# Paralegals and Legal Assistants

> Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/paralegals-and-legal-assistants
- SOC code: 23-2011.00
- Career family: Legal
- Median annual pay: $62,890 (10th percentile $44,740, 90th percentile $101,500)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, -0.3%
- Openings a year: 40,800
- Typical entry education: Associate's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CIE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 12 |
| Investigative (I) | 67 |
| Artistic (A) | 21 |
| Social (S) | 35 |
| Enterprising (E) | 49 |
| Conventional (C) | 71 |

## What you'd do

- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 85/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 85/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 84/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 83/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 77/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 75/100)
- Performing Administrative Activities (importance 71/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 71/100)
- Processing Information (importance 65/100)

## Skills

Writing, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Service Orientation

## Knowledge

Law and Government, English Language, Administrative, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management, Mathematics, Education and Training, Economics and Accounting, Personnel and Human Resources

## Also called

Certified Paralegal, Contract Preparer, Contracts Specialist, Corporate Legal Assistant, Corporate Paralegal, Document Processor, Estate Planning Paralegal, Family Law Paralegal, Immigration Paralegal, Intellectual Property Paralegal

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Legal Support Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2203) (CIP 2203, 591 colleges)
- [Non-Professional Legal Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2200) (CIP 2200, 290 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Miami](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-miami-2955) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | not reported | $99,836 | $18,875 |
| [Quinnipiac University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/quinnipiac-university-2168) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $35,294 | $74,835 | $24,187 |
| [University of the District of Columbia](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-the-district-of-columbia-3058) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $41,138 | $74,158 | $28,750 |
| [American University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/american-university-69) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $57,941 | $72,792 | $21,375 |
| [Michigan State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/michigan-state-university-1677) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $40,123 | $72,414 | $18,120 |
| [University of Washington-Seattle Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-seattle-main-campus-3075) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $48,780 | $71,042 | $15,827 |
| [University of Washington-Tacoma Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-washington-tacoma-campus-3076) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $48,780 | $71,042 | $15,827 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Non-Professional Legal Studies | $51,139 | $70,636 | $12,812 |

## Related careers

- [Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/legal-secretaries-and-administrative-assistants): $55,570 median pay
- [Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/title-examiners-abstractors-and-searchers): $58,650 median pay
- [Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/court-reporters-and-simultaneous-captioners): $72,420 median pay
- [Court, Municipal, and License Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/court-municipal-and-license-clerks): $48,700 median pay
- [Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/secretaries-and-administrative-assistants-except-legal-medical-and-executive): $47,540 median pay
- [Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/executive-secretaries-and-executive-administrative-assistants): $76,590 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.