Paralegals support lawyers with everything they need.
As a paralegal, you’ll be responsible for organizing and maintaining files, conducting legal research, drafting documents, and anything else the lawyer requires you to do.
Employment for paralegals is projected to grow by 4 percent from 2023 to 2032, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding a job.
You have to go to school to become a paralegal, and Mississippi has several excellent schools to choose from.
1 The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi is located on a 52-acre beachfront property and is a four-year public university.
The university’s Legal Studies program offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Paralegal or Pre-Law that has been approved by the American Bar Association.
The Paralegal Program will cover every area of the law to prepare you to start working in a legal office upon graduation.
The faculty at the university are practicing lawyers from various fields of law.
You can be sure they are dedicated to your education because they’re equally committed to their legal profession and teaching.
You’ll have all the knowledge you’ll need to assist a lawyer in any field of law.
You must complete 124 credits to graduate, and 39 of those credits are part of the Legal Studies major.
You also must complete 12 credit hours of a foreign language.
Internships are optional, and many students pursue internships during the summer for the experience knowledge, and it’s something you can include in your resume.
Contact Information
- Address: University of Mississippi- Hattiesburg Campus 118 College Drive Hattiesburg, MS 39406
- Phone: (601) 266 1000
- Website: Visit School Website
2 Mississippi College
Mississippi College is a private Baptist university and is the second-oldest Baptist-affiliated college in the United States. Also, it’s the oldest college or university in Mississippi.
The Department of History and Political Science at Mississippi College has a strong commitment to Christian and democratic ideals and offers an excellent paralegal program.
The program teaches you everything you must know as a paralegal, including:
- Legal ethics
- Introduction to major areas of law
- Training to draft legal documents
- Training to perform legal research
- Exposure to state and federal court systems and procedures
- The knowledge to complete beginning assignments as a paralegal
The faculty members are scholars and accomplished teachers, and many have won many prestigious teaching awards.
Most of the faculty remain active in professional organizations, publish articles and research, and present the research to their peers at professional conferences.
This is a 27-hour post-baccalaureate paralegal studies certificate.
You must complete at least 15 hours at Mississippi College and will accept transfer credits for any class you earned above a C.
Contact Information
- Address: Mississippi College 200 S. Capitol Street Clinton, MS 39506
- Phone: (601) 925 3000
- Website: Visit School Website
3 Mississippi University for Women
The university’s original name was the Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls, and it was later named Mississippi State College for Women and then Mississippi University for Women.
The university’s College of Business and Legal Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts in paralegal studies and a Bachelor of Science in paralegal studies, and both courses have been approved by the American Bar Association.
If you[‘re a woman and have a passion for the law, this could be an excellent place to earn your degree.
The paralegal studies courses are 124 credits, and you must complete lower-level courses for your major, including:
- Introduction to the Legal Professional
- Legal Bibliography and Research I
- Legal Bibliography and Research II
- Law Office Tech and Management
- The Legal Environment of Business
Students must also complete a Practice Legal Lab, which is similar to an internship, and you’ll be assigned to a professional setting based on the specialization you choose.
When you graduate, you’ll have learned everything you need to know to assist lawyers with everything they need.
Contact Information
- Address: Mississippi University for Women 1100 College Street Columbus, MS 39701
- Phone: (877) 462 8439
- Website: Visit School Website
4 University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, aka Old Miss, is the Mississippi’s flagship university.
The school opened its doors in 1844 to 80 students and was the state’s only institution for higher learning.
The university has an excellent Legal Assistant/Paralegal program, and you must complete the following courses to graduate:
- Ethics in the Legal Environment
- Logic & Crit Analysis in Legal Reasoning
- Public Speaking in the Legal Environment
- Introduction to Law
- Law Office Environment
- Legal Research/Writing I and II
- Civil Litigation I and II
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Administration of Wills and Estates
- Real Property and Abstracting
- Independent Study in Legal Studies
- Law School Prep Seminar
- Commercial and Contractual Relations
- Torts
- Bankruptcy Law
- Administrative Law
- Business Organizations
- Domestic Law
- Medical Law and Terminology
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Elder Law
- Special Topics in Legal Studies
- Issues in Access to Justice
- Advanced Seminar in Legal Studies
- Advanced Studies in Law
- Internship
You must complete 120 college credit hours, and all students must choose a minor.
If you’re in the paralegal program, you cannot take the legal studies minor.
Also, you may need to take general electives to reach the 120 credit hour requirement.
Contact Information
- Address: University Mississippi 38677
- Phone: (662) 915 7036
- Website: Visit School Website
5 Coahoma Community College
Coahoma Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools of Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, and they offer an excellent paralegal program.
The campus lies on 99 acres along the Clarksdale-Friqars Point Road, near the Mississippi River.
The two-year Paralegal/Legal Studies program is a 61-credit program, and the courses are broken up between the Freshman year fall and spring semesters and fall and spring semesters during the sophomore year.
