by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 501 U.S. colleges awarded 10,718 degrees and certificates in Legal Support Services. Associate degrees are the most popular award, at 43% of graduates. College Factual ranks 244 schools in its 2027 Best Legal Support Services Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $37,861 one year after completing, rising to $48,616 after four years.
A major in Legal Support Services provides an entrance into the exciting and complex world of law. Students will learn the skills needed to support lawyers and other professionals in the legal field.
Your concentration will determine some of your classes. If you decide you would like to be a paralegal, you will learn how to research draft, investigate, keep records, and perform other administrative functions under the supervision of the attorney. Paralegals are as essential to lawyers as nurses are to doctors. Paralegals can do almost anything a lawyer can do except to formally give a client legal advice.
A concentration in Legal Administration Assistance will prepare you to work in a legal office. You will learn about office management, but also law, legal terminology, legal research, legal software, law office procedures, appropriate record keeping, and billing.
Lastly, a Legal Reporting will prepare you to transcribe examinations, testimonies, and judicial orders in an accurate fashion. You will learn about legal terminology and transcription, as well as shorthand writing and verbatim recording.
Many of these degrees are available as Associate's, but some colleges offer them as Bachelor's too. A Bachelor's degree may make you more marketable to employers, but also is a larger investment in time and money.
A degree in Legal Support Services covers Legal Support Services.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, legal support services is a widely-pursued major, with 10,718 degrees awarded annually. 501 colleges award legal support services degrees, an average of 21 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 331.
By level, the 10,718 awards include 2,474 certificates, 4,656 associate degrees, 935 bachelor’s degrees and 2,553 master’s degrees.
Women earned 84% of legal support services degrees and certificates in the latest year (9,044 of 10,718). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (4,939) and Hispanic or Latino (2,811), and international students earned 104.
College Factual ranks 244 schools in its 2027 Best Legal Support Services Schools ranking, including 160 for associate degrees, 27 for bachelor’s degrees and 2 for master’s degrees. It also ranks legal support services schools within 30 states. In all, 501 colleges offer legal support services programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Legal Support Services Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common legal support services credential is the associate degree: 4,656 of the 10,718 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to legal support services call most for Active Listening, Reading Comprehension and Speaking, and for knowledge of English Language, Administrative and Law and Government, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Written Comprehension.
For any of these concentrations, you should be interested in law and the way law works. This major prepares you for a career where you may help lawyers prepare legal materials for a hearing, trial, or corporate meetings. You will be called upon to do research and write clearly about complex issues and lawyers will use that to help make their decisions. You should also be organized and able to adapt to changes in law.
Most of the careers in this field will involve working with various types of people. Interpersonal skills will help you greatly when encountering potentially tense situations. You should be comfortable working with computers and quick to pick up on new technology. Attention to detail and accurate spelling is essential when recording court room proceedings.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a legal support services degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,474 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4,656 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 935 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,553 |
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to legal support services, at 27.0%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 27.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 22.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 19.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 16.0% |
| Some college courses | 6.7% |
| Master’s degree | 6.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 0.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.3% |
| First professional degree | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Legal Support Services, with an average median salary of $77,910; the strongest outlook belongs to Interpreters and Translators, at 12.2% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Legal Coordinator, Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Admin Assistant), Law Office Assistant and Law Firm Administrator.
Most legal support service workers find jobs as paralegals, legal administrative assistants or court reporters. The careers in the legal support service are growing. You have a good chance of getting a job after graduation, although there will be competition to get into a good firm. Previous work experience may give you the edge you need in finding a good job.
The occupation related to legal support services with the most projected jobs is Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, at 807,227.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 807,227 | 10.5% |
| Interpreters and Translators | 424,722 | 12.2% |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | 286,021 | -4.0% |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | 197,456 | -0.5% |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | 60,495 | 4.4% |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | 51,457 | 8.7% |
Legal Support Services graduates earn a median $37,861 one year after completing their program, $48,616 after four years and $44,365 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,861 |
| 4 years | $48,616 |
| 5 years | $44,365 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to legal support services is Paralegals and Legal Assistants, with a median salary of $134,350.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $134,350 |
| Legal Support Workers, All Other | $80,735 |
| Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners | $76,955 |
| Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers | $67,272 |
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $55,524 |
| Interpreters and Translators | $52,627 |
Legal Support Services includes 4 concentrations that together award 10,718 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Legal Assistant/Paralegal (9,687), Court Reporting and Captioning/Court Reporter (431) and Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary (367). It has 4 similar majors in the Legal Professions field, which together award 57,129 degrees a year; the largest are Law (36,931), Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (12,178) and Non-Professional Legal Studies (5,475). Browse all Legal Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Legal Assistant/Paralegal | 9,687 |
| Court Reporting and Captioning/Court Reporter | 431 |
| Legal Administrative Assistant/Secretary | 367 |
| Legal Support Services, Other | 233 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Law | 36,931 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 12,178 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | 5,475 |
| Legal Professions and Studies, Other | 2,545 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
