Paralegal Salary: Los Angeles, CA vs Boston, MA
BLS reports this occupation as "Paralegals and Legal Assistants" (23-2011); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Paralegals in Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Los Angeles, CA | Boston, MA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $77,520 | $79,850▲ | -$2,330 |
| 25th Percentile | $59,690 | $63,850▲ | -$4,160 |
| 75th Percentile | $98,440 | $98,470▲ | -$30 |
| 90th Percentile | $112,160 | $126,470▲ | -$14,310 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 113.6 | 108.3 | +5.3 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $68,260 | $73,754▲ | -$5,494 |
| Total Employment | 22,240 | 6,300 | +15,940 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, Boston, MA pays $2,330 more (median: $77,520 vs $79,850). BEA's regional price parity is 113.6 in Los Angeles, CA and 108.3 in Boston, MA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $68,260 and $73,754, so Boston, MA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $2,330 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $68,260 for Los Angeles and $73,754 for Boston, a difference of $5,494.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 22,240 Paralegal jobs in the Los Angeles area and 6,300 in the Boston area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Paralegal city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paralegal salary higher in Los Angeles, CA or Boston, MA?
Boston, MA has the higher median wage for Paralegals ($79,850 per year, against $77,520 in Los Angeles, CA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $68,260 in Los Angeles, CA and $73,754 in Boston, MA.
How do prices compare between Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 113.6 for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metropolitan area and 108.3 for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 13.6% above the national level for Los Angeles, CA and 8.3% above the national level for Boston, MA.
Which city pays Paralegals more once local prices are counted?
Boston, MA: at national-average prices its median Paralegal wage is $73,754, against $68,260 for Los Angeles, CA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.