Paralegals vs Social Workers
Social Workers earns $320 more at the middle. Every figure is US government data you can check.
| Paralegals | Social Workers | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay in the middle median annual wage, May 2024 | $61,010 | $61,330 |
| Pay range 10th to 90th percentile | $39,710 to $98,990 | $41,580 to $99,500 |
| Years of school you pay for our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure | 2 | 4 |
| Typical entry education | Associate's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Jobs opening up each year | 39,300 | 74,000 |
| Growth by 2034 | 0% | 6% |
| People doing it now | 376,200 | 810,900 |
| Where the pay is highest and lowest state medians, not adjusted for cost of living or taxes | $99,300 in Washington DC down to $39,120 in Mississippi | $78,940 in Connecticut down to $42,960 in Arkansas |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational employment and wage data, May 2024, and employment projections 2024-34. Years of school is our own estimate from published entry requirements, not a BLS figure. State medians are not adjusted for cost of living or taxes, and that difference could be large either way. No advice, just data.