Jobs Similar to Paralegals and Legal Assistants
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to paralegals and legal assistants, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers, Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants and Judicial Law Clerks.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants: $62,890 median pay · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Paralegals and Legal Assistants) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers | 83% | $117,860+87% | Graduate degree |
| 2 | Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 82% | $55,570−12% | Training or associate |
| 3 | Judicial Law Clerks | 81% | $64,920+3% | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Correspondence Clerks | 80% | $46,800−26% | High school |
| 5 | Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks | 80% | $49,230−22% | High school |
| 6 | Private Detectives and Investigators | 80% | $51,220−19% | Training or associate |
| 7 | Intelligence Analysts | 80% | $93,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Lawyers | 80% | $159,670+154% | Graduate degree |
| 9 | Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators | 79% | $78,000+24% | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts | 79% | $81,100Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 11 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | 79% | $62,370−1% | Training or associate |
| 12 | Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs | 79% | $54,210−14% | Training or associate |
| 13 | Tax Preparers | 79% | $54,920−13% | Training or associate |
| 14 | Insurance Underwriters | 79% | $81,370+29% | Bachelor's degree |
| 15 | Statistical Assistants | 79% | $50,330−20% | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Compliance Managers | 78% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 17 | Accountants and Auditors | 78% | $83,680+33% | Bachelor's degree |
| 18 | Title Examiners, Abstractors, and SearchersSame group | 78% | $58,650−7% | High school |
| 19 | Compliance Officers | 78% | $80,730+28% | Bachelor's degree |
| 20 | Loan Interviewers and Clerks | 78% | $50,020−20% | Training or associate |
- 1Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
83% similar · $117,860 (+87%) · Graduate degree
- 2Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
82% similar · $55,570 (−12%) · Training or associate
- 3Judicial Law Clerks
81% similar · $64,920 (+3%) · Graduate degree
- 4Correspondence Clerks
80% similar · $46,800 (−26%) · High school
- 5Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
80% similar · $49,230 (−22%) · High school
- 6Private Detectives and Investigators
80% similar · $51,220 (−19%) · Training or associate
- 7Intelligence Analysts
80% similar · $93,790 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 8Lawyers
80% similar · $159,670 (+154%) · Graduate degree
- 9Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
79% similar · $78,000 (+24%) · Bachelor's degree
- 10Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
79% similar · $81,100 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 11Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
79% similar · $62,370 (−1%) · Training or associate
- 12Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
79% similar · $54,210 (−14%) · Training or associate
- 13Tax Preparers
79% similar · $54,920 (−13%) · Training or associate
- 14Insurance Underwriters
79% similar · $81,370 (+29%) · Bachelor's degree
- 15Statistical Assistants
79% similar · $50,330 (−20%) · Bachelor's degree
- 16Compliance Managers
78% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 17Accountants and Auditors
78% similar · $83,680 (+33%) · Bachelor's degree
- 18Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
78% similar · $58,650 (−7%) · High school · Same group
- 19Compliance Officers
78% similar · $80,730 (+28%) · Bachelor's degree
- 20Loan Interviewers and Clerks
78% similar · $50,020 (−20%) · Training or associate
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that need less preparation
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for paralegals and legal assistants also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where paralegals and legal assistants is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (92)
- Private Detectives and Investigators (84)
- Judicial Law Clerks (83)
- Tax Preparers (83)
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (82)
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (80)
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs (79)
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants (79)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (79)
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks (78)
Questions about jobs like paralegals and legal assistants
What jobs are most similar to paralegals and legal assistants?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (83% similar), Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants (82% similar), Judicial Law Clerks (81% similar), Correspondence Clerks (80% similar) and Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks (80% similar).
Which jobs like paralegals and legal assistants pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Lawyers ($159,670, +154%; usually a graduate degree), Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers ($117,860, +87%; usually a graduate degree) and Accountants and Auditors ($83,680, +33%; usually a bachelor's degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with paralegals and legal assistants ($62,890).
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.