Trade Schools
This page compiles information about the best paralegal schools in Mississippi.
If you want to start a non-lawyer career in the legal field, this profession is worth exploring.
Paralegals and legal assistants work in legal offices and are usually responsible for tasks such as:
- Maintaining and organizing files
- Conducting legal research
- Drafting documents
- Investigating and gathering facts of a case
- Getting affidavits and other formal statements that can be used as evidence in court
- Helping lawyers during trials
- And more
Before being ready for employment as a paralegal, you will need an associate’s degree in paralegal studies or a bachelor’s degree and a certificate in paralegal studies.
1Coahoma Community College
About the School
Coahoma Community College offers a variety of career and technical programs designed to prepare students for a job immediately after graduation.
Two-year degrees and programs that can be applied toward a four-year degree are also available.
Tuition at the college is $1,600 per semester.
The student-faculty ratio is 16 to 1.
Coahoma Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award Associate of Arts Degrees, Associate of Applied Science Degrees, and Certificates.
Courses Offered
The college provides a Paralegal/Legal Studies program that includes 61 credits in total.
The curriculum includes courses such as:
- English Composition
- College Algebra
- American History
- Public Speaking
- Introduction to Sociology
- Legal Environment of Business
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 3240 Friars Point Rd. Clarksdale, MS 38614
- Phone: (662) 627-2571
- Website: https://www.coahomacc.edu
2San Joaquin Delta College
About the School
San Joaquin Delta College offers a variety of educational paths, including Arts, Humanities, Multimedia, Business and Law, and more.
The college provides transfer and career pathways, as well as degree and certificate programs.
Students may earn an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree, prepare to transfer to a four-year university, or build career and technical skills.
The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Courses Offered
The college provides a Paralegal/Legal Assistant program that prepares students for a wide variety of tasks under the direction and supervision of a licensed attorney.
The following pathways are available:
- Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies Certificate of Achievement
- Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies, Associate in Science
The Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies Certificate of Achievement includes courses on topics such as:
- Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Legal Assisting, and Law Office Administration
- Advanced Electronic, Legal Research, and Technology
- Civil Litigation: Law and Procedure
- Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing
- Transactions: Law and Practice
- And more
The courses provided by this California college can be completed online, from the comfort of your home.
Contact Information
- Address: 5151 Pacific Ave Stockton, CA 95207
- Phone: 209.954.5151
- Website: https://deltacollege.edu
3Hinds Community College
About the School
Hinds Community College provides more than 70 career and technical program options.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1
Hinds Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees.
Courses Offered
Among many other career pathways, the college provides a two-year program of study in Paralegal Technology.
This program requires courses in the career-technical core, designated areas of concentration, and the academic core.
Those who complete the requirements earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and are eligible to take certification examinations offered by national paralegal professional organizations.
The curriculum prepares students for entry-level employment as legal assistants or paralegals in courts, corporations, law firms, and government agencies.
Students take classes such as:
- Introduction to Law
- Legal Research
- Family Law
- Wills and Estates
- Torts
- Real Property
- Approved Technical Electives
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 1100, Raymond, MS 39154
- Phone: 800-HINDSCC
- Website: https://www.hindscc.edu
4Itawamba Community College
About the School
Itawamba Community College offers more than 100 programs of study.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1
Itawamba Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees.
Courses Offered
The Paralegal Technology program available at the college is a two-year, fully online associate’s degree program designed to prepare students for substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney.
The program covers a number of law-related areas, including civil litigation, legal research and writing, family law, wills, and other legal areas.
After completing the program, students earn an Associate of Applied Science degree.
After completing 30 hours of the program, students receive a Career Certificate.
The Paralegal Technology curriculum available at Itawamba Community College includes courses such as:
- Introduction to Law
- Wills and Estates
- Legal Writing
- Family Law
- Torts
- Civil Litigation
- Law Office Management
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 602 W. Hill Street, Fulton, MS 38843 (Fulton Campus)
- Phone: 662.862.8000
- Website: https://www.iccms.edu
5Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College offers a variety of academic and career programs.
The college has eight schools and hundreds of career-technical and academic programs.
Courses Offered
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has a School of Business, Law, Hospitality, and Culinary.
The school prepares students to succeed as employees or entrepreneurs by providing them with a solid foundation in essential industry practices and processes and by offering networking and professionalization opportunities.
Students learn about concepts related to business and hospitality management, legal studies, culinary arts, and more.
