Best Paralegal Studies Schools Near Jacksonville, IL (2026)

Jacksonville, Illinois has 7 accredited schools offering paralegal programs, with tuition ranging from $3,660 to $31,750 per year for indexed programs. Jacksonville has a population of about 17,490. Median household income is $62,615 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning paralegal-related role is Lawyer at a median $160,800 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Paralegal Schools to Jacksonville

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer paralegal programs near Jacksonville, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Lewis and Clark Community College

Godfrey, IL 53.8 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 49.1
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,724
Avg net price $3,349/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,340
Out‑of‑state$7,840
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL 77.4 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 50.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,366
Avg net price $12,961/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 70

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 84.6 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 71.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,117
Avg net price $19,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, IL 85.4 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 49.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,884
Avg net price $10,427/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Kaskaskia College

Centralia, IL 98.0 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 54.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,801
Avg net price $6,477/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,800
Out‑of‑state$12,570
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Lake Land College

Mattoon, IL 100.7 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 53.4
  • 2 year
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,877
Avg net price $2,254/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,415
Out‑of‑state$14,301
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Black Hawk College

Moline, IL 121.4 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 52.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,253
Avg net price $6,944/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL 149.7 miles from Jacksonville BOC Score 55.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,390
Avg net price $13,297/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Paralegal Wages Near Jacksonville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Paralegal and Legal Assistant$63,670
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$52,790
Lawyer$160,800

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.


Jacksonville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population17,490Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,615Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Jacksonville-Area Cities With Paralegal Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited paralegal schools are near Jacksonville, IL?

Our directory has 7 accredited schools offering paralegal programs near Jacksonville. The closest is Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL (53.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Kaskaskia College (98.0 miles). 6 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying paralegal roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying paralegal-related roles in Illinois are: Lawyer ($160,800), Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($63,670), Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant ($52,790). Wages for Jacksonville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Springfield instead of Jacksonville?

Springfield, IL is 30.9 miles from Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville an affordable place to study paralegal?

Jacksonville’s median household income of $62,615 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Jacksonville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Jacksonville

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

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.