State comparison · 2025
Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary: California vs Washington
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Washington earn a median of $79,400. In California, $77,390. After cost-of-living, the gap is 5.8% — not 2.5%.
Nominal pay gap
-2.5%
California vs Washington
COL-adjusted gap
-5.8%
After BEA Regional Price Parities
California
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Median
- $77,390
- p25
- $60,170
- p75
- $98,430
- p10
- $50,460
- p90
- $119,580
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 110.7
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- -59%
Washington
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Median
- $79,400
- p25
- $62,670
- p75
- $100,960
- p10
- $50,470
- p90
- $116,750
- COL index (BEA RPP)100 = US average
- 107.0
- Hiring velocity (180d)
- +50%
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities (overall index). Hiring velocity from DOL OFLC public disclosure data, recent 180 days vs prior. See methodology.