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Paralegal specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a paralegal specialist. Paralegal specialists usually study legal support services, criminal justice, or business. 52% of paralegal specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,394 real paralegal specialist resumes to see exactly what paralegal specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for paralegal specialists are the American University and the American University.
There are also many online paralegal specialist courses to help get the education required to be a paralegal specialist.
What education do you need to become a paralegal specialist?
What degree do you need to be a paralegal specialist?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 21%
- Master's, 8%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Other Degrees, 13%
What should I major in to become a paralegal specialist?
- Criminal Justice, 13%
- Business, 12%
- Political Science, 11%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for paralegal specialists
| Paralegal specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| American University | 13.45% |
| University of Maryland - College Park | 9.66% |
| University of Phoenix | 9.66% |
| Howard University | 8.40% |
| George Washington University, The | 7.98% |
Best majors for paralegal specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legal Support Services | 20.6% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 12.7% |
| 3 | Business | 12.0% |
| 4 | Political Science | 10.8% |
| 5 | Law | 8.5% |
Best colleges for paralegal specialists
The best colleges for paralegal specialists are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
A paralegal specialist 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 specialists. 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 specialists.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Texas Wesleyan University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$30,300
Enrollment
1,445
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. Hamline University
Saint Paul, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$41,290
Enrollment
2,077
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
9. Touro College
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$19,870
Enrollment
5,243
10. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
20 best online courses for paralegal specialists
Advertising disclosure
1. 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...
2. Cloud Computing Law
This Specialization is intended for anyone interested in understanding the legal rights and obligations of providers and customers of cloud services. Our three Courses cover the key legal and regulatory issues for cloud services, including cloud contracts, data protection law, law enforcement access, and much more! You will learn to describe cloud providers’ and customers’ legal rights, to identify and assess legal risks, and to suggest possible legal and technological solutions...
3. Effective Legal Office Administration
Effective Legal Office Administration...
4. Employment Law Compliance Made Easy
A comprehensive course for management to understand key employment law issues in the workplace...
5. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals
The European Union is one of the world’s largest and most important economies. This six week course is the first in a series of three that will provide students with an insight into European Business Law. The series ranges from considering the basic structures and principles of the European Union to focusing on various specialized areas of law. Each course will give the students an understanding of the laws and policies that regulate the internal market of European Union, as well as relevant...
6. A Law Student's Toolkit
Whether you are an advanced law student looking to review the basics, or an aspiring law student looking for head start, this course will help you build the foundation you will need to succeed in law school and beyond. This course will introduce you to terminology, concepts, and tools lawyers and legal academics use to make their arguments. It will help you follow these arguments—and make arguments of your own. This course consists of a series of short lectures and assignments. A reading list...
7. English for Business and Law - Contract Law
An English language course for business and law...
8. Legal English
Legal language and communication skills...
9. American Contract Law II
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:...
10. Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law
The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: - The birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law. - The role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers. - Blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts. - Initiatives to ensure access to justice through...
11. Company Law: A Comprehensive Summary
An in-depth summary of Company Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations...
12. Criminal Law in 120 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 2 hour fast track summary of Criminal Law, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
13. An Introduction to American Law
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...
14. Privacy Law and HIPAA
What does it take to comply with privacy laws? In this course, we’ll look at the practical aspects of navigating the complex landscape of privacy requirements. Better understanding privacy laws and data protection will enable you to protect your organization and the constituents that depend on your organization to safeguard their personal information. First, we will examine the historical context that drove the creation of laws, best practices, and other standards for protecting personal...
15. Law of Contracts in 60 Minutes: A Fast Track Course
A 60 minute fast track summary of the Law of Contracts, targeting all common law LL.B examinations!...
16. Law of Attraction: Law of Attraction and your Perfect Life
Take control - Law of Attraction - NLP coach teaches the Mastery of the LOA in one of the top law of attraction courses...
17. Introduction to International Criminal Law
-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes,...
18. Privacy Law and Data Protection
What does it take to comply with privacy laws? In this course, we’ll look at the practical aspects of navigating the complex landscape of privacy requirements. Better understanding privacy laws and data protection will enable you to protect your organization and the constituents that depend on your organization to safeguard their personal information. First, we will examine the historical context that drove the creation of laws, best practices, and other standards for protecting personal...
19. Law: A Comprehensive Summary for LLB Students
An essential 24 hours of Video Lectures, Spider Graphs and Case Summaries made to guide LLB students preparing for exams...
20. Cloud Computing Law: Data Protection and Cybersecurity
Vast amounts of personal information are processed in the cloud. But who is legally responsible for such ‘personal data’ in cloud environments? What duties do cloud providers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have? And what rights can you, as an individual, exercise under data protection law? If you’d like to find out, then this course is for you! First, we’ll look at how the European Union’s ‘General Data Protection Regulation’ (‘GDPR’) regulates the processing of personal data in cloud...
Top 10 most affordable universities for paralegal specialists
The most affordable schools for paralegal specialists are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for paralegal specialists 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 specialists.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Clayton State University
Morrow, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$5,419
Cost of attendance
17,697
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Cost of attendance
25,275
10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Utica, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,238
Cost of attendance
21,567
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for paralegal specialists
The hardest universities for paralegal specialists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.
Some great schools for paralegal specialists 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 specialists 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. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,401
8. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
9. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for paralegal specialists
The easiest schools for paralegal specialists to get into are Wayland Baptist University, barry 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 paralegal specialist 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 specialists.
1. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
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. Manor College
Jenkintown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
898
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
8. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
9. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
10. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
Average paralegal specialist salary by education level
| Paralegal specialist education level | Paralegal specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $70,063 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $59,180 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $70,936 |
| Doctorate Degree | $75,862 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $61,632 |
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025