As discussed in our Legal Job News section recently - The Future is Bright for .........Paralegal & Legal Assistants – reports indicate that the paralegal area will experience some of the strongest job growth nationally over the next ten years. With this in mind we thought that it might be beneficial to take a look at how to go about pursuing this career in some of the states featured on the Recruit Legal Jobs Board.

The Important Numbers:

· Number of Maryland Paralegals: 5,790*
· Median Paralegal Salary: $51,580*
· Length of Paralegal Study: 1 to 4 years
· Almost 75 percent of paralegals work for law firms*
· Largest Law Firm in Maryland: Miles & Stockbridge (224 lawyers)**

Paralegal Schools in Maryland:
On average 266 students graduate from paralegal schools in Maryland each year. The State has 13 paralegal schools for you to choose from and at these schools you can expect to pay approximately $5,468 per year in tuition for a degree in paralegal.

Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Maryland.
Baltimore City Community College, Baltimore, Maryland.
Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, Maryland.
College of Southern Maryland, La Plata, Maryland.
Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland.
Hagerstown Community College, Hagerstown, Maryland.
Harford Community College, Bel Air, Maryland.
Kaplan University – Hagerstown Campus, Hagerstown, Maryland.
Montgomery College, Rockville Maryland.
Prince George’s Community College, Largo, Maryland.
Stevenson University, Stevenson, Maryland.
The Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland.
University of Maryland – University College, Adelphi, Maryland.

Maryland Paralegals – Salary Information:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median paralegal salary in Maryland is $51,580, and the top 10% earn $70,120. These top earners often have the highest-level paralegal degrees, the most experience and responsibility.

Below are paralegal salaries for some of the largest cities in Maryland:

City Median Paralegal Salary
Baltimore-Towson $51,630

Bethesda-Frederick-Gaithersburg $51,640

Hagerstown-Martinsburg $46,750

The Job Market for Paralegals in Maryland:

In 2010, there were 5,790 paralegals in Maryland, and they mostly work in Baltimore and Bethesda, and as discussed, employment for paralegals and legal assistants nationally is projected to grow 28 percent between 2008 and 2018. If possible you should choose to focus on one of the legal specialties most commonly advertised in Maryland paralegal vacancies. These include litigation, workers’ compensation, and real estate amongst others.

In Maryland, 71 percent of paralegals work for law firms. The largest firm in Maryland is Miles & Stockbridge in Baltimore, with 224 lawyers, but there are many small and medium-sized law firms across the state.

Remember to check www.recruitlegal.com regularly for Paralegal and Legal Support Vacancies.

*www.bls.gov
**National Law Journal.