2027 Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in North Carolina
[Legal Assistant/Paralegal](/majors/legal-studies-and-professions/legal-support-services/legal-assistant-paralegal/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong legal assistant/paralegal education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for legal assistant/paralegal students.
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2027 Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the legal assistant/paralegal degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Legal Assistant/Paralegal Schools
Leading the list is Johnston Community College, our #1 best value for legal assistant/paralegal in North Carolina. Located in the town of Smithfield, Johnston Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,756, compared with $8,900 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $9,490. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates of Johnston Community College earn a median of $41,278 early in their careers. Set against $9,490 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Central Piedmont Community College one of the best values for legal assistant/paralegal. Set in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,792, with out-of-state students paying around $8,936. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates carry a median of $11,861 in student loans. Early-career legal assistant/paralegal graduates make about $39,663. That is a strong return on a $11,861 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Western Piedmont Community College one of the best values for legal assistant/paralegal. Set in the city of Morganton, Western Piedmont Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,650, with out-of-state students paying around $8,794. Students borrow a median of $11,999 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Western Piedmont Community College generally make around $46,883. Set against $11,999 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Forsyth Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in legal assistant/paralegal, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Forsyth Technical Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,276, with out-of-state students paying around $6,884. Students borrow a median of $16,702 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Forsyth Technical Community College generally make around $38,094. That is a strong return on a $16,702 median debt.
South Piedmont Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in legal assistant/paralegal, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Polkton, South Piedmont Community College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,022, while out-of-state students pay about $6,630. Students borrow a median of $10,098 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from South Piedmont Community College generally make around $39,321. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Pitt Community College landed the #6 spot for legal assistant/paralegal value this year. Pitt Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Winterville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,871, compared with $13,087 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,741 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Pitt Community College generally make around $43,022. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Davidson County Community College landed the #7 spot for legal assistant/paralegal value this year. Set in the rural area of Thomasville, Davidson County Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $1,980 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,588. Typical student debt for legal assistant/paralegal graduates is $16,693. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Davidson County Community College generally make around $35,625. Set against $16,693 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Wake Technical Community College ranked #8 on our 2027 list of the best value legal assistant/paralegal schools. Set in the suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,254 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $6,862. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates carry a median of $17,900 in student loans. Early-career legal assistant/paralegal graduates make about $38,673. That is a strong return on a $17,900 median debt.
Coastal Carolina Community College came in at #9 for value in legal assistant/paralegal this year. Coastal Carolina Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Jacksonville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,512, while out-of-state students pay about $8,656. Students borrow a median of $7,125 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates of Coastal Carolina Community College earn a median of $37,831 early in their careers. Set against $7,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cape Fear Community College ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value legal assistant/paralegal schools. Set in the city of Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,748, while out-of-state students pay about $8,892. Students borrow a median of $12,388 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Early-career legal assistant/paralegal graduates make about $42,889. Set against $12,388 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Guilford Technical Community College came in at #11 for value in legal assistant/paralegal this year. Located in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,320, compared with $7,696 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,501 to complete the legal assistant/paralegal program here. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates of Guilford Technical Community College earn a median of $36,124 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,501 median debt.
Meredith College landed the #12 spot for legal assistant/paralegal value this year. Meredith College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Raleigh. In-state tuition and fees average $45,630. Legal Assistant/paralegal graduates carry a median of $27,176 in student loans. Soon after graduation, legal assistant/paralegal degree recipients from Meredith College generally make around $40,694. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Meredith College admits about 74% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
