Best Paralegal Studies Schools Near Modesto, CA (2026)

Updated August 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Modesto, California has 17 accredited schools offering paralegal programs, with tuition ranging from $1,150 to $13,500 per year for indexed programs. Modesto has a population of about 218,614. Median household income is $77,899 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Modesto, CA metro area, the top-earning paralegal-related role is Lawyer at a median $164,010 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Paralegal Schools to Modesto

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer paralegal programs near Modesto, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Modesto city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Modesto. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Stockton, CA 31.0 miles from Modesto BOC Score 58.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,248
Avg net price $5,524/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,500
Out‑of‑state$13,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 9

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 73.6 miles from Modesto BOC Score 61.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,170
Avg net price $4,669/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Skyline College

San Bruno, CA 80.1 miles from Modesto BOC Score 70.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,702
Avg net price $1,738/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 89.5 miles from Modesto BOC Score 41.3
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,361
Avg net price $8,069/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Taft College

Taft, CA 192.2 miles from Modesto BOC Score 46.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 11%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,861
Avg net price $2,823/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Los Angeles Mission College

Sylmar, CA 271.2 miles from Modesto BOC Score 38.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,834
Avg net price $13,380/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Abraham Lincoln University

Glendale, CA 286.0 miles from Modesto BOC Score 23.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 22%
Avg net price $28,584/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 5

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Santa Monica College

Santa Monica, CA 287.5 miles from Modesto BOC Score 63.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,193
Avg net price $2,779/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California paralegal page.

Paralegal Wages Near Modesto

Modesto is part of the Modesto, CA metro area (BLS area code 33700). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Paralegal and Legal Assistant$58,820Modesto, CA$56,503
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$62,860CA statewide$60,384
Lawyer$164,010Modesto, CA$157,550

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.

Modesto at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population218,614Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$77,899Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)104.1 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Modesto-Area Cities With Paralegal Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited paralegal schools are near Modesto, CA?

Our directory has 17 accredited schools offering paralegal programs near Modesto. The closest is San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, CA (30.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Canada College (70.4 miles). 6 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying paralegal roles near Modesto?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying paralegal-related roles near Modesto are: Lawyer ($164,010), Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant ($62,860), Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($58,820). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Ceres instead of Modesto?

Ceres, CA is 3.6 miles from Modesto and has its own set of local paralegal programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Modesto an affordable place to study paralegal?

Modesto’s median household income of $77,899 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Modesto while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California 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 Paralegal Programs

Other Programs Available in Modesto

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Modesto:

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.

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