Best programs to become a legal support worker
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for this job. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Legal Assistant/Paralegal and Legal Studies (IPEDS completions).
2 college programs at 593 schools train for this job, graduating 13,895 people a year (IPEDS completions). The job pays a median of $72,110 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About legal support workers, all other
All legal support workers not listed separately.
Best programs to study to become a legal support worker
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 22.0302 | 9,640 | 69.4% | 462 | $37,542 | $25,166 |
| 2 | CIP 22.0000 | 4,255 | 30.6% | 183 | $39,558 | $25,252 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN Public · 2 feeder programs | 309 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 40% | — | — |
| 2 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 241 | Legal Studies | 78% | — | 40% |
| 3 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 221 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 4 | Center for Advanced Legal Studies Houston, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder program | 212 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 62% | $10,957 | — |
| 5 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 211 | Legal Studies | 90% | — | 38% |
| 6 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 207 | Legal Studies | 57% | $10,199 | — |
| 7 | Bryant & Stratton College - Online Orchard Park, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 206 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 23% | $14,394 | — |
| 8 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 201 | Legal Studies | 93% | — | 11% |
| 9 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 176 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 31% | — | — |
| 10 | East Los Angeles College Monterey Park, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 174 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 37% | — | — |
| 11 | Post University Waterbury, CT Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 167 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 25% | $14,659 | — |
| 12 | University of Arizona Tucson, AZ Public · 1 feeder program | 150 | Legal Studies | 68% | — | 86% |
| 13 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · 2 feeder programs | 130 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 75% | — | 85% |
| 14 | St. John's University - New York Queens, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 124 | Legal Studies | 66% | $27,359 | 83% |
| 15 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY Public · 1 feeder program | 122 | Legal Studies | 56% | — | 57% |
| 16 | Purdue University Global West Lafayette, IN Public · 1 feeder program | 122 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 50% | — | — |
| 17 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 120 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 84% | $26,035 | 52% |
| 18 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder program | 117 | Legal Studies | 68% | — | 90% |
| 19 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · 1 feeder program | 117 | Legal Studies | 85% | — | 39% |
| 20 | University of California - Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 114 | Legal Studies | 75% | — | 66% |
| 21 | College of the Canyons Santa Clarita, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 108 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 45% | — | — |
| 22 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD Public · 1 feeder program | 108 | Legal Studies | 33% | — | — |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · 1 feeder program | 100 | Legal Studies | 90% | — | 45% |
| 24 | Houston City College Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 98 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 17% | — | — |
| 25 | Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 97 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 61% | $35,483 | 97% |
| 26 | Crestpoint University Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 96 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 33% | $15,215 | — |
| 27 | Fresno City College Fresno, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 95 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 24% | — | — |
| 28 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NY Public · 1 feeder program | 95 | Legal Studies | 75% | — | 74% |
| 29 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 1 feeder program | 91 | Legal Studies | 83% | — | 60% |
| 30 | San Diego Miramar College San Diego, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 89 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 48% | — | — |
| 31 | American River College Sacramento, CA Public · 1 feeder program | 87 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 37% | — | — |
| 32 | Pasadena City College Pasadena, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 87 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 48% | — | — |
| 33 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 86 | Legal Studies | 53% | — | 87% |
| 34 | Rasmussen University - Minnesota St. Cloud, MN Private for-profit · 1 feeder program | 80 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 53% | $19,944 | — |
| 35 | West Los Angeles College Culver City, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 79 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 28% | — | — |
| 36 | Los Angeles City College Los Angeles, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 74 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 29% | — | — |
| 37 | Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 72 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 57% | — | 63% |
| 38 | Hillsborough College Tampa, FL Public · 1 feeder program | 72 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 34% | — | — |
