AboutSally A. Kane Expertise I am an attorney and former paralegal with more than a decade of experience in the legal industry. I currently serve as a legal careers expert at About.com, providing guidance to paralegals, law students, lawyers and other legal professionals. Check out the site at http://legalcareers.about.com/ before posting your question - it may already be answered there! I do not answer homework questions or give legal advice.
Experience I have thirteen years’ experience in the legal field, ten as a litigation paralegal and three as a corporate attorney. I have worked in a variety of practice environments including large and small law firms, corporations and the judicial system. I have experience in many practice areas including products liability litigation, insurance defense, worker’s compensation and corporate law.
Publications I profile law firms across the globe for Vault’s best-selling career guides and am a legal career columnist for Litigation Support Today. My work has also appeared in numerous print and web-based publications including Legal Assistant Today, The Legal Intelligencer, Cabin Life, and Working Nurse.
Education
B.A. in English/Writing (Cum Laude) - 1989; Paralegal Certificate (Summa Cum Laude) - 1991; Juris Doctorate – Law Review - 2001.
Expert: Sally A. Kane Date: 12/17/2007 Subject: Salary nogatations
Question Hi i am getting paralegal certification from Penn Online courses. I am wondering what is my salary should be for me with no experiences and when can i expect to get a raise after how much of period of time? what kind of paralegal work is less consuming than others? I have a family I would like to spend time with. Thanks for any reply u give me.
Answer Amber,
Paralegal salaries hinge on many factors including experience level, education, practice environment and geographic location. According to the National Federation of Paralegal Associations’ (NFPA) most recent salary survey, the average paralegal salary is $50,496 and the median national salary is $49,000. However, a quarter of the respondents earned less than $40,000 and a quarter earned more than $60,000.
The most highly compensated paralegals have a four-year degree and a paralegal certificate. As an entry-level paralegal, you can probably expect to make from $18,000 - $30,000, depending on where you live and your education level.
If you wish to maximize time with your family, I would advise finding a job with a corporation, public interest firm or the government rather than a law firm. Although law firms frequently pay higher salaries to paralegals, they often require more hours since firm profit is largely determined by hours billed.
To learn more about paralegal careers and salaries, visit my legal careers website at About.com, scheduled to launch this month.
