Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Associate's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Legal support workers, all other, provide specialized assistance within the legal field and can be a strong option for people interested in law-related work without pursuing a full law degree. Nationally, this occupation has about 51,000 workers and a median annual salary of $68,760, indicating solid earning potential. The role draws on a wide mix of skills, including computers and information technology, writing and reading, detail orientation, and critical and analytical thinking. Strong speaking and listening abilities, interpersonal skills, and problem solving and decision making are also important, suggesting frequent interaction with others and the need to handle varied tasks. The typical education is an associate’s degree, making this a relatively accessible path for students and career changers. Career options may also be informed by related roles such as paralegals and legal assistants, title examiners, medical records specialists, medical transcriptionists, and legal secretaries and administrative assistants for those exploring adjacent paths in legal or records-focused work.
Legal support workers, all other, earn a national median annual salary of $68,760, offering solid income potential, especially given that the typical education is an associate’s degree. Salaries vary notably across states and metro areas. Among the highlighted states, median pay ranges from $63,140 in Texas to $86,940 in Minnesota, with Washington and New York also above the national median. At the metro level, earnings can be significantly higher. Median salaries reach $107,980 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, $102,420 in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, and $83,140 in New York-Newark-Jersey City. The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro stands out with a median salary of $169,690, the highest among the listed areas. These figures show that location choices can substantially influence earning potential for legal support workers, creating options for those who prioritize higher wages in specific regions.
National employment for legal support workers, all other, is 51,000, with projected employment growth of -1.2%. This indicates a slightly declining employment trend. However, there are still an estimated 5,000 annual openings, which suggests that job opportunities continue to arise even as overall employment edges downward. The consistent growth figure of -1.2% is reflected across the listed states and metro areas, indicating a similar outlook in those regions. For job seekers and career changers, this combination means that while the total number of positions may decrease modestly over time, movement within the workforce—such as retirements or transfers—still generates openings. Individuals considering this field may want to pair its employment outlook with factors such as salary levels, geographic preferences, and their own fit with the occupation’s skill profile to assess whether it aligns with their long-term plans.
Location has a meaningful impact on opportunity for legal support workers, all other, both in pay and scale of employment. Among states, New York offers a median salary of $76,520 and employment of 1,760, with a relatively high opportunity score of 65.78. Colorado and Washington show opportunity scores in the mid-50s, with median salaries of $66,660 and $85,630, respectively. Texas has the largest listed state employment at 2,900, paired with a median salary of $63,140. Minnesota, though smaller in employment at 220, has a median salary of $86,940. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and New York-Newark-Jersey City have the highest opportunity scores, both above 77, with six-figure pay in San Jose and strong employment in New York. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria stands out with 6,430 jobs and a median salary of $169,690, while San Francisco and Los Angeles also combine sizable employment with higher median wages.
The typical education for legal support workers, all other, is an associate’s degree, which can make this occupation accessible to individuals who prefer a shorter postsecondary path. This level of education aligns with the broad and varied skill set associated with the role. Key skills include computers and information technology, writing and reading, and being detail oriented, suggesting the importance of comfort with information handling and accuracy. Critical and analytical thinking, problem solving and decision making, and adaptability are also central, indicating that workers need to evaluate information and adjust to changing circumstances. Speaking and listening skills, along with interpersonal and customer service abilities, point to frequent interaction with colleagues or clients. Fine motor skills are also listed, highlighting the potential need for precise, hands-on tasks. Together, this combination of education and skills supports a career path that blends technical, cognitive, and people-focused strengths.
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