Washington · Non-Professional Legal Studies

Best colleges for Non-Professional Legal Studies in Washington

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Washington-Seattle Campus and University of Washington-Tacoma Campus award the most Non-Professional Legal Studies degrees and certificates in Washington: 117 and 22 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 2 Washington colleges offer Non-Professional Legal Studies and award 139 degrees and certificates a year in all.

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
2
offering CIP 22.00
States offered
50
with a program page
Degrees / yr
139
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$39,558
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
2
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
74%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$83,740
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
1University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle Public · Bachelor's degree
$39,55811785%—$17,383

Colleges awarding the most Non-Professional Legal Studies degrees in Washington

Top 2 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. * Campuses that share a federal aid ID report one College Scorecard figure.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle Public
117$39,558*
2University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma Public
22$39,558*

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 Washington

Jobs in Washington
9,460
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$83,740
median $79,400
Best-paying metro
$92,230
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Related careers

Paralegals and Legal Assistants
$83,740 avg · 9,460 jobs
Legal Support Workers, All Other
$92,220 avg · 1,080 jobs

Common questions

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

Which Washington colleges award the most Non-Professional Legal Studies degrees?+

University of Washington-Seattle Campus (117 graduates a year) and University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (22 graduates a year) award the most Non-Professional Legal Studies degrees and certificates in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 2 Washington colleges offer Non-Professional Legal Studies.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Washington-Seattle Campus tops the list at $39,558. 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 Washington?+

The average annual wage for Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Washington is $83,740 (median $79,400), across about 9,460 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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