BestOnlineCollege.org is an advertising-supported website. Many of the school and program listings that appear on this site are from partners who compensate us, and this compensation may affect how, where, and in what order listings appear (such as featured placements). This compensation does not influence our editorial content, evaluations, or rankings, which are determined independently using publicly available data. We do not review or feature every school or program available in the marketplace. Our goal is to provide accurate, unbiased information so you can make informed decisions. Read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
What Can You Do With a Paralegal Studies Degree? Jobs (2026)
Key takeaway: A paralegal studies degree qualifies you to do substantive legal work under the supervision of a licensed attorney: research, drafting, discovery, case management, and trial preparation. The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants is $62,890, with legal secretaries and administrative assistants at $55,570 and lawyers at $159,670 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians). One boundary is absolute and worth understanding before you enroll: a paralegal degree does not let you practice law, give legal advice, set fees, or represent clients, and becoming a lawyer requires a separate law degree and bar admission.
Jobs you can get with a paralegal studies degree
These are the occupations connected to paralegal education, with national median annual wages.
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Paralegal and Legal Assistant | 39,300/yr |
| Lawyer | 31,500/yr |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | 19,600/yr |
| Occupation | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Lawyer | $159,670 |
| Paralegal and legal assistant | $62,890 |
| Legal secretary and administrative assistant | $55,570 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians. A median is the midpoint: half of workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less. Paralegal pay varies widely by practice area, employer type, and metro area; large firm and corporate legal department positions generally pay more than small firm or public-sector roles.
Paralegal and legal assistant, at a median annual wage of $62,890, is the occupation this degree is built for. The work is substantive rather than clerical. Paralegals research statutes, regulations, and case law; draft pleadings, motions, contracts, discovery requests, and correspondence; organize and review document productions; interview clients and witnesses; maintain case calendars and filing deadlines; and prepare exhibits and binders for hearings and trial. Employers include law firms of every size, corporate legal and compliance departments, government agencies and prosecutors’ offices, courts, insurance companies, and nonprofit legal services organizations. Practice area shapes the day considerably: litigation paralegals live in discovery and deadlines, while transactional, immigration, estate planning, and real estate paralegals work with document sets and filing requirements specific to their field.
Legal secretary and administrative assistant, at a median annual wage of $55,570, supports a legal practice on the administrative side: managing calendars and correspondence, formatting and proofreading documents, handling court e-filing systems, opening and closing files, and coordinating with clients and courts. The line between this role and paralegal work is not always crisp at small firms, where one person often does both, but the distinction matters for pay and title. Paralegal programs sometimes lead here first, especially for people entering the legal field without prior experience.
Lawyer, at a median annual wage of $159,670, is included because it is the question everyone asks, and the answer needs to be exact. Practicing law requires a Juris Doctor from a law school, passing a state bar examination, and a character and fitness review; the specific requirements are set by each state’s bar admission authority. A paralegal studies bachelor’s can serve as an undergraduate foundation before law school, and the experience is genuinely useful preparation, but no paralegal credential shortens the JD requirement or substitutes for bar admission.
What paralegals may not do. Every state prohibits the unauthorized practice of law. Regardless of your education, you may not give legal advice, accept a case, set a fee, or represent a client in court unless you are a licensed attorney or working within a narrow, specifically authorized exception. A handful of states have created limited licensed paraprofessional programs that allow defined services in certain matters; these are state-specific, have their own education and examination requirements, and exist in only a few jurisdictions. Check with your state bar rather than assuming.
What the degree level changes
Certificates and associate degrees. Paralegal work is one of the few professional fields where a sub-bachelor’s credential is genuinely a working qualification. Many practicing paralegals hold an associate degree in paralegal studies, or a post-baccalaureate certificate earned after a bachelor’s in another subject. Both are common and accepted, particularly at small and mid-sized firms.
Bachelor’s degree. The online bachelor’s in paralegal studies is increasingly what larger firms, corporate legal departments, and federal agencies prefer, and it opens more room to advance into senior paralegal, litigation support, contract management, and compliance roles. It also gives you a stronger research and writing foundation, which is the skill that most separates paralegals in practice.
ABA approval, which is not licensure. The American Bar Association approves paralegal education programs against a set of curricular standards. ABA approval is not a license, is not required to work as a paralegal, and does not apply to individuals. It is a quality signal that some employers, especially federal agencies and larger firms, specifically ask for. Fully online programs can hold it. If you are comparing programs, check approval status directly with the ABA rather than relying on a school’s marketing language.
Voluntary certification. Professional associations offer credentials such as the Certified Paralegal from NALA and the Registered Paralegal from NFPA, each with its own education, experience, and examination requirements. These are voluntary in most states and are used to signal competence, not to grant authority.
Master’s degree. An online master’s in paralegal studies or a related legal studies master’s is a smaller part of this field. It is used mostly by people moving into compliance, contract management, legal operations, or law firm administration, or by professionals in other fields who need legal knowledge without a law license. It does not confer any authority to practice law and is not a route to the bar.
Common questions
What jobs can you get with a paralegal studies degree?
Paralegal and legal assistant roles in law firms, corporate legal departments, government agencies, courts, and legal aid organizations, plus legal secretary and legal administrative positions, litigation support, contract administration, and compliance roles. The degree also works as an undergraduate foundation for law school.
How much do paralegal majors make?
The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants is $62,890, and for legal secretaries and administrative assistants it is $55,570 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians). Lawyers, which requires a separate law degree and bar admission, has a median annual wage of $159,670.
Do you need a master’s to be a paralegal?
No. Most paralegals hold an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, or a post-baccalaureate certificate. A master’s is relevant mainly for compliance, contract management, legal operations, or firm administration rather than for paralegal work itself.
Can a paralegal become a lawyer without law school?
No, in nearly all cases. Bar admission requires a Juris Doctor and passing a state bar examination, and a paralegal credential does not substitute for either. A small number of states allow supervised law office study as an alternative path to the bar under strict conditions, so verify the rules with the bar admission authority in your state.
Do paralegals need a license or certification?
Not in most states. Paralegal is generally an unlicensed occupation, and voluntary certifications from professional associations are used as competence signals rather than requirements. A few states have created limited licensed paraprofessional roles with their own requirements, so check your state bar.
Is a paralegal degree worth it?
It is worth it if you want substantive legal work without the time and cost of law school, since this is one of the few professional fields where an associate or bachelor’s is the accepted working credential. Weigh program cost and local firm pay on the is a paralegal degree worth it page.
Keep exploring
- Start at the online paralegal degree hub, then compare the bachelor’s and master’s.
- Weigh the decision on is a paralegal degree worth it, or find programs near you at the paralegal programs by state index.
- Compare related fields: legal studies, legal services, and criminal justice.
Data verified: August 12, 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.