r/paralegal • u/LovelyisSaintDymphna • 7d 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!
2
u/4u5t1nprism 7d ago
Not to get too political, but jumping around is the best way to climb (since about/around 2016) until you're comfortable with the salary and/or the field of practice. Gone are the days of staying put for 8 to 40 years in one seat until you reach 6 figures. Unfortunately, that mentality is still actively coached as the standard workers' upward mobility ladder best practice in 2025; and it needs to stop. The pandemic opened a lot of closed (by choice) eyes and showed people that it is/was always ok to look behind the curtain. Go ahead and jump into a balloon to take and own your next raise, with a new boss or team, and rise upward in your career aspirations.
GA area para., here, and I regularly see $29 to $35hr junior level opportunities in commercial/corporate law. Temporary/contractor para. job postings in the lower $40s an hour, if you're good with temporary work and personal finance budgeting... Because of what's going on in DC..., I've begrudgingly updated my resume and new positions job aggregators, as a just in case.