Why This Matters
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50% OF PARALEGAL JOBS REQUIRE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE
Information provided from O*NET shows that half of paralegal jobs require an associate degree. Another 7% only require a certificate.
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4% JOB GROWTH FOR PARALEGALS
The demand for paralegals and legal assistants is expected to rise 4% by 2032, as law firms work to increase efficiency and reduce the costs of their services.
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EARN $59,200 PER YEAR AS A PARALEGAL
Trained paralegals and legal assistants earn $59,200 on average. The lowest 10% earn less than $37,690, while the highest 10% earn more than $94,960. Secretaries and assistants earn $44,080 per year.
Our Research
This list features some of the best online associate in paralegal studies degree programs at top colleges nationwide. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary education. Many of the programs on our list have been approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), which assesses the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of law-related programs.
We evaluated each school’s program on admission, retention, and graduation rates as well as tuition costs, faculty, reputation, and the resources provided for online students. Then, we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
Next, we compared this comprehensive list of online associate in paralegal studies degree programs to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like U.S. News & World Report, among others, to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
- 61 hours to write this article
- 172 universities and colleges we assessed
- 180 education programs we compared
The Top 36 Online Paralegal Associate Programs
Institution Type
Status
- Intelligent Score
- Alphabetically By University Name
- Acceptance Rate
- Enrollment
- In-state Graduate Tuition
- Out-of-state Graduate Tuition
- In-state Undergraduate Tuition
- Out-of-state Undergraduate Tuition
Keiser University
Intelligent Score: 99.86Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $19,808
Out-of-state: $19,808
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $27,162
Out-of-state: $27,162
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: N/A
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$209
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Liberty University
Intelligent Score: 99.1Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $14,791
Out-of-state: $14,791
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $7,935
Out-of-state: $7,935
Test scores
SAT: 1040-1250
ACT: 21-29
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$390
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Hutchinson Community College
Intelligent Score: 97.78Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $15,938
Out-of-state: $16,868
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: Not Required
ACT: Not Required
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
In-State: $124
Out-of-State: $155
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Higher Learning Commission
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Iowa Lakes Community College
Intelligent Score: 97.76Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $16,558
Out-of-state: $17,006
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: 1130-1340
ACT: 22-28
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$214
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Higher Learning Commission
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
70
Hinds Community College
Intelligent Score: 95.74Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $12,150
Out-of-state: $15,200
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: 1010
ACT: 20
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
Resident: $84- $118
Non-Resident: $157- $220
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60-62
Herkimer County Community College
Intelligent Score: 95.19Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: N/A
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$213
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
63
Lake Superior College
Intelligent Score: 93.17Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $24,186
Out-of-state: $27,694
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $33,618
Out-of-state: $33,618
Test scores
SAT: 975-1180
ACT: 18-23
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$183
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online, On-Campus
ACCREDITATION
Higher Learning Commission
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Rio Salado College
Intelligent Score: 92.76Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $16,881
Out-of-state: $22,665
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: 720 or more
ACT: 12 or more
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
Lower Division Courses: County Resident: $97
Out-of-State: $253
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Higher Learning Commission
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
65-70
Umpqua Community College
Intelligent Score: 92.76Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $16,920
Out-of-state: $17,388
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: Not Required
ACT: Not Required
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$115
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
90
University of Providence
Intelligent Score: 91.42Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $26,462
Out-of-state: $26,462
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $31,500
Out-of-state: $31,500
Test scores
SAT: 830-1010
ACT: 16-23
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$932
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Holmes Community College
Intelligent Score: 91.04Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: N/A
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$255
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online, On-Campus
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
62
Eastern Kentucky University
Intelligent Score: 90.94Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $9,266
Out-of-state: $19,338
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $9,900
Out-of-state: $9,900
Test scores
SAT: 950-1170
ACT: 19-25
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$421
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
64
Atlanta Technical College
Intelligent Score: 88.75Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: N/A
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$183
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
69
Hodges University
Intelligent Score: 88.74Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $14,160
Out-of-state: $14,160
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $14,220
Out-of-state: $14,220
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: N/A
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$595
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Southwestern College
Intelligent Score: 88.72Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $33,100
Out-of-state: $33,100
Graduate Tuition
In-state: $11,934
Out-of-state: $11,934
Test scores
SAT: 870-1090
ACT: 17-22
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$332
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Tyler Junior College
Intelligent Score: 88.28Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $20,194
Out-of-state: $20,914
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: Not Required
ACT: Not Required
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
In-District: $259 Out-of-District: $416
DELIVERY FORMAT
Hybrid
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
60
Madisonville Community College
Intelligent Score: 86.7Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: $17,008
Out-of-state: $27,928
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: 16-22
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$182
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online
ACCREDITATION
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
64-67
Eastern Gateway Community College
Intelligent Score: 84.86Undergraduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Graduate Tuition
In-state: NA
Out-of-state: NA
Test scores
SAT: N/A
ACT: N/A
ESTIMATED COST PER CREDIT
$131
DELIVERY FORMAT
Online, On-Campus
ACCREDITATION
Higher Learning Commission
REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE
63
What You Should Know About This Degree
Paralegals are essential to the legal industry. They need to be detail-oriented, have strong writing and communication skills, and be able to research and analyze legal documents.
It’s important to note the different legal paths to consider when exploring an education program and potential careers. A legal secretary or legal assistant has a similar focus, but the job tasks and course requirements are different. Secretaries and assistants typically perform routine clerical and administrative duties and, on average, earn less than a paralegal.
After you complete your paralegal studies and earn your associate degree, you can apply for the Certified Paralegal (CP) credential from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Many people who want to work in the legal field will earn their associate degree in paralegal studies and use that as preparation for a career as a lawyer, mediator, or other legal specialist.
What’s Next?
Here are some questions to ask when researching online paralegal associate programs:
- Am I eligible for this program? Many paralegal and legal assistant programs accept students from a variety of backgrounds. Common requirements include a high school diploma or equivalency.
- How long does it take to complete this online degree? Most students can earn the required 60 credit hours for their online associate degree in paralegal studies in two to three years. Once they earn their associate degree, they can apply for the optional Certified Paralegal credential, which shows potential hiring managers that they have the necessary skills and training to work as a paralegal or legal assistant.
Once you select an online paralegal studies program, you will need to keep track of your application and deadlines. You’ll also need to consider how to finance your associate degree in paralegal studies and find out if you qualify for any scholarships or employer-based tuition reimbursement plans.