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Best Legal Studies Schools Near New Bedford, MA (2026)
New Bedford, Massachusetts has 12 accredited schools offering legal studies programs, with tuition ranging from $27,040 to $66,162 per year for indexed programs. New Bedford has a population of about 100,731. Median household income is $56,025 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning legal studies-related role is Lawyer at a median $133,000 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Legal Studies Schools to New Bedford
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer legal studies programs near New Bedford, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from New Bedford city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Massachusetts schools on the Massachusetts legal studies page.
Legal Studies Wages Near New Bedford
New Bedford is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (BLS area code 39300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal and Legal Assistant | $57,100 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $56,090 |
| Lawyer | $133,000 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $130,648 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $60,230 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $59,165 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
New Bedford at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 100,731 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $56,025 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 16.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 101.8 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other New Bedford-Area Cities With Legal Studies Programs
- Fall River, MA – 8.7 mi away (88,930 pop)
- Taunton, MA – 17.9 mi away (56,843 pop)
- East Providence, RI – 23.3 mi away (47,337 pop)
- Newport, RI – 23.5 mi away (24,779 pop)
- Warwick, RI – 25.4 mi away (81,579 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited legal studies schools are near New Bedford, MA?
Our directory has 12 accredited schools offering legal studies programs near New Bedford. The closest is Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI (16.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hampshire College (93.3 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying legal studies roles near New Bedford?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying legal studies-related roles near New Bedford are: Lawyer ($133,000), Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant ($60,230), Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($57,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Fall River instead of New Bedford?
Fall River, MA is 8.7 miles from New Bedford and has its own set of local legal studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is New Bedford an affordable place to study legal studies?
New Bedford’s median household income of $56,025 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in New Bedford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Legal Studies Programs
- Is a Legal Studies degree worth it?
- Main Legal Studies degree guide
- Online Legal Studies programs in Massachusetts
- Legal Studies programs by state
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Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.