The courses you must take and pass include:
- Freshman Year Fall Semester
- English Composition I
- Orientation
- Spanish I
- Western Civilization I or American History I
- Lab Science lab or lecture sequence
- HPR Elective
- Freshman Year Spring Semester
- English Composition II
- Spanish II
- College Algebra
- Western Civilization II or American History II
- Lab Science lab or lecture sequence
- Sophomore Year Fall Semester
- World Literature I
- Public Speaking I
- Spanish III Introduction to Sociology
- Art Appreciation or Music Appreciation
- Sophomore Year Spring Semester
- Legal Environ of Business
- World Literature II
- Spanish IV
- Social Science Elective
- Computer Concepts or Computer Applications I
After completing the two-year program, you’ll be prepared to start working for a lawyer or a law firm upon graduation.
Contact Information
- Address: Coahoma Community College 3240 Friars Point Road Clarksdale, MS 38614
- Phone: (662) 627 2571
- Website: Visit School Website
6 Jones College
Jones College is a public community college located in Ellisville, Mississippi, and the school is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The school serves eight counties, including Clarke, Covington, Jones, Smith, Jasper, Perry, Greene, and Wayne.
Jones College offers a Paralegal Technology program, and you’ll receive an Associate in Applied Science degree after successfully completing the course.
The program is designed to prepare you for an entry-level position as a paralegal in law firms, government agencies, courts, and corporations.
The Paralegal Technology program is a two-year program, broken up into two semesters during the freshman year and two semesters during the Sophomore year, and you must pass the following courses to receive your degree.
- Freshman Year First Semester – 18 Credit Hours
- Smart Start Pathway
- Real Property
- Introduction to Law
- Wills and Estates
- Microcomputer Applications or Computer Applications
- English Composition
-
- Freshman Year Second Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- Legal Research
- Law Office Management
- Real Property II
- Family Law
- English Composition II
- Sophomore Year First Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- Legal Writing
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Social/Behavioral/Science Elective
- Civil Litigation
- Technical Mathematics or a higher Math
-
- Sophomore Second Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- Civil Litigation
- Torts
- Instructor Approved Elective
- Public Speaking
- Legal Environment of Business or another approved Business Elective
You must have a high school transcript or GED to be accepted to the program, and if you’re a transfer student, you must have transcripts for the college or colleges you’ve attended.
Contact Information
- Address: 900 South Court Street Ellisville, MS 39437
- Phone: (601) 477 4025
- Website: Visit School Website
7 Holmes Community College
Holmes Community College is a public community college with a main campus in Goodman, Mississippi.
The school also has campuses in Grenada and Ridgeland and satellite campuses in Yazoo, Attala, and Webster counties.
Holmes Community College offers a paralegal technology program designed to give you the skills necessary to get an entry-level position as a paralegal in law firms, state and federal government, or corporations. In-person classes are offered during the day, and you can also go with a hybrid option or take the courses online.
You can earn a Technical Certificate and an Advanced Technical Certificate as you move through the curriculum, and then your Associate of Applied Science Degree when you successfully complete the course.
The course is broken up into two years and two semesters per year.
You must pass the following courses to earn your associate degree:
- First Year First Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- Introduction to Law
- Legal Research
- Family Law
- Real Property
- Microsoft Word
- First Year Second Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- Civil Litigation
- Torts
- Contracts and Business Law
- Wills & Estates
- Approved Elective
- Second Year First Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- Legal Writing
- Civil Litigation II
- Smart Start Pathway
- Law Office Management
- Special Problem in Paralegal Technology
- Work-Based Learning I
- Second Year Second Semester – 15 Credit Hours
- English Composition I
- College Algebra or Natural Science
- Humanities/Fine Arts Elective
- Social/Behavioral Science Elective
- Public Speaking or English Composition II
When you complete the program and earn your Associate of Applied Science degree, you’ll be able to work as a paralegal or legal assistant, which is an excellent and fulfilling career.
Contact Information
- Address: Holmes Community College 1 Hill Street Goodman, MS 39079
- Phone: (662) 472 9429
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
Paralegal Salary Information
The average salary for a paralegal in Mississippi is $41,168, the lower end of the salary is around $27,878, and the higher end is $60,792.
The salary you’ll earn depends on where you work and whether you hold a certificate or an
Associate’s degree.
You won’t earn as much as a paralegal in Mississippi as in other states, as the average salary is 29 percent below the national average.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$52K |
|
$59K |
|
$67K |
Average Salary in Mississippi
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Jackson | $59,858 |
| Gulfport | $58,804 |
| Biloxi | $59,272 |
| Hattiesburg | $58,436 |
| Greenville | $59,452 |
| Meridian | $59,279 |
| Tupelo | $56,416 |
| Southaven | $61,880 |
| Vicksburg | $59,256 |
| Pascagoula | $58,998 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS | 270 | $46,470 | $22.34 | $66,760 | $37,100 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | 50 | $51,020 | $24.53 | $70,430 | $35,940 |
| Jackson, MS | 900 | $49,940 | $24.01 | $73,690 | $35,450 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Paralegal Programs by State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Paralegal work is such an important field, and this list is a great resource for prospective students. Does anyone know if these programs offer flexible schedules or online classes for working professionals?
Thanks for sharing these options! It’s great to see Mississippi has so many quality paralegal programs. Are there any that focus on specific areas of law, like family law or real estate law, to help students specialize?