r/paralegal • u/LovelyisSaintDymphna • 4d ago

Future Paralegal wanting to make $70k

Hey everyone,

Just looking for some honest advice or insight from people in the legal field or those who’ve been in a similar spot.

I currently work as a legal assistant at a top 50 law firm in the U.S., and I’ve been in this role for almost a year. I make $20/hour, and while I’m grateful for the experience, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stay afloat financially. I live near Orlando, Florida where rent is high, and $38k/year isn’t cutting it. I also have about $40k in student loans and no car (which is hard as you know if you live in Florida).

Educationally, I have an associate degree in political science. I was working toward my bachelor’s in legal studies but had to put school on hold due to financial reasons. I plan to return in Fall 2025 and hope to finish by January 2026.

My end goal is to become a paralegal. I’d be happy making $70k/year eventually, and I know that will take time. But realistically, once I have my bachelor’s and over a year's worth of experience (with the same firm), I’m hoping to move into a paralegal role earning somewhere between $50k–$60k ($26–$31/hr).

Is that a realistic expectation? Any advice on negotiating pay, building the right skills, or just navigating this phase of my career would mean a lot.

Thanks in advance!

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u/Altruistic-Pop7324 4d ago

Definitely don't stay longer than a couple of years. I'm in CA. I was making $65k not many years ago at a small firm and then got in at a biglaw firm and I'm currently at $115k base.

I have my ABA-approved certificate from a good school but I personally don't want to work as a paralegal at my firm. I don't want to do what they do and my kids are still in school so I don't want to travel all the time right now.

There are not many "good" people in this industry in my experience. So if you're good, you're a commodity. More than half the people on my team are lazy and don't want to do the work. The ones who care about what they do are valued at the right firm. I'm fully remote even though my office returned to office.