| 39 | National University San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 72 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 43% | $31,817 | — |
| 40 | Hamline University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 71 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 60% | $20,981 | 88% |
| 41 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · 1 feeder program | 69 | Legal Studies | 82% | — | 46% |
| 42 | De Anza College Cupertino, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 68 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 68% | — | — |
| 43 | Phoenix College Phoenix, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 66 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 14% | — | — |
| 44 | San Joaquin Delta College Stockton, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 65 | Legal Studies | 35% | — | — |
| 45 | Bryan University Tempe, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder program | 62 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 41% | $22,877 | — |
| 46 | Dallas College Dallas, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 62 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 32% | — | — |
| 47 | Lone Star College System The Woodlands, TX Public · 1 feeder program | 62 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 21% | — | — |
| 48 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder program | 62 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 49 | Clayton State University Morrow, GA Public · 1 feeder program | 61 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 40% | — | 68% |
| 50 | Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 60 | Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 36% | — | — |
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
What legal support workers, all other earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $85,830 | — | — | 78 | 2,732 |
| New York | $76,520 | 1,760 | 0.60× | 41 | 1,091 |
| Texas | $63,140 | 2,900 | 0.69× | 38 | 1,078 |
| Florida | $56,880 | — | — | 30 | 952 |
| Arizona | $63,160 | — | — | 15 | 648 |
| Indiana | $56,990 | 550 | 0.57× | 7 | 492 |
| Georgia | $60,620 | 1,370 | 0.93× | 18 | 478 |
| Virginia | $179,960 | — | — | 17 | 472 |
| Illinois | $63,250 | 3,010 | 1.64× | 26 | 447 |
| Ohio | $67,230 | 690 | 0.41× | 18 | 347 |
| North Carolina | $63,170 | 1,000 | 0.67× | 22 | 318 |
| Wisconsin | $63,130 | 390 | 0.44× | 15 | 296 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,190 | 970 | 0.53× | 24 | 275 |
| Washington | $85,630 | 1,080 | 1.01× | 9 | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $77,830 | — | — | 14 | 266 |
| Minnesota | $86,940 | 220 | 0.25× | 9 | 246 |
| West Virginia | $55,890 | 160 | 0.77× | 7 | 244 |
| Michigan | $66,280 | 1,020 | 0.77× | 14 | 227 |
| Colorado | $66,660 | 2,000 | 2.31× | 10 | 203 |
| Mississippi | $55,930 | 100 | 0.29× | 13 | 189 |
| Kentucky | $68,220 | 180 | 0.31× | 10 | 186 |
| New Jersey | $88,210 | 660 | 0.51× | 17 | 173 |
| Tennessee | $58,610 | — | — | 11 | 160 |
| Missouri | $69,350 | 370 | 0.42× | 9 | 121 |
| Iowa | $44,470 | 760 | 1.61× | 6 | 109 |
| Oklahoma | $55,330 | 160 | 0.32× | 8 | 109 |
| District of Columbia | $88,480 | 1,770 | 8.38× | 5 | 106 |
| Louisiana | $51,230 | 1,200 | 2.07× | 6 | 92 |
| Nebraskamoderate | $69,010 | 160 | 0.53× | 3 | 86 |
| Kansas | $88,210 | 60 | 0.14× | 6 | 71 |
| Nevadamoderate | $60,820 | 1,080 | 2.32× | 3 | 66 |
| Oregonlimited | $60,860 | 520 | 0.88× | 2 | 60 |
| Mainelimited | $72,110 | — | — | 2 | 54 |
| Arkansasmoderate | $44,670 | 290 | 0.73× | 4 | 42 |
| Utahmoderate | $64,380 | 280 | 0.54× | 4 | 42 |
| Delawaremoderate | $81,170 | 290 | 1.99× | 3 | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $82,890 | 130 | 0.63× | 6 | 32 |
| Alaskamoderate | $85,000 | 110 | 1.13× | 3 | 27 |
| New Mexico | $57,780 | 120 | 0.45× | 5 | 26 |
| Rhode Islandmoderate | $79,350 | 90 | 0.58× | 3 | 24 |
| Hawaiilimited | $62,530 | 200 | 1.09× | 1 | 21 |
| Idahomoderate | $64,480 | 60 | 0.22× | 4 | 18 |
| Montanalimited | $55,850 | 190 | 1.24× | 2 | 6 |
| North Dakotalimited | $53,980 | 50 | 0.36× | 1 | 3 |
Skills and knowledge
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
How to get in
How to become a legal support worker
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 3 majors mapped to Legal Support Workers, All Other2 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 22.0000Legal Studies
- 22.0302Legal Assistant/Paralegal
- 22.0304Court Interpreter(no graduates reported)
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a legal support worker?+
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for this job. The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Legal Assistant/Paralegal and Legal Studies (IPEDS completions).
Which college majors lead to becoming a legal support worker?+
The fields of study that lead most directly to this job are Legal Assistant/Paralegal and Legal Studies (IPEDS completions). In all, the NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 2 programs to this job, which together graduate about 13,895 people a year.
How much do legal support workers, all other earn?+
The median is $72,110 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $43,800 at the 10th percentile to $179,960 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for legal support workers, all other growing?+
BLS projects a -1.2% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 4,700 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
593 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 2 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
Do you need training or experience beyond a degree?+
BLS lists 'None' for related work experience and 'None' for on-the-job training typically needed to reach competency.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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