Iowa · Legal Support Services

Best colleges for Legal Support Services in Iowa

Ranked by graduate earnings

Des Moines Area Community College, Kirkwood Community College and Western Iowa Tech Community College award the most Legal Support Services degrees and certificates in Iowa: 40, 29 and 4 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 5 Iowa colleges offer Legal Support Services and award 79 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Legal Support Services program prepares students for various roles within the legal field, focusing on essential skills and knowledge required to assist legal professionals. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to become…

Institutions
5
offering CIP 22.03
States offered
50
with a program page
Degrees / yr
79
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$49,137
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$20,840
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
47%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$58,780
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny Public · Associate degree
$49,1374039%—$12,250

Colleges awarding the most Legal Support Services degrees in Iowa

Top 5 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny Public
40$49,137
2Kirkwood Community College
Cedar Rapids Public
29Not reported
3Western Iowa Tech Community College
Sioux City Public
4Not reported
4Grand View University
Des Moines Private not-for-profit
3Not reported
5Northeast Iowa Community College
Calmar Public
3Not reported

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 Iowa

Jobs in Iowa
2,980
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$58,780
median $54,550
Best-paying metro
$69,770
Iowa City, IA

Related careers

Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$58,780 avg · 2,980 jobs
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
$48,800 avg · 1,120 jobs
Legal Support Workers, All Other
$52,600 avg · 760 jobs
Interpreters and Translators
$49,350 avg · 560 jobs
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
$45,540 avg · 400 jobs
Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners
$89,730 avg · 160 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Legal Support Services programs in Iowa.

Which Iowa colleges award the most Legal Support Services degrees?+

Des Moines Area Community College (40 graduates a year), Kirkwood Community College (29 graduates a year) and Western Iowa Tech Community College (4 graduates a year) award the most Legal Support Services degrees and certificates in Iowa, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 5 Iowa colleges offer Legal Support Services.

Which Legal Support Services program in Iowa has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Des Moines Area Community College tops the list at $49,137. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

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

The average annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Iowa is $58,780 (median $54,550), across about 2,980 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Legal Support Services program?+

The Legal Support Services program prepares students for various roles within the legal field, focusing on essential skills and knowledge required to assist legal professionals. This program is ideal for individuals seeking to become…

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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