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Contractor-paralegal education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a contractor-paralegal. Contractor-paralegals usually study legal support services, political science, or business. 53% of contractor-paralegals hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,960 real contractor-paralegal resumes to see exactly what contractor-paralegal education sections show.

The most common colleges for contractor-paralegals are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online contractor-paralegal courses to help get the education required to be a contractor-paralegal.

There are certain contractor-paralegal certifications that you should consider. These contractor-paralegal certifications include Certified Paralegal/Certified Legal Assistant (CP/CLA) and Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC).

What education do you need to become a contractor-paralegal?

What degree do you need to be a contractor-paralegal?

The most common degree for contractor-paralegals is bachelor's degree, with 53% of contractor-paralegals earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 23% and associate degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 53%
  • Associate, 23%
  • Doctorate, 7%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become a contractor-paralegal?

You should major in legal support services to become a contractor-paralegal. 32% of contractor-paralegals major in legal support services. Other common majors for a contractor-paralegal include political science and business.

Most common colleges for contractor-paralegals

Contractor-paralegals often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, New York University, and Roosevelt University. Here are the most common colleges for contractor-paralegals in the US based on their resumes.
Contractor-paralegal common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix9.26%
New York University8.33%
Roosevelt University7.87%
University of California, Santa Barbara7.87%
University of Houston6.94%

Best majors for contractor-paralegals

RankMajorPercentages
1Legal Support Services31.8%
2Political Science10.5%
3Business9.8%
4Law9.4%
5Legal Studies6.5%

Best colleges for contractor-paralegals

The best colleges for contractor-paralegals are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A contractor-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 contractor-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 contractor-paralegals.

1. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

4. Texas Wesleyan University

Fort Worth, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$30,300

Enrollment

1,445

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

7. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

8. University of La Verne

La Verne, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$43,050

Enrollment

5,098

9. University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$11,000

Enrollment

25,973

10. Hamline University

Saint Paul, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$41,290

Enrollment

2,077

20 best online courses for contractor-paralegals

Advertising disclosure

1. American Contract Law II

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Course description: Contracts I & II provides a comprehensive overview of contract law in the United States. The course covers most of the key concepts found in a first year law school class. Each lecture is based on one or more common-law cases, integrating legal doctrines with policy discussions. The course also covers key sections from the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs the sale of goods. By the end of the course, the learner should be able to understand: Formation defenses:...

2. An Introduction to American Law

coursera

This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches...

3. Effective Legal Office Administration

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4.5
(1,067)

Effective Legal Office Administration...

4. English for Business and Law - Contract Law

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4.5
(552)

An English language course for business and law...

5. Intellectual Property Law

coursera

Intellectual property is the currency of the tech world. The pharmaceutical patent for Lipitor generated over $100 billion in revenue, the copyright for the Harry Potter franchise has generated over $25 billion to date, and the trademarked brands of the world’s largest tech companies now eclipse $100 billion in value. But what makes these intangible assets so valuable?\n\nThrough the courses in this specialization, you will learn the differences between the various forms of U.S. intellectual...

6. Introduction to Intellectual Property

coursera

Intellectual property is the currency of the tech world, with the world’s most valuable intellectual property assets dwarfing the value of their real-world counterparts. Apple’ trademarked brand was valued at over $100 billion as of 2017. J.K. Rowling’s Harry potter franchise has generated over $25 billion to date. But how did the law come to create such enormous value in intangible assets? This course will introduce the various types of U.S. intellectual property: patents, which cover...

7. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course

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4
(619)

A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...

8. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
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A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...

9. QuickBooks For Contractors

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4.1
(277)

Everything That Any Type Of Contractor Would Need When Using Quick Books...

10. The complete course on the Indian Contract Act, 1872

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4.6
(396)

Law of Contract in India as under Indian Contract Act, 1872...

11. Wholesale Real Estate Contracts: Flip Houses Risk Free

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4.5
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Download A Full Package Of Strategically Developed Real Estate Contracts And Learn How To Leverage Them In Your Business...

12. Contract Management: Managing Contractual Risks

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4.2
(295)

How to identify and deal with contract risks...

13. Learning Business Contracts for Beginners

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4.5
(2,448)

An Introductory Guide to Drafting Winning Contracts, Negotiating Well, and Getting What You Want...

14. Introduction to Contract Management

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4.4
(1,511)

Understand what is involved in the contract management process and put this knowledge to work with confidence...

15. Learn Federal Government Contracting From An Expert

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4
(443)

A comprehensive guide to Register, Search Opportunities, GSA, Certifications, Accounting, Marketing& Bidding to the feds...

16. A Practical Approach to FIDIC Contracts

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4.4
(292)

The interactive course is based on the FIDIC Approved Module 1 Workshop and introduces the FIDIC Suite of Contracts...

17. Complete Real Estate Wholesaling course 2023(With Contracts)

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4.4
(305)

Real Estate Wholesaling Course for Beginners by an Active Successful Wholesaler and Investor...

18. Real Estate Acquisitions 101

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4.7
(1,176)

How To Identify Commercial Properties, Run Due Diligence, Raise Capital, and Close Commercial Real Estate Transactions...

19. Intellectual Property Security Awareness

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4.8
(651)

How to Use Social Media without Infringing on Trademarks, Copyrights, Trade Secrets and Patents...

20. Complete Contract Management Bootcamp: Zero to Hero

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4.4
(1,217)

Learn essential post-contract management principles and practices, and gain access to over 30 free MS tools...

Top 10 most affordable universities for contractor-paralegals

The most affordable schools for contractor-paralegals are Brigham Young University, university of missouri - kansas city, and university of washington.

If the best universities for contractor-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 contractor-paralegals.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$8,178

Cost of attendance

20,934

3. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

4. 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

5. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

6. University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$9,222

Cost of attendance

20,422

7. Trident University International

Cypress, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,240

Cost of attendance

17,912

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,226

Cost of attendance

33,654

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for contractor-paralegals

The hardest universities for contractor-paralegals to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for contractor-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 contractor-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. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

7. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

8. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

9. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

10. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for contractor-paralegals

The easiest schools for contractor-paralegals to get into are Barry University, thomas more university, and university of north texas at dallas.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a contractor-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 contractor-paralegals.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

3. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

4. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

5. Suffolk University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,131

6. University of Detroit Mercy

Detroit, MI • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,163

7. College of Our Lady of the Elms

Chicopee, MA • Private

Admissions rate

67%

SAT average

1,070

8. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. Western New England University

Springfield, MA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,160

Average contractor-paralegal salary by education level

Contractor-paralegals with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $73,520 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, contractor-paralegals earn a median annual income of $69,227 compared to $68,463 for contractor-paralegals with an Master's degree.
Contractor-paralegal education levelContractor-paralegal salary
Master's Degree$68,463
High School Diploma or Less$58,850
Bachelor's Degree$69,227
Doctorate Degree$73,520
Some College/ Associate Degree$61,031

Contractor-paralegal education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.