Legal Studies / Paralegal degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in legal studies / paralegal earn a median $63,727 four years after finishing, across 35 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in pre-law and legal studies earn $55,860, $6,189 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is paralegals and legal assistants (18%).
Median across 35 colleges; middle half $57,073–$70,636.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $40,610–$81,220. 541 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Pre-Law And Legal Studies"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$20,222/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs legal studies / paralegal graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in pre-law and legal studies actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegals And Legal Assistants | 18% | $62,890 | -0.3% | Associate's degree | CIE |
| Other Managers | 5% | — | — | — | — |
| Registered Nurses | 2% | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree | SCI |
| Teaching Assistants | 2% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| First-Line Supervisors Of Retail Sales Workers | 2% | $48,520 | -3.7% | High school diploma or equivalent | ECS |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 2% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Police Officers | 2% | $76,250 | +3.5% | — | — |
| Social And Community Service Managers | 2% | $80,390 | +7.2% | Bachelor's degree | ESC |
These 8 jobs account for 35% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Legal Studies / Paralegal earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | $66,373 (3) | — |
| Florida | $59,715 (3) | — |
| Massachusetts | $69,772 (4) | — |
| Michigan | $57,108 (3) | — |
| New York | $57,073 (5) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where legal studies / paralegal graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 11 in Florida, 1 in Virginia, 10 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of MiamiFL | $99,836 | $15,500 |
| 2 | University of California-BerkeleyCA | $70,636 | $13,723 |
| 3 | University of La VerneCA | $66,373 | $30,370 |
| 4 | University of California-Santa CruzCA | $66,244 | $18,416 |
| 5 | University of Central FloridaFL | $59,715 | $21,422 |
| 6 | Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleFL | $53,101 | $53,949 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Legal Studies / Paralegal degree questions
How much do Legal Studies / Paralegal graduates make?
Legal Studies / Paralegal graduates earn a median $63,727 four years after finishing, across 35 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $57,073 to $70,636; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in pre-law and legal studies, the median is $55,860 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Legal Studies / Paralegal degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in pre-law and legal studies earn a median $55,860: $6,189 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $20,222 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Legal Studies / Paralegal graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in pre-law and legal studies, the most common jobs are paralegals and legal assistants (18%), other managers (5%), registered nurses (2%). Paralegals And Legal Assistants earn a U.S. median $62,890.
How much do Legal Studies / Paralegal graduates earn in Florida?
Across 3 Florida colleges reporting, Legal Studies / Paralegal graduates earn a median $59,715 four years after graduating.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Legal Studies / Paralegal degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/legal-studies-paralegal.