Show me the money...

What are typical paralegal salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

Local help wanted ads, internet job boards, the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, state labor department websites and local paralegal associations are sources of paralegal salary information.

An Associate's degree and a paralegal certificate are minimum qualifications. A Bachelor's degree and/or an ABA paralegal certificate are better. Good organization skills, situational awareness and computer knowledge are essential. Strong computer skills facilitate job performance and improve a paralegal's value to a law office, but don't necessarily translate to higher pay.

Paralegals are what they are and generally stay that way. According to a misinformed old wives' tale, paralegal is an entry-level legal position with eventual promotion to "attorney." A paralegal can become an attorney only through earning a JD degree at law school and passing the bar exam.

Paralegal advancement opportunities are somewhat limited. Paralegals can never become law firm partners or shareholders, nor can they split fees with attorneys. Paralegals frequently advance to management and administration positions within law firms. As well as law firms, companies, corporations, district attorney's offices, city attorney's offices, the government, etc. employ paralegals.

Host said: What are typical paralegal salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

More computer skills

Host said: What are typical paralegal salaries? Do some companies pay a lot more for this position than others? What does a top earner make in this field?

What skills should you learn to increase your salary?

I've been a paralegal for 20 years and make 71,000. I work for a small boutique firm so there goes the notion that only large firms pay well. I'm a highly skilled litigation paralegal and I know there are (or were)jobs that pay more, but I don't want to work my behind off. The higher paying jobs require lots of over time and often travel. Skills you should learn. Any electronic database-LiveNote, Summation, Concordance, CaseMap, and knowledge of gathering electronic discovery - which I must admit-I don't know. Time for me to brush up.

loyalramfan in Los Angeles, California said: I've been a paralegal for 20 years and make 71,000. I work for a small boutique firm so there goes the notion that only large firms pay well. I'm a highly skilled litigation paralegal and I know there are (or were)jobs that pay more, but I don't want to work my behind off. The higher paying jobs require lots of over time and often travel. Skills you should learn. Any electronic database-LiveNote, Summation, Concordance, CaseMap, and knowledge of gathering electronic discovery - which I must admit-I don't know. Time for me to brush up.

Hi Loyalramfan - I lived in LA for 16 years. That's where I started my 5-year stint as a legal secretary. I'm curious - do you live in the city, or do you commute in? I'm asking because I know that $71K won't go far there, and it will get you even less in OC. Are you a single guy without kids?

dh in Northern CA, California said: Hi Loyalramfan - I lived in LA for 16 years. That's where I started my 5-year stint as a legal secretary. I'm curious - do you live in the city, or do you commute in? I'm asking because I know that $71K won't go far there, and it will get you even less in OC. Are you a single guy without kids?

I work in Century City and live about 3 miles from work. I know - unheard of in LA. Actually it's the opposite. It will get more in OC. I moved up from OC 5 years ago and got a 10,000 raise within 2 years because LA pays more. I think 71K is a good salary, but then again I's single (woman) with no kids.

loyalramfan in Los Angeles, California said: I work in Century City and live about 3 miles from work. I know - unheard of in LA. Actually it's the opposite. It will get more in OC. I moved up from OC 5 years ago and got a 10,000 raise within 2 years because LA pays more. I think 71K is a good salary, but then again I's single (woman) with no kids.

Oops! Sorry. I stereotyped you as a guy because of the loyal"ramfan."

Last I heard from the recruiter I used to use in OC, she was placing experienced secretaries in jobs that paid $70k/year or more. Last time I spoke to her was Fall, '07. I spent 16 years in LA and 4 in Irvine. I thought Irvine had a much higher cost of living but salaries seemed to be very close because I maintained contact with friends (former coworkers) in LA plus the new friends in OC. We often secretly shared salary info, especially if one of us left the place. I once heard, however, that if there's one place that pays more than Downtown LA, it's Century City.

I never have worked as a paralegal, only word processor or secretary.