Paralegals and Legal Assistants Pay Range in Iowa
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$37,900
- 25th Percentile — Junior$47,820
- 50th Percentile — Median$54,550
- 75th Percentile — Senior$66,560
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$83,520
Half of Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Iowa earn more than $54,550. The top 10% make $83,520 or more, while entry-level workers start around $37,900.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Iowa: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Iowa ranks 43rd of 51 states for Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay, at $58,780 per year (15.7% below the U.S. average of $69,700).
- 2,980 people work as Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Iowa — 0.8% of all U.S. Paralegals and Legal Assistants jobs.
- Location quotient 0.76: Paralegals and Legal Assistants jobs are less concentrated in Iowa than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $37,900; the top 10% earn over $83,520.
- Hourly equivalent: $28.26 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $95,400.
- Among legal jobs in Iowa, Lawyers pays the most ($144,760).
Paralegals and Legal Assistants Job Market in Iowa
Key factors affecting compensation
Iowa's key industries are Agriculture, Manufacturing, Finance, and its job market is rated moderate. Paralegals and Legal Assistants here earn $58,780 on average, placing the state 43rd nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 0.86 (U.S. = 1.00), a Iowa salary of $58,780 is roughly equivalent to $68,349 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Louisiana ($59,360), Kentucky ($59,240), Montana ($58,930) are the closest alternatives for Paralegals and Legal Assistants weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Legal Jobs in Iowa
Related career salary benchmarks
- Lawyers $144,760/yr Iowa +146.3% vs this role
- Administrative Law Judges $121,720/yr Iowa +107.1% vs this role
- Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners $89,730/yr Iowa +52.7% vs this role
- Judicial Law Clerks $69,700/yr Iowa +18.6% vs this role
- Title Examiners Abstractors and Searchers $45,540/yr Iowa 22.5% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in Iowa?
The average Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in Iowa is $58,780 per year (median $54,550), which is 15.7% below the national average of $69,700.
How does Iowa rank for Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay?
Iowa ranks 43rd out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia ($95,400/yr).
How much do entry-level Paralegals and Legal Assistants make in Iowa?
The lowest-paid 10% of Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Iowa earn about $37,900 per year and the 25th percentile is $47,820.
How much do Paralegals and Legal Assistants make per hour in Iowa?
About $28.26 per hour, based on the $58,780 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Paralegals and Legal Assistants work in Iowa?
BLS counts 2,980 Paralegals and Legal Assistants jobs in Iowa (OEWS May 2025).
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