California · Non-Professional Legal Studies

Best institutions to study Non-Professional Legal Studies in California

The Non-Professional Legal Studies program offers students an opportunity to explore legal principles and practices without qualifying for bar admission. This program is ideal for individuals with a bachelor's degree in a non-law field who…

Institutions
60
offering CIP 22.00
States offered
50
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,056
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$43,886
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
3
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,171
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
44%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$81,320
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of La Verne
La Verne Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$49,0041063%$45,461$30,370
2University of California - Berkeley
Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree
$43,88620193%$13,723
3University of California - Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,94111475%$18,416

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Paralegals and Legal Assistants (SOC 23-2011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+0.2%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~39,300
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$61,010
typically Associate's degree

Top skills

WritingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoring

What Paralegals and Legal Assistants earn in California

Jobs in California
47,130
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$81,320
median $77,390
Best-paying metro
$103,080
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Related careers

Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$81,320 avg · 47,130 jobs
Legal Support Workers, All Other
$92,750

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Non-Professional Legal Studies programs in California.

Which Non-Professional Legal Studies program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of La Verne tops the list at $49,004. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Paralegals and Legal Assistants earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in California is $81,320 (median $77,390), across about 47,130 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Non-Professional Legal Studies program?+

The Non-Professional Legal Studies program offers students an opportunity to explore legal principles and practices without qualifying for bar admission. This program is ideal for individuals with a bachelor's degree in a non-law field who…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop writing, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Paralegals and Legal Assistants?+

The national job outlook is about +0.2% growth with around 39,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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