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Certified paralegal education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a certified paralegal. Certified paralegals usually study legal support services, business, or legal studies. 43% of certified paralegals hold a bachelor's degree, and 36% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 740 real certified paralegal resumes to see exactly what certified paralegal education sections show.
The most common colleges for certified paralegals are the Webster University and the Webster University.
There are also many online certified paralegal courses to help get the education required to be a certified paralegal.
There are certain certified paralegal certifications that you should consider. These certified paralegal certifications include Certified Paralegal (CP) and Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC).
What education do you need to become a certified paralegal?
What degree do you need to be a certified paralegal?
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Associate, 36%
- Diploma, 4%
- Master's, 3%
- Other Degrees, 14%
What should I major in to become a certified paralegal?
- Business, 13%
- Legal Studies, 10%
- Criminal Justice, 10%
- Other Majors, 29%
Most common colleges for certified paralegals
| Certified paralegal common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Webster University | 9.68% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 8.06% |
| South University | 6.45% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.45% |
| Montclair State University | 6.45% |
Best majors for certified paralegals
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal Support Services | 37.9% |
| 2 | Business | 13.4% |
| 3 | Legal Studies | 10.2% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 9.9% |
| 5 | Political Science | 6.5% |
Best colleges for certified paralegals
The best colleges for certified paralegals are Northwestern University, Amherst College, and University of Tulsa.
A certified paralegal with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for certified paralegals. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become certified paralegals.
1. Winona State University
Winona, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,425
Enrollment
7,052
2. Minnesota State University - Moorhead
Moorhead, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,496
Enrollment
4,572
3. Texas Wesleyan University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$30,300
Enrollment
1,445
4. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
5. Avila University
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$19,900
Enrollment
1,191
6. Post University
Waterbury, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$16,610
Enrollment
9,017
7. University of La Verne
La Verne, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$43,050
Enrollment
5,098
8. Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$41,290
Enrollment
2,077
9. Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$39,216
Enrollment
1,303
10. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
20 best online courses for certified paralegals
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Top 10 most affordable universities for certified paralegals
The most affordable schools for certified paralegals are John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, clayton state university, and trident university international.
If the best universities for certified paralegals are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for certified paralegals.
1. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,270
Cost of attendance
14,177
2. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
3. Trident University International
Cypress, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,240
Cost of attendance
17,912
4. Winona State University
Winona, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,425
Cost of attendance
21,418
5. University of Alaska Anchorage
Anchorage, AK • Private
In-state tuition
$8,580
Cost of attendance
19,942
6. Minnesota State University - Moorhead
Moorhead, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$8,496
Cost of attendance
21,414
7. Post University
Waterbury, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$16,610
Cost of attendance
28,866
8. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Tifton, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$3,503
Cost of attendance
12,843
9. Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,118
Cost of attendance
19,237
10. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$11,788
Cost of attendance
22,715
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for certified paralegals
The hardest universities for certified paralegals to get into are Northwestern University, Amherst College, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for certified paralegals are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for certified paralegals based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Amherst College
Amherst, MA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,449
3. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
4. Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,321
5. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
6. Tulane University
New Orleans, LA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,428
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Scripps College
Claremont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
24%
SAT average
1,409
9. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
10. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for certified paralegals
The easiest schools for certified paralegals to get into are Thomas More University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a certified paralegal without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for certified paralegals.
1. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. College of Our Lady of the Elms
Chicopee, MA • Private
Admissions rate
67%
SAT average
1,070
6. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,070
7. Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL • Private
Admissions rate
74%
SAT average
1,061
8. Madonna University
Livonia, MI • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,078
9. Illinois State University
Normal, IL • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,122
10. Suffolk University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,131
Average certified paralegal salary by education level
| Certified paralegal education level | Certified paralegal salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $60,455 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,622 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $61,073 |
| Doctorate Degree | $64,538 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,408 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025