The curriculum emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning.
Contact Information
- Address: 51 Main Street, Perkinston, MS 39573
- Phone: (228) 896-2536
- Website: https://mgccc.edu
6Mississippi College
About the School
Mississippi College offers a variety of undergraduate majors and graduate degrees.
The college was founded in 1826 and is the oldest institution of higher learning in Mississippi.
More than 80 undergraduate and more than 50 graduate areas of study are included in the college’s catalog.
Mississippi College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master, education specialists, and doctorates.
Courses Offered
The college provides a Paralegal Studies program that teaches students a variety of skills, including:
- Legal ethics
- Major areas of law
- How to draft legal documents and perform legal research
- State and federal court systems and procedures
- And more
Paralegal Studies students take courses such as:
- Introduction to law
- Civil litigation
- Wills and estates
- Family law
- Law office management
- Legal research and writing
Contact Information
- Address: 200 S. Capitol Street, Clinton, MS 39056
- Phone: 601.925.3000
- Website: https://www.mc.edu
7Mississippi University for Women
About the School
Mississippi University for Women offers more than 70 majors and concentrations students can choose from.
The University also offers 11 master’s and doctoral programs.
19 online undergraduate degree programs and seven graduate programs are also available to help students advance their careers while they work.
Courses Offered
Among many other programs, the university provides a Business Administration program that includes a concentration in Legal Administration.
This is designed for students who want to use their business degree in a legal setting.
Students enrolled in this program take courses focused on the unique areas of the legal profession.
This Bachelor of Applied Science degree includes 121 total credit hours.
The cost per credit hour is $333.
Students take courses such as:
- Legal Environment of Business
- Strategic Management
- Business Finance
- Organizational Behavior
- Operations & Production Management
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 1100 College Street, MUW-1613, Columbus, MS 39701
- Phone: (662) 329-7106
- Website: https://www.muw.edu
8Northwest Mississippi Community College
About the School
Northwest Mississippi Community College provides higher education programs since 1927.
More than 60 pathways are available for academic transfer to a four-year college or university on the Senatobia campus.
Northwest Mississippi Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science Degrees.
Courses Offered
Among many other pathways, the college provides a Paralegal Technology curriculum.
This program prepares students for employment as paralegals in courts, corporations, law firms, and government agencies.
The curriculum includes instruction in law, legal research, family law, wills and estates, civil litigation, torts, and property.
The program is offered fully online.
Live courses are offered at DeSoto Center-Southaven and Oxford LYTC campuses.
Students who complete 30 semester credit hours earn a certificate.
A technical certificate requires 45 credits.
Students who complete 60 semester credit hours earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Technology.
Contact Information
- Address: 4975 Highway 51N, Senatobia, MS 38668
- Phone: (662) 562-3200
- Website: https://www.northwestms.edu
9The University of Mississippi
About the School
The University of Mississippi provides a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs.
The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, first professional, graduate certificates, and doctoral degrees.
Courses Offered
The university provides a Criminal Justice & Legal Studies pathway.
The following programs are available at the university:
- B.S.C.J. in Criminal Justice
- B.S.L.S. in Law Studies
- M.C.J. in Criminal Justice
The Law Studies pathway offers two emphases:
- Accelerated Law
- Law Studies
The B.S.L.S. in Law Studies requires a minimum of 120 credit hours.
Students who choose the paralegal emphasis must complete the following 24 hours of LA coursework, in addition to the 30-hour law studies core:
- Issues in Access to Justice
- Advanced Seminar in Legal Studies
- LA electives (18 hours)
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677
- Phone: (662) 915-7211
- Website: https://olemiss.edu
10Liberty University
Paralegal programs are also available online, at schools located in other states.
About the School
An online paralegal training program is available at Liberty University, an accredited Christian college in Virginia.
A variety of programs are offered at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
Classes at Liberty University are taught from a Christian perspective.
The programs are available fully online and students can complete the coursework while keeping a job and remaining active in their community.
Students can transfer up to 75% of the degree total.
Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Courses Offered
The Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies program available at Liberty University provides students with the experience and practical skills that can be marketed while they pursue a Bachelor’s degree.
Among other skills and topics included in the curriculum, the program prepares students with a foundational knowledge of criminal law and procedures, writing depositions, and real estate transactions, and in-demand skills such as performing title searches.
The program includes 60 credit hours and can be completed in one and a half years, on average.
