Best Paralegal Studies Schools Near Reading, PA (2026)

Reading, Pennsylvania has 39 accredited schools offering paralegal programs, with tuition ranging from $4,632 to $55,730 per year for indexed programs. Reading has a population of about 94,836. Median household income is $45,599 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Reading, PA metro area, the top-earning paralegal-related role is Lawyer at a median $125,830 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Paralegal Schools to Reading

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

#1

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA 37.6 miles from Reading BOC Score 68.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,399
Avg net price $26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Widener University

Chester, PA 44.8 miles from Reading BOC Score 65.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,920
Avg net price $25,759/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Manor College

Jenkintown, PA 46.7 miles from Reading BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,825
Avg net price $13,078/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 48%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Peirce College

Philadelphia, PA 48.3 miles from Reading BOC Score 46.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,660
Avg net price $12,148/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Central Penn College

Summerdale, PA 52.9 miles from Reading BOC Score 47.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 18%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,370
Avg net price $18,953/yr
Tuition
In‑state$19,854
Out‑of‑state$19,854
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Keystone College

La Plume, PA 84.6 miles from Reading BOC Score 32.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,976
Avg net price $22,051/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Mount Aloysius College

Cresson, PA 140.9 miles from Reading BOC Score 37.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,165
Avg net price $22,344/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pennsylvania Western University

California, PA 209.7 miles from Reading BOC Score 45.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,295
Avg net price $18,256/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Paralegal Wages Near Reading

Reading is part of the Reading, PA metro area (BLS area code 39740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Paralegal and Legal Assistant$58,570Reading, PA$60,319
Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$52,930Reading, PA$54,511
Lawyer$125,830Reading, PA$129,588

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.


Reading at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population94,836Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$45,599Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+11.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.1 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Reading-Area Cities With Paralegal Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited paralegal schools are near Reading, PA?

Our directory has 39 accredited schools offering paralegal programs near Reading. The closest is Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, PA (27.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wilmington University (48.9 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying paralegal roles near Reading?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying paralegal-related roles near Reading are: Lawyer ($125,830), Paralegal and Legal Assistant ($58,570), Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant ($52,930). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Pottstown instead of Reading?

Pottstown, PA is 16.1 miles from Reading 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 Reading an affordable place to study paralegal?

Reading’s median household income of $45,599 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Reading while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Reading

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

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.