Entry-level Paralegal salary in New York, NY
Based on 34 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Brooklyn, Flushing, Little Falls Township, Newark, Bronx.
Also listed as: Legal Assistant, Legal Analyst
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $52,541 |
| 25th | $52,541 |
| 50th (median) | $52,958 |
| 75th | $55,750 |
| 90th | $64,220 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $39,600 | $39,416 | $42,500 | 15 |
| FY2021 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 4 |
| FY2023 | $48,000 | $47,757 | $55,000 | 13 |
| FY2024 | $48,000 | $47,757 | $50,500 | 19 |
| FY2025 | $53,040 | $52,541 | $56,000 | 25 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 9 |
Cost of living
New York's median entry-level Paralegal salary of $52,958 is worth about $47,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; New York = 112.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the New York, NY area earned a median of $75,330 in May 2025 (33,850 employed). The H-1B median here is $52,958, 30% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Reid & Wise | too few | 6 |
| Pena & Kahn Pllc | too few | 3 |
| Law Offices Of Metin Serbest | too few | 2 |
| Law Offices of Paolo P. Bruno | too few | 2 |
| Law Offices Of Shengjin Yang | too few | 2 |
| Roche Legal, Pllc | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $52,958 | 34 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $65,374 | 48 |
| Senior · Level III | $80,101 | 28 |
| Expert · Level IV | $93,000 | 54 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $52,541 | $52,958 | 34 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $64,813 | $65,374 | 48 |
| Senior · Level III | $76,939 | $80,101 | 28 |
| Expert · Level IV | $89,045 | $93,000 | 54 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.