Quick answer: Washington employs about 9,460 paralegals and legal assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through target employers on the credential they expect. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare legal studies programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in Washington
Legal studies is not a license to practice law - only bar admission after a law degree is. The degree builds legal literacy for compliance, court administration and paralegal work, none of which requires a license in most settings.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with target employers on the credential they expect that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 2 schools
within 50 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
2 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
What Paralegals and Legal Assistants Earn in Washington
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Washington earn a median $79,400 per year, above the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Legal Studies Pay and Employment in Washington at a Glance
Metric
Washington
National
Source
Median annual wage
$79,400
$62,890
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$50,470
$44,740
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$62,670
$50,340
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$100,960
$80,080
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$116,750
$101,500
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
9,460
392,880
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.05
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
0.2%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Washington Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Washington median of $79,400 sits above the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.05 puts Washington slightly above the national average, so the occupation is a little more common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Legal-adjacent employment concentrates where courts, agencies and firms do - state capitals and major metros carry the deepest markets.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants Wages by Metro Area in Washington
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), paralegals and legal assistants wages in Washington vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
12,990
$81,590
$87,900
$57,160
$126,020
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
6,310
$92,900
$92,230
$59,320
$119,820
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
3,510
$75,430
$73,580
$48,970
$100,350
Spokane-Spokane Valley
610
$59,540
$62,040
$49,280
$80,450
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
570
$71,140
$69,100
$51,100
$80,700
Kennewick-Richland
270
$62,500
$65,290
$41,000
$89,470
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard
190
$71,310
$71,720
$51,240
$98,440
Bellingham
180
$63,950
$66,210
$47,980
$89,140
Yakima
180
$63,140
$66,460
$48,920
$86,960
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
80
$61,450
$62,290
$46,310
$83,380
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
70
$75,230
$74,740
$50,820
$98,960
Lewiston
60
$50,040
$54,860
$38,970
$79,060
Walla Walla
50
$60,120
$64,650
$39,370
$109,290
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make in Washington?
The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants in Washington is $79,400, above the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $62,670 at the 25th percentile to $100,960 at the 75th.
How many paralegals and legal assistants work in Washington?
Washington holds about 9,460 legal professional jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 392,880, and BLS projects about 39,300 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a legal professional in Washington?
Legal studies is not a license to practice law - only bar admission after a law degree is. The degree builds legal literacy for compliance, court administration and paralegal work, none of which requires a license in most settings. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with target employers on the credential they expect before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a legal studies bachelor's or master's online while working in Washington?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies target employers on the credential they expect.
What is the highest-paying area of Washington for paralegals and legal assistants?
Among Washington metro areas with published data, Seattle reports the highest median at $92,900 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Washington a good state for paralegals and legal assistants?
On pay, the state median of $79,400 sits above the national $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.05 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Paralegals and Legal Assistants (SOC 23-2011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
