860 | −28.7% |
| Median (50th) | $56,250 | −10.6% |
| 75th | $66,120 | +5.1% |
| 90th | $79,650 | +26.6% |
| Mean | $58,630 | −6.8% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Rhode Island
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | $57,100 | 2,420 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Rhode Island run 2.3% above the national average, so the median of $56,250 buys what $54,985 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 12.6% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$56,250as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$54,985US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $56,250 a year, 10.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $43,370 to $79,650 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 2,070 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 42nd of 51 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Providence, at $57,100.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Rhode Island?
The median annual wage is $56,250, or $27.04 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $62,890, so pay in Rhode Island is 10.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Rhode Island earns more than $79,650 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $43,370 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Providence, at $57,100 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 2,070 jobs in this occupation in Rhode Island. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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