U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) / Commodity Futures Trading Commission / Paralegal Specialist

Job-title file

Paralegal Specialist

Provide legal advice, draft and review documents, and represent the agency in legal matters.

12 employees hold this title in Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Median total compensation for the role is $143,249, below the department median of $247,518.

Employees: 12
Total payroll: $1.7M
Role median: $143,249
Agency median: $247,518
Comparison: Below

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$99,709$179,984+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 12 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compared with the local labor market

Paralegal Specialist pay vs. the United States

Across all employers in the United States, the median wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants — about 392,880 people — is $62,890. Commodity Futures Trading Commission pays a median base salary of $143,249 for this role, 128% above that figure — above the 90th percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where Commodity Futures Trading Commission sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$44,740

$50,340

$62,890

$80,080

$101,500

Commodity Futures Trading Commission median · $143,249

The bar is the range of annual wages for Paralegals and Legal Assistants across every employer in the United States, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

Median total compensation for this role at Commodity Futures Trading Commission is $143,249, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Compare departments

This role across U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)

Paralegal Specialist is held in 54 U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) departments. In Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the median of $143,249 ranks #3 of 54.

Highest-paying departments for this role

Federal Housing Finance Agency

$176,909 · 1

Securities and Exchange Commission

$145,791 · 84

Federal Reserve System

$141,092 · 20

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

$130,932 · 29

Federal Communications Commission

$128,956 · 5

Department of Treasury

$125,827 · 5

Social Security Administration

$120,246 · 702

Export-Import Bank of the United States

$119,037 · 1

Fed Retirement Thrift Investment Board

$119,037 · 1

U.S. Agency for International Development

$117,962 · 3

Department of Health and Human Services

$115,981 · 65

Smithsonian Institution

$115,731 · 1

Median total compensation for the Paralegal Specialist role in other U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)departments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Compare jurisdictions

Paralegal Specialist beyond U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)

This role is reported in 4 jurisdictions. In U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense), the median of $96,330 ranks #3 of 4. See Paralegal Specialist across all of U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) →

Highest-paying jurisdictions for this role

Connecticut

$148,330 · 8

District of Columbia

$98,412 · 99

Florida

$44,437 · 405

Median total compensation for comparable Paralegal Specialistroles in other jurisdictions. Titles are matched by normalized name across sources, not identical job classification, and pay is not cost-of-living adjusted. Each bar links to that jurisdiction’s page for the role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Mildred Ford

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$179,984

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $179,984
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,984
Pay grade: 12
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $179,984
Basic Pay (before locality): $135,062
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 36
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Mildred Ford holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2024, their total compensation was $179,984. Their pay grade is 12.

Jonathan Wheeler

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$179,984

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $179,984
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $179,984
Pay grade: 12
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $179,984
Basic Pay (before locality): $135,062
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 35
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Jonathan Wheeler works as a Paralegal Specialist for Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. Jonathan earned $179,984 in 2024. Their pay grade is 12.

Erica Bodin

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$150,181

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $150,181
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $150,181
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $150,181
Basic Pay (before locality): $112,698
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 22
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

At Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Erica Bodin serves as a Paralegal Specialist based in Washington, District of Columbia. Their 2024 pay totaled $150,181. They are classified at grade 11.

William Proctor

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$150,181

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $150,181
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $150,181
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $150,181
Basic Pay (before locality): $112,698
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 37
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

William Proctor holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2024, their total compensation was $150,181. Their pay grade is 11.

Raymond Lavko

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$146,969

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $146,969
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $146,969
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Chicago
Work county: Cook
Work state: Illinois

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $146,969
Basic Pay (before locality): $112,698
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 171670031
Length of Service (Years): 7
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Raymond Lavko holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, their total compensation was $146,969. Their pay grade is 11.

Venice Bickham

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$145,493

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $145,493
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $145,493
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Chicago
Work county: Cook
Work state: Illinois

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $145,493
Basic Pay (before locality): $111,566
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 171670031
Length of Service (Years): 39
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Venice Bickham holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, their total compensation was $145,493. Their pay grade is 11.

Dianna Henry

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$141,004

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $141,004
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $141,004
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $141,004
Basic Pay (before locality): $105,811
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 10
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Dianna Henry holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2024, their total compensation was $141,004. Their pay grade is 11.

Brittne Chiles

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$133,140

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $133,140
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $133,140
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Kansas City
Work county: Jackson
Work state: Missouri

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $133,140
Basic Pay (before locality): $112,212
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 294120095
Length of Service (Years): 3
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

At Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Brittne Chiles serves as a Paralegal Specialist based in Kansas City, Missouri. Their 2024 pay totaled $133,140. They are classified at grade 11.

Shantel Ogbuagu

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$124,518

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $124,518
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $124,518
Pay grade: 11
Work city: New York - New York
Work county: New York
Work state: New York

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $124,518
Basic Pay (before locality): $90,730
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 364170061
Length of Service (Years): 7
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

At Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Shantel Ogbuagu serves as a Paralegal Specialist based in New York - New York, New York. Their 2024 pay totaled $124,518. They are classified at grade 11.

Chrystal Gonnella

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$121,478

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $121,478
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $121,478
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $121,478
Basic Pay (before locality): $91,159
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 3
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Chrystal Gonnella holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2024, their total compensation was $121,478. Their pay grade is 11.

Nicolya Jones

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$112,963

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $112,963
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $112,963
Pay grade: 11
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $112,963
Basic Pay (before locality): $84,769
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 4
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Nicolya Jones holds the role of Paralegal Specialist at Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. In 2024, their total compensation was $112,963. Their pay grade is 11.

Lanae Kearse

Paralegal Specialist/Commodity Futures Trading Commission

2024 total comp

$99,709

Sub-department: Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Base pay: $99,709
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $99,709
Pay grade: 09
Work city: Washington
Work county: District of Columbia
Work state: District of Columbia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $99,709
Basic Pay (before locality): $74,823
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 110010001
Length of Service (Years): 2
Occupation Code (OPM): 0950
Pay Plan (OPM): CT

Lanae Kearse works as a Paralegal Specialist for Commodity Futures Trading Commission based in Washington, District of Columbia. Lanae earned $99,709 in 2024. Their pay grade is 09.