The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 22% growth rate for employment opportunities for paralegals and legal assistants between 2006 and 2016. This is much faster than expected growth across industries and would result in 53,000 new paralegal and legal assistant positions across the country over the next few years. This expansion will be due, in part, to legal firms working to control costs through using paralegals to perform additional tasks and our expanding population, which will increase the demand for legal services.
With the industry undergoing this immense expansion, this is the perfect time to enroll in an online paralegal degree program and position yourself for a career in this growing field. The most common path to becoming a paralegal or legal assistant is to complete an associates degree in paralegal studies; however, if you have already obtained a degree in another field, certificate programs are available to prepare you for a paralegal career. Additional voluntary professional certification is also available through national paralegal and legal assistant organizations for students who have completed a paralegal studies program.
Find the online paralegal degree program that is right for you by browsing our complete list of colleges offering online paralegal degrees. Get the answers you need to make an informed decision about your future at Online College Guru.