national median · NOC 42200
$68,744
$33.05/hr · 2,080 hrs/yr
#48 · Legal
Paralegals and related occupations Salary
Job Bank / StatCan 2023–2024 national median $68,744 ($33.05/hr on 2,080 hours). NOC 42200. Modeled 2026 take-home, training context, and career comparisons below.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Alberta take-home at median
$51,927
24.5% effective
Quebec take-home at median
$49,086
28.6% effective
Key takeaways — Paralegals
- Paralegals and related occupations ranks #48 of 61 on this hub with a $68,744 Job Bank national median ($33.05/hr; Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024). Common searches mapped here include paralegal salary.
- Modeled Alberta take-home at that median: $51,927 (24.5% effective employee levy rate). Quebec: $49,086.
- One rank above: Counselling therapists at $70,720 (+$1,976).
- Bonuses, equity, overtime, and self-employment income outside the published Job Bank row are not in this cash-wage median.
About Paralegals and related occupations wages
Using ESDC Job Bank wages (Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024), the national median annual wage for Paralegals and related occupations (NOC 42200) is $68,744 — meaning half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less across Canada.
We convert the published median to an hourly equivalent using 2,080 full-time hours per year, then apply our 2026 Canada paycheck model so you see modeled take-home, not just gross. That bridges labour-market statistics with the same tax rules as our province calculators.
Use the compare tool to pit Paralegals against another career, or open the paycheck calculator to model an offer above or below the published median.
Legal · rank context
Paralegals sits at rank #48 between Counselling therapists (#47, $70,720) and Heavy equipment operators (#49, $67,600).
Training & licensing context
Lawyers typically need a JD or LLB and a provincial law-society call to the bar. The Job Bank median spans Bay Street, Legal Aid, and in-house counsel — pay spreads widely inside the NOC.
Job Bank wage percentiles (2023–2024)
Job Bank low–high wages show how pay spreads inside the Paralegals occupation — the median is the midpoint.
| Job Bank low | Median | Job Bank high |
|---|---|---|
| $44,990 | $68,744 | $108,555 |
Take-home at Job Bank median by province
Single filer, basic personal amount, federal + provincial, employee payroll (CPP/EI) — gross equals the published Job Bank median.
| Province | Take-home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $51,927 | 24.5% |
| Ontario | $51,732 | 24.8% |
| British Columbia | $52,261 | 24.0% |
| Quebec | $49,086 | 28.6% |
Myths vs facts
Myth: Every Paralegals job pays the Job Bank median.
Fact: The median is a national midpoint. Entry roles, part-time schedules, and low-COL markets sit below; senior specialists in high-demand metros sit above.
Myth: Take-home at median is what you will net.
Fact: Our columns use a single-filer vignette at the Job Bank gross median. Marriage, dependents, RRSP, TFSA, and local taxes change your actual paycheck.
Salary planning checklist
- Confirm the posting matches NOC 42200 (Paralegals and related occupations)
- Compare Alberta vs Quebec take-home if relocation is on the table
- Read Job Bank percentile tables when published for this occupation
- Use metro paycheck examples (Canada) when the employer names a city
- Model your exact gross in the Canada paycheck calculator
Common mistakes
- ✕Treating $68,744 as a universal offer for all experience levels
- ✕Ignoring licensing and training years when comparing to lower-medians with shorter paths
- ✕Skipping provincial tax when comparing two offers at similar gross medians
Paralegals salary FAQs
Job Bank lists a $68,744 national median for NOC 42200 (Labour Force Survey, 2023-2024) — about $33.05/hr on a 2,080-hour year.
Modeled single-filer take-home at the Job Bank median: Alberta $51,927, Ontario $51,732, British Columbia $52,261, Quebec $49,086 (2026 rules).
#48 of 61 occupations on this hub by national median wage.
Job Bank / StatCan 2023–2024: low $44,990, median $68,744, high $108,555.
This NOC unit group anchors searches such as paralegal salary.
Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies ranks #47 at $70,720 — $1,976 above Paralegals.
Heavy equipment operators ranks #49 at $67,600 — $1,144 below.
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