Is being a paralegal worth it? Many people look at being a paralegal as a small job that pays close to nothing. The outlook is that of a simple office assistant who simply fulfils requests as needed without any thought or personal input. However, being a paralegal is very engaging and takes a lot of work, dedication and commitment.
Before we get into anything, let’s be clear on who a paralegal is. A paralegal is an individual trained in matters about the law, who is employed by a law firm or organization with a law department who assists in carrying out legal duties that are supervised and signed off on by the superior attorney.
This then means that there is some vocational training that goes into becoming a paralegal; financial investment in academic training. It, therefore, follows that being a paralegal should pay off financially as well.
Is being a paralegal worth it?
How much do paralegals earn?
For the most part, paralegals work 40-hour weeks that can be rigorous. For some, the job description defines days of travel, commuting and meetings. For others, days are defined by hours and hours spent behind a computer with headphones on typing out legal documents dictated by their superiors. So on average, even with these variants, a paralegal gets paid $50,000-$51,000 per year.
The highest-paid paralegal gets paid up to $83,000 per year while the lowest-paid paralegal earns $31,000 per year. Get more details
But what variables determine the difference in pay?
1. Level of education and training
The level of education and formal training that a paralegal has highly determined how much they get paid from the start. A paralegal with a bachelor’s degree is bound to earn more than one with a diploma; one with a paralegal certification on top of the degree is bound to start on a higher salary than one with a pure degree
2. Level of experience
Experience is and forever will be expensive. The more experience a paralegal has the more they are worth. A paralegal coming into a managerial position is bound to earn a lot more than one coming into an entry-level position. Also, the level of experience while entering the position in the company determines how fast you can grow in the organization. The higher your employment level, the higher the pay.
3. Location
The local job market highly determines how much you can earn as a paralegal. Some locations have a higher demand for legal services thus increasing the level of salary one can earn in that region. To increase your chances of getting higher pay, look into which provinces have a higher demand for legal services, and base your search and training on these locations.
4. The organization
The company for whom you will be working determines how much you can make. Depending on the kind of company it is and the importance placed on paralegals, you can determine how much you are likely to get paid.
So is being A Paralegal worth it? Generally, being a paralegal pays; more now than it used to back in the early 90s. Just be wise about how you prepare for employment and do relevant research before applying for a job.
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