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Litigation paralegal education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a litigation paralegal. Litigation paralegals usually study legal support services, political science, or business. 58% of litigation paralegals hold a bachelor's degree, and 23% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 13,318 real litigation paralegal resumes to see exactly what litigation paralegal education sections show.
The most common colleges for litigation paralegals are the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York.
There are also many online litigation paralegal courses to help get the education required to be a litigation paralegal.
There are certain litigation paralegal certifications that you should consider. These litigation paralegal certifications include Certified Paralegal (CP) and Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC).
What education do you need to become a litigation paralegal?
What degree do you need to be a litigation paralegal?
- Bachelor's, 58%
- Associate, 23%
- Master's, 5%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a litigation paralegal?
- Political Science, 11%
- Business, 9%
- Criminal Justice, 9%
- Other Majors, 41%
Most common colleges for litigation paralegals
| Litigation paralegal common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York | 8.02% |
| New York University | 7.53% |
| University of Phoenix | 6.44% |
| Roosevelt University | 6.08% |
| University of Central Florida | 5.59% |
Best majors for litigation paralegals
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal Support Services | 30.1% |
| 2 | Political Science | 11.4% |
| 3 | Business | 9.4% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 9.3% |
| 5 | Legal Studies | 7.5% |
Best colleges for litigation paralegals
The best colleges for litigation paralegals are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A litigation 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 litigation 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 litigation 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 litigation paralegals
Advertising disclosure
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5. International Law in Action: A Guide to the International Courts and Tribunals in The Hague
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...
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15. Medical Device Regulation (MDR): Intro for Device Designers
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16. Medical Devices Quality Management System - ISO 13485:2016
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19. Internal audit on Medical Device QMS - ISO 13485:2016
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Top 10 most affordable universities for litigation paralegals
The most affordable schools for litigation paralegals are Brigham Young University, university of missouri - kansas city, and university of washington.
If the best universities for litigation 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 litigation 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 litigation paralegals
The hardest universities for litigation paralegals to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for litigation 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 litigation 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 litigation paralegals
The easiest schools for litigation 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 litigation 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 litigation 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 litigation paralegal salary by education level
| Litigation paralegal education level | Litigation paralegal salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,842 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $57,193 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $64,359 |
| Doctorate Degree | $67,237 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $58,726 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025