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Court advocate education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a court advocate. Court advocates usually study criminal justice, psychology, or social work. 64% of court advocates hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 885 real court advocate resumes to see exactly what court advocate education sections show.

The most common colleges for court advocates are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online court advocate courses to help get the education required to be a court advocate.

What education do you need to become a court advocate?

What degree do you need to be a court advocate?

The most common degree for court advocates is bachelor's degree, with 64% of court advocates earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 12%.
  • Bachelor's, 64%
  • Associate, 16%
  • Master's, 12%
  • Doctorate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a court advocate?

You should major in criminal justice to become a court advocate. 23% of court advocates major in criminal justice. Other common majors for a court advocate include psychology and social work.

Most common colleges for court advocates

Court advocates often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Central Missouri, and John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. Here are the most common colleges for court advocates in the US based on their resumes.
Court advocate common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix13.21%
University of Central Missouri9.43%
John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York6.60%
Western Washington University6.60%
Liberty University6.60%

Best majors for court advocates

RankMajorPercentages
1Criminal Justice23.1%
2Psychology17.5%
3Social Work11.0%
4Sociology6.5%
5Business5.8%

Best colleges for court advocates

The best colleges for court advocates are Northwestern University, Boston University, and Washington University in St Louis.

A court advocate with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for court advocates. 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 court advocates.

1. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

2. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

3. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

5. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

6. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Enrollment

32,072

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Enrollment

13,871

9. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Aguadilla

Aguadilla, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,902

Enrollment

3,622

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

20 best online courses for court advocates

Advertising disclosure

1. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague

coursera

International Law in Action explains the functions of each international court and tribunal present in The Hague, and it looks at how these institutions address contemporary problems. On the basis of selected cases, and through interviews with judges and lawyers, you will explore the role of these courts and tribunals and their potential to contribute to global justice. The first module of the course will investigate how judicial settlement is different from other more political forms of...

2. ERPO: A Civil Approach to Gun Violence Prevention Teach-Out

coursera

Evidence shows that 1 life is saved for every 10-20 Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) issued. ERPOs are legally issued civil orders that allow people on the front lines to ask a court to prevent a person at imminent risk of harm to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing firearms during a critical period of risk. As of October 2020, ERPO laws have been enacted by nineteen states and the District of Columbia and while some aspects differ by state, the general process for applying...

3. IT & Technical Support Guide to Helpdesk, Desktop & Servers

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4.2
(1,138)

Learn how the different levels of IT technical support work, from service desk to infrastructure and server support...

4. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)

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4.7
(311)

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions - Understand Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health. How to help people...

5. Introduction to Technical Support

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Technical Support professionals are in great demand! This is the first course in the IBM IT Support Professional Certificate program, designed to prepare you for a rewarding career in technical support. You will begin this self-paced course by learning what Informational Technology (IT) support is all about. You'll find out the roles and responsibilities of Technical Support professionals and become familiar with all the different career paths you can take in Technical Support. You will also...

6. Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases

coursera

This course offers an introduction to the U.S. Constitution and landmark Supreme Court cases interpreting it. It explores the Constitution’s origins, its amendment over the years, and methods of constitutional interpretation. Topics include the nature and structure of the federal government, the powers of the federal government, and individual rights...

7. IT Support Technical Skills Bootcamp

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4.5
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Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Professionals...

8. IT Support Technical Skills Helpdesk

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4.7
(1,561)

Hands-on Technical skills for IT Support Learners...

9. International Law In Action: Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes

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‘Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes’ is the second course in Leiden University’s new series on International Law in Action. The first course covered international courts and tribunals in The Hague in general. This second course provides an insider perspective into the work of international criminal courts and tribunals. You will learn about the investigation and prosecution of international crimes in The Hague. Atrocities produce unspeakable forms of violence. We will explore...

10. Helping Families Avoid Negative Court Involvement Teach-Out

coursera

This course will teach learners how to understand when issues can become legal issues, encourage learners to recognize legal problems early, identify possible “legal soft spots” in their own situations, and act when issues are identified to avoid them escalating. This course will also teach and encourage learners to think preventatively and provide some tools to use with an eye toward preventing future legal issues. Finally, this Teach-out seeks to expand the idea of legal health checks to a...

11. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs

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4.7
(1,529)

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions: Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health - Integrative Holistic Approach...

12. Crisis Intervention Seminar

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4.4
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The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...

13. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative

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Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

14. Effective Legal Office Administration

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Effective Legal Office Administration...

15. Legal English

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4.5
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Legal language and communication skills...

16. IT Support and Service Desk jobs -Crash Course for Beginners

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Let me help you land your first job in IT. Learn about different roles, procedures, tools, and applications - Part 1...

17. Computer Network Fundamentals- IT Helpdesk & Desktop Support

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Learn the basic fundamentals of computer networking & OSI model for desktop support and IT service desk technicians...

18. Mental Health First Aid Skills -

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This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...

19. Desktop IT Support Level 1 & 2 in real life (Troubleshooting

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4.2
(1,443)

Learn everything in real life Troubleshooting for IT Help Desk , Helpdesk , IT Support , System Administration and IT...

20. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy

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4.7
(1,575)

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

Top 10 most affordable universities for court advocates

The most affordable schools for court advocates are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for court advocates 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 court advocates.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

8. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for court advocates

The hardest universities for court advocates to get into are Northwestern University, Boston University, and Washington University in St Louis.

Some great schools for court advocates 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 court advocates 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. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

3. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

4. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

5. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

7. University of Chicago

Chicago, IL • Private

Admissions rate

7%

SAT average

1,520

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

Admissions rate

39%

SAT average

1,367

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for court advocates

The easiest schools for court advocates to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, university of north texas at dallas, and bluefield college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a court advocate 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 court advocates.

1. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

2. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

3. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

4. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

5. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

6. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

9. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

10. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

Average court advocate salary by education level

Court advocates with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $41,821 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, court advocates earn a median annual income of $39,502 compared to $36,719 for court advocates with an Associate degree.
Court advocate education levelCourt advocate salary
Master's Degree$41,821
High School Diploma or Less$36,565
Bachelor's Degree$39,502
Some College/ Associate Degree$36,719

Court advocate 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.

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