Paralegal Studies
Paralegal Studies is a versatile degree that prepares students for a wide range of professional opportunities. With 50,000 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Paralegal Studies and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$11,790 Median In-State Public
$44,360 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Paralegal Studies majors are, on average, $11,790 for in-state public colleges, and $44,360 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Paralegal Studies programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
10,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Paralegal Studies from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Paralegal Studies.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | 49,000 |
| 4 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
| 5 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Paralegal Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Folsom Lake College | CA | $1,288 |
| 2 | Phoenix College | AZ | $2,358 |
| 3 | Southeastern Community College | NC | $2,600 |
| 4 | St Petersburg College | FL | $2,682 |
| 5 | Colorado Mountain College | CO | $2,700 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Paralegal Studies programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Regional Technical College | GA | $1,085 |
| 2 | Northern Marianas College | MP | $2,795 |
| 3 | Florida Gateway College | FL | $2,915 |
| 4 | Folsom Lake College | CA | $3,661 |
| 5 | Southeastern Community College | NC | $4,474 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Paralegal Studies programs.
Graduation Rates
52.00% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
51.08% Average Graduation Rate
497 Institutions Reporting
35.53% - 64.92% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Paralegal Studies programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Paralegal Studies graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$79,010 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Paralegal Studies majors is $79,010.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Paralegal Studies majors.
Occupations by Share
50,000 2023 Workforce
The number of Paralegal Studies graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Paralegal Studies by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Paralegal Studies degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
$18,750 Median Student Debt
$50,000 Median Annual Earnings (10 years after enrollment)
37.50% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
3.8 years Estimated Payback Period (assuming 10% of income)
683.99% Return on Investment (10-year earnings vs 4-year cost)
This degree shows strong ROI, with 10-year earnings significantly exceeding the cost of education.
$63,776 Estimated Total Cost (4 years at median net price)
Financial value comparison for Paralegal Studies degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Paralegal Studies in the United States.
Workforce Age
40.0 Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Paralegal Studies.
Age distribution for Paralegal Studies degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
9,493 Total Degrees Awarded
1,508 Male (15.89%)
7,985 Female (84.11%)
Gender distribution of Paralegal Studies degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
4,566 White (48.10%)
2,341 Hispanic or Latino (24.66%)
1,369 Black or African American (14.42%)
356 Two or More Races (3.75%)
289 Asian (3.04%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Paralegal Studies degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Paralegal Studies are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Paralegal Studies.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Paralegal Studies field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Paralegal Studies majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Paralegal Studies majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Paralegal Studies majors.
About
Paralegal Studies
In 2023, 10,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Paralegal Studies.
CIP Code
22.0302 - Paralegal Studies
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Return on Investment: Paralegal Studies offers an outstanding ROI of 684%, meaning graduates typically earn significantly more over 10 years than the total cost of their education. This makes it one of the most financially rewarding degree choices available.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.