Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary
in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
- Middle 50%
- $48,570–$76,930
- vs U.S. median
- -4%
- Metro rank
- #97 of 220
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro earn a median of $60,080 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,190 jobs (May 2025). That is 4% below the U.S. median of $62,890 and 10% above the IA statewide median of $54,550. It ranks #97 of 220 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,190 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Paralegals and Legal Assistants pay in other IA metros
4 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $66,400 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $57,420 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $57,030 |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $48,840 |
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RELATED JOBS IN DES MOINES
Questions
What is the average Paralegals and Legal Assistants salary in Des Moines?
The BLS median is $60,080 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,190 jobs pay between $48,570 and $76,930. The 10th percentile is $37,490 and the 90th is $89,920.
Is Des Moines a high-paying metro for Paralegals and Legal Assistants?
That is 4% below the U.S. median of $62,890 and 10% above the IA statewide median of $54,550. It ranks #97 of 220 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Paralegals and Legal Assistants make an hour in Des Moines?
About $28.88 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $60,080 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $23.35–$36.99 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.