Paralegal Salaries in Mississippi

Paralegals take on important legal tasks, such as helping lawyers prepare for trials and corporate meetings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegal employment is expected to experience faster-than-average growth; however, competition for these jobs is expected. Those who are formally trained will have a distinct edge over the competition. Learn about how much paralegals earn in Mississippi.

Mississippi

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegal and legal assistants earned an hourly mean wage of $18.33 and an annual mean wage of $38,120 in Mississippi during May 2009.

National Comparison

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals how paralegal and legal assistants earned a national hourly mean wage of $24.08 and an annual mean wage of $50,080 in May 2009. The national hourly wage was $5.75 above Mississippi's hourly wage. The national mean salary was $11,960 above Mississippi's annual mean.

Metropolitan Areas

• Salaries for paralegal and legal assistants in Mississippi varied across metropolitan areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Metropolitan areas may stretch across multiple states. In May 2009, paralegal and legal assistants in the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi, metropolitan area earned an annual mean wage of $37,450; Hattiesburg, Mississippi, $44,710; Jackson, Mississippi, $40,080; Memphis, Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas, $41,420; and Pascagoula, Mississippi, $36,000.

Regions

• Salaries for paralegal and legal assistants in Mississippi differed across regions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In May 2009, paralegal and legal assistants in northeast Mississippi earned an annual mean wage of $33,670; northwest Mississippi, $35,530; southeast Mississippi, $42,060; and southwest Mississippi, $27,900.

Job Outlook

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, national employment for paralegal and legal assistants is expected to increase at a rate of 28 percent from 2008 through 2018. Employment for paralegal and legal assistants in Mississippi is projected to experience a 29 percent increase through 2016.