The U.S. Bureau of Statistics predicts that “employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.”
In other words, it is estimated that more than 45,000 paralegal positions will open up annually for the 2022-2032 decade, mainly due to other professionals retiring or changing fields.
After reading statistics and predictions, it becomes apparent that starting a career in the paralegal field can undoubtedly be rewarding.
But now you may wonder, “Which is the best paralegal program in Colorado.”
Let’s take a look!
Best Paralegal Programs in Colorado:
1 Community College of Denver (CCD):
About the School:
The college offers classes in Business, Education, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Public Safety & Legal Services.
Courses Offered:
The Public Safety and Legal Services program offers two options – degree or transferable credits.
Students can apply for one of the school’s two Associate Degrees in Applied Science and one Paralegal Certificate.
– Paralegal: The program comprises 60 total credits and equips students for the workforce by placing emphasis on vital skills like communicating with clients, researching and drafting documents, and applying
legal concepts in their day-to-day work.
Upon graduation, students can enter the workforce with an Associate Degree or transfer to a 4-year university.
– Paralegal Transfer: The program was created as an agreement between the Community College of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver.
Upon completing the courses specified on CCD’s website, students can transfer their credits to the University of Colorado.
To enroll in the Paralegal Transfer program, students must meet the program’s minimum requirements for general education and paralegal courses.
The Paralegal Transfer program comprises 67 credit hours which can be completed in five semesters.
– The Paralegal Certificate is 30 credit hours long and focuses on practical skills that translate well in the workforce, like communicating with clients, drafting and reviewing documents, and performing interviews.
Tuition for in-state students is $164.20 per credit hour.
On average, in-state students’ tuition and fees for one semester are $6,435.33.
In comparison, tuition for out-of-state students is $673.90 per credit hour.
The school offers financial aid for eligible students and various scholarships that can ease the financial burden of pursuing a college education.
Contact Information
- Address: Cherry Creek Building 1111 W. Colfax Avenue Denver, CO 80204
- Phone: 303-556-2600
- Website: Visit School Website
2 Front Range Community College:
About the School:
Front Range offers 64 programs with the option for an Associate/Bachelor’s degree and numerous certifications.
The school catalog is divided into distinct categories, each containing various programs.
For example, a student may elect to pursue the Computer Information Systems AAS that the college provides through its Business and Information Technology pathway.
Upon perusing the school catalog, you will find three programs for aspiring paralegals.
Courses Offered:
– AAS in Paralegal/Legal Assistant is 60 credit hours long and can be finalized in four semesters.
Upon graduation, students will be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a paralegal and skills like drafting a legal document, applying critical thinking to develop pragmatic solutions, and conducting legal research.
– The Paralegal Assistant Certificate is two semesters long (one year) a focuses on the various aspects of working in the legal field, like civil litigation, as well as researching for, and drafting legal documents.
Upon graduation, students will have the necessary skills for entry-level positions at a firm or government agency.
– Foundations of Paralegal/Family Law is 30 credits long and focuses on the practical skills required to become a successful paralegal.
Students will learn about family law, litigation, and E-Discovery topics.
The tuition for in-state students living off-campus is $26,727.
In comparison, for non-resident students, tuition is $38,377.
Contact Information
- Address: 3645 West 112th Avenue Westminster, CO 80031
- Phone: 303-404-5000
- Website: Visit School Website
3 Arapahoe Community College:
About the School:
Founded in 1965, ACC offers a wide variety of courses on three campuses and online.
Students can pursue an Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or certificate from diverse categories, like:
- Arts, Design, and Communication
- Business
- Global, Human, and Social Sciences
Courses Offered:
– The Paralegal AAS is 60 credit hours and offers classes like Family Law, Administrative Law, and Legal Ethics.
To graduate, students must complete no less than 27 hours of paralegal training at the school, and complete the Paralegal Exit Survey/Interview.
– The Paralegal Certificate is 36 credit hours long, and students must pass each class with a grade of C or higher to graduate.
