Paralegals and Legal Assistants Salary in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
The median pay for a paralegals and legal assistants in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is $55,000/year ($26.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $62,721 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month — about 39.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
About paralegals and legal assistants
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level paralegals and legal assistants (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $99K | +63% | 5,880 |
| Washington | $78K | +28% | 9,070 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +23% | 7,520 |
| California | $73K | +20% | 45,740 |
| Minnesota | $67K | +10% | 6,640 |
| New York | $66K | +9% | 28,510 |
| Oregon | $64K | +5% | 4,910 |
| Maryland | $64K | +4% | 5,770 |
| Connecticut | $63K | +4% | 4,920 |
| Vermont | $63K | +3% | 730 |
| New Jersey | $63K | +3% | 11,720 |
| Illinois | $62K | +2% | 12,430 |
| Nevada | $62K | +2% | 3,490 |
| Michigan | $61K | +1% | 7,240 |
| Nebraska | $61K | +1% | 1,570 |
| Arizona | $61K | +0% | 6,780 |
| Virginia | $61K | +0% | 8,570 |
| Alaska | $61K | +0% | 690 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -0% | 14,130 |
| Hawaii | $61K | -0% | 1,170 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -1% | 1,580 |
| Florida | $60K | -1% | 37,410 |
| Delaware | $60K | -2% | 2,220 |
| North Dakota | $60K | -2% | 610 |
| Texas | $60K | -2% | 28,770 |
| Ohio | $59K | -4% | 8,160 |
| Missouri | $59K | -4% | 6,410 |
| Maine | $59K | -4% | 1,260 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -6% | 660 |
| New Mexico | $57K | -7% | 1,660 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | -7% | 4,930 |
| Utah | $56K | -9% | 2,890 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -9% | 5,890 |
| Georgia | $55K | -10% | 14,480 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | -11% | 1,830 |
| Montana | $54K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Idaho | $54K | -11% | 2,250 |
| Iowa | $53K | -13% | 2,530 |
| Indiana | $51K | -17% | 5,970 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -18% | 2,500 |
| Wyoming | $50K | -18% | 530 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -19% | 1,680 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -19% | 12,270 |
| Kentucky | $49K | -20% | 3,080 |
| Kansas | $49K | -20% | 2,330 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -20% | 7,260 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -22% | 4,960 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -23% | 1,400 |
| Alabama | $46K | -25% | 5,480 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -36% | 2,080 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track paralegals and legal assistants salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Watertown-Fort Drum numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $55,000 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,470, and experienced paralegals and legal assistants can clear $73,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,651/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 38.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a paralegals and legal assistants salary go in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median paralegals and legal assistants salary is worth about $62,721 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do paralegals and legal assistants get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.