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Paralegal internship education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a paralegal internship. Paralegal interns usually study legal support services, criminal justice, or business. 45% of paralegal interns hold a associate degree, and 40% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 9,095 real paralegal internship resumes to see exactly what paralegal internship education sections show.
The most common colleges for paralegal interns are the University of San Diego and the University of San Diego.
There are also many online paralegal internship courses to help get the education required to be a paralegal internship.
There are certain paralegal internship certifications that you should consider. These paralegal internship certifications include Certified Paralegal (CP) and Advanced Paralegal Certification (APC).
What education do you need to become a paralegal internship?
What degree do you need to be a paralegal internship?
- Associate, 45%
- Bachelor's, 40%
- Master's, 3%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a paralegal internship?
- Criminal Justice, 9%
- Business, 6%
- Other Majors, 27%
Most common colleges for paralegal interns
| Paralegal internship common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of San Diego | 9.23% |
| University of Toledo | 8.18% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.99% |
| Bryant and Stratton College - Milwaukee West Campus | 5.95% |
| University of California - Davis | 5.95% |
Best majors for paralegal interns
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal Support Services | 51.6% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 8.9% |
| 3 | Business | 6.5% |
| 4 | Political Science | 6.4% |
| 5 | Legal Studies | 4.9% |
Best colleges for paralegal interns
The best colleges for paralegal interns are Boston University, University of Tulsa, and American University.
A paralegal internship with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for paralegal interns. 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 paralegal interns.
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. Post University
Waterbury, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$16,610
Enrollment
9,017
6. Northern Michigan University
Marquette, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,729
Enrollment
6,722
7. Cedar Crest College
Allentown, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$39,216
Enrollment
1,303
8. University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$11,000
Enrollment
25,973
9. Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$41,290
Enrollment
2,077
10. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$11,788
Enrollment
11,008
20 best online courses for paralegal interns
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2. American Contract Law II
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5. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals
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6. Privacy Law and HIPAA
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8. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary
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14. Introduction to International Criminal Law
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17. Cloud Computing Law: Data Protection and Cybersecurity
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Top 10 most affordable universities for paralegal interns
The most affordable schools for paralegal interns are John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and clayton state university.
If the best universities for paralegal interns 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 paralegal interns.
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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
3. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
6. The University of West Florida
Pensacola, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,360
Cost of attendance
16,595
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$8,178
Cost of attendance
20,934
9. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for paralegal interns
The hardest universities for paralegal interns to get into are Boston University, University of Tulsa, and American University.
Some great schools for paralegal interns 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 paralegal interns 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. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
3. American University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,320
4. University of Denver
Denver, CO • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,300
5. University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,401
6. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
7. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,304
8. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
9. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
59%
SAT average
1,367
10. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for paralegal interns
The easiest schools for paralegal interns to get into are Wayland Baptist University, thomas more university, and william paterson university of new jersey.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a paralegal internship 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 paralegal interns.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
3. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
4. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
5. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
6. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
7. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
8. College of New Rochelle, The
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
982
9. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average paralegal internship salary by education level
| Paralegal internship education level | Paralegal internship salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $59,220 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $50,885 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,882 |
| Doctorate Degree | $63,605 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $52,775 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025