Before enrolling, students must complete an Associate of Arts/Science or a baccalaureate degree.
Arapahoe Community College prides itself on having “one of the lowest tuition rates among Colorado’s public higher education institutions,” according to the institution’s website.
However, despite this fact, students can still apply for the wide variety of scholarships, grants, student loans, work-study options, and financial aid that the school provides.
Contact Information
- Address: 3645 West 112th Avenue Westminster, CO 80031
- Phone: 303-404-5000
- Website: Visit School Website
4 Colorado Mountain College:
About the School:
The college offers programs over eleven campuses, three of which are residential campuses.
Students can select their degrees, courses, and certificates from a list of 130 programs divided into seven distinct career pathways.
For example, a student may pursue a certificate in Creative Arts, thus following the Communication/Arts/Digital Media pathway.
Another example is the fully online Paralegal Degree.
Courses Offered:
– Online Paralegal AAS offers a fully online curriculum that focuses on theoretical legal concepts and how they translate into the real world.
The goal is to equip students with the essential skills that one must acquire to succeed in this profession.
Aspiring paralegals will learn to conduct interviews with diverse clients and witnesses, perform legal research, and compose legal documents.
To graduate, students must complete a minimum of 63-64 credit hours.
Tuition for attending this school ranges from $200 per credit hour for in-state residents to $510 for out-of-state students.
Contact Information
- Address: 802 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
- Phone: 970-945-8691
- Website: Visit School Website
5 Pikes Peak State College:
About the School:
Pikes Peak State College offers courses and degrees in various fields.
Art, Ceramics, Cybersecurity, and Paralegal are only a few examples that students can pursue at this institution.
Courses Offered:
– Paralegal: PPSC offers a four-semester paralegal Associate degree that teaches students essential skills like drafting legal documents, preparing trial notes, and conducting research.
Tuition for in-state residents receiving the College Opportunity Fund is $164.20 per credit hour, compared to $673.90 per credit hour for non-resident students.
Contact Information
- Address: 5675 S. Academy Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80906
- Phone: 719-502-2000
- Website: Visit School Website
6 CLS by Barbri:
About the School:
The school offers courses in four fields:
- Paralegal
- Nursing & Medical
- Industry Specialty
- Legal Support
Courses Offered:
– Paralegal Certificate: To accommodate students’ preferences and schedules, the school offers the option to attend lectures or have notes sent to you in one of three ways:
- Live lectures (6 sessions)
- Online classes (14 weeks)
- Or sign up for the text-only format for their courses.
The tuition for the Paralegal Certificate Course starts at $1895.
To lower the financial burden on students, the school provides payment plans, and various types of financial aid.
Contact Information
- Address: 12222 Merit Drive, Suite 1340 Dallas, TX 75251
- Phone: 1-800-522-7737
- Website: Visit School Website
7 Community College of Aurora:
About the School:
The school offers over 60 certificates and degrees from fields like Business, Cinematic Arts, and Mathematics.
Courses Offered:
– Paralegal AAS: The program is 60 hours long and equips students with the necessary recourses to succeed as paralegals.
In other words, students will learn how to effectively understand ethics, and apply legal analysis and principles in their work.
The curriculum is divided into 10 in-class hours of legal courses and 15 hours of paralegal instruction.
Upon graduation, students will earn a paralegal certificate that was approved by the American Bar Association and may pursue a baccalaureate degree at a four-year university.
Contact Information
- Address: CentreTech Campus 1600 E CentreTech Pkwy Aurora, CO 80011
- Phone: 303-360-4700
- Website: Visit School Website
8 IBMC College
About the School:
IBMC offers programs in Healthcare, Massage & Healing Arts, Paralegal, and more.
The school affords students the flexibility to find the class schedule that fits their needs by offering day and night classes.
Courses Offered:
– Paralegal Degree: The goal of the program is to blend theoretical knowledge with real-life applicability, and prepare the student for a successful career as a Paralegal.
The program is 90 credit hours, and the courses are divided into three categories:
- Computer Skills (e.g. Fundamental Computer Skills)
- Legal Skills (e.g. Real and Personal Property)
- General Education (e.g. Career Marketing Strategies)
Contact Information
- Address: Fort Collins location 3842 S Mason Street Fort Collins, CO 80525
- Phone: 970-223-2669
- Website: Visit School Website
9 University of Northern Colorado
About the School:
The University of Northern Colorado is a national institution that offers more than 200 undergraduate programs.
Students can select to pursue a major, undergraduate minor, undergraduate certificate, or undergraduate licensure or endorsement in various fields like Applied Statistics, Business Administration, Digital Marketing, or Legal Studies.
Courses Offered:
– Legal Studies (minor): Students can pursue this minor in conjunction with a wide variety of majors.
The curriculum is divided as such:
- Core Courses (15 credits): Students will select 5 courses out of a list of 13 core courses, a few examples being Introduction to Criminal Justice, Judicial Process, and Sociology of Corrections.
- Theoretical Foundation Courses (6 credits): Comparably to the core courses, students will select 5 courses from a list; some examples are Business Ethics, Philosophy of Law, and Moral Issues.
Contact Information
- Address: 501 20th St. Greeley, CO 80639
- Phone: 970-351-1890
- Website: Visit School Website
Schools Summary Table
Paralegal Salary Information
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for paralegals in 2021 was $56,230.
The industries in which paralegals received, on average, the highest annual wages were the Federal Government ($69,680), Finance and Insurance ($64,740), and Local Government ($58,300).
Annual salaries for paralegals in Colorado range between $63,580 and $91,880.
However, on average, paralegals in Colorado can expect to make $63,358 per year.
It is worth mentioning that the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area stands out as one of the most lucrative metropolitan areas in the nation for paralegal professionals in terms of compensation.
On average, paralegals in this area can expect to earn an hourly mean wage of $35.50 per hour, or $78,830 per year.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$59K |
|
$67K |
|
$76K |
Average Salary in Colorado
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Denver | $67,966 |
| Colorado Springs | $66,561 |
| Aurora | $67,921 |
| Greeley | $65,737 |
| Fort Collins | $65,592 |
| Arvada | $67,966 |
| Pueblo | $62,756 |
| Westminster | $67,966 |
| Boulder | $68,574 |
| Thornton | $67,966 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | 620 | $62,930 | $30.26 | $92,520 | $49,680 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 520 | $59,480 | $28.6 | $77,340 | $39,710 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 3,440 | $76,740 | $36.9 | $107,680 | $47,340 |
| Fort Collins, CO | 230 | $66,310 | $31.88 | $84,280 | $48,480 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 140 | $54,980 | $26.43 | $67,080 | $37,370 |
| Greeley, CO | 90 | $64,690 | $31.1 | $83,960 | $41,010 |
| Pueblo, CO | 80 | $49,630 | $23.86 | $68,180 | $36,810 |
* 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
CCD seems like a great choice for me, I hope I can pass the exam though then if not, I will just take exams to different colleges and universities around Colorado.
Starting my paralegal career is really hard. Thank you for summarizing school choices and now my only problem is money, I hope my parents will cover my tuition fees.
I will transfer to a different school since I am having trouble with transportation, I am willing to move into a much nearer school around my area. Good read!
I went to the University of NC and the professors are really great! I am looking forward to teaching paralegal students there when I graduate and earn more diplomas. I recommend aspiring paralegals to consider taking the program there.
Each program’s strengths are clearly highlighted, whether it’s their focus on practical experience through internships, the breadth of their curriculum, or the qualifications of their faculty.
The emphasis on ABA-accredited programs is particularly important for ensuring the highest standards of paralegal education. Additionally, the insights into student support systems, such as academic advising and job placement assistance, highlight the comprehensive nature of these programs. This post is a valuable guide for anyone looking to embark on a paralegal career in Colorado.