Nevada hits all the right marks when it comes to professional opportunities and salaries for paralegals. Paralegal salaries top the national average throughout the state, including in the Las Vegas area where they are bolstered by major law firms like Ballard Spahr LLP and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP.
Large casinos and the hotels associated with them – MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment, and Wynn Resorts, to name a few – have full-time teams of legal experts working to stay within the law and invest profits.
Nevada is also a great place for business. It has no corporate tax, no personal income tax, no franchise tax, and no inventory tax. As more companies call Nevada home, they are going to hire more paralegals by default for their legal teams. Moody’s projects Nevada to have one of the fastest rates of employment growth in the nation through 2023.
Paralegal Job Market Trends in Nevada
As of May 2020, the average paralegal salary in Nevada was $60,140, or $28.91 per hour, which is about $4,000 more annually than the national average. The top paralegals in the state (top 10%) earn about $82,110 – that’s about $22,000 more than the state average.
Nevada is home to about 2,100 paralegal jobs, which are supported by the 7,482 active lawyers that practice here. According to the American Bar Association, the number of active lawyers has increased by an impressive 11.1% in the last decade (2011-2021). This sort of positive job growth among lawyers naturally translates into more opportunities for the paralegals who call Nevada home.
Average Paralegal Salary in Nevada by City
The highest average salaries for paralegals are found in Carson City, thanks largely to the legal ecosystem fostered by its status as the state’s capital. Carson City ranked tenth in the nation among the top-paying metro areas for paralegals, as of May 2020.
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise:
Average – $59,320 ($28.52 hourly)
Top 10% – $79,600 ($38.27 hourly)
Reno:
Average – $64,490 ($31.00 hourly)
Top 10% – $97,250 ($46.75 hourly)
Carson City:
Average – $67,380 ($32.39 hourly)
Top 10% – $91,220 ($43.86 hourly)
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary, growth, and job market trends for paralegals and legal assistants. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2021.