Paralegal salary in Illinois
BLS reports this occupation as "Paralegals and Legal Assistants" (23-2011); every figure on this page is for that BLS occupation.
The median annual wage for paralegals in Illinois is $63,670, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025 estimates — above the national median of $62,890. Illinois ranks 15 of 50 states and DC with published data for this occupation.
Median
$63,670
25th percentile
$56,160
75th percentile
$81,970
90th percentile
$104,580
Employment and national comparison
| Employment in Illinois | 14,130 |
|---|---|
| Mean annual wage in Illinois | $72,310 |
| National median | $62,890 |
| National employment | 392,880 |
Metro areas in Illinois
- Chicago, IL: median $70,550
States with similar pay for paralegals
- Connecticut: median $63,820
- Pennsylvania: median $63,370
- Virginia: median $63,990
- Nebraska: median $63,250
- Utah: median $63,220
- Delaware: median $63,110
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates; state, metropolitan area and national files from https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm. State estimates are for BLS occupation "Paralegals and Legal Assistants" (23-2011), cross-industry, all ownerships. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Where BLS does not publish a numeric estimate (suppressed, or reported only as at or above $239,200) the value is shown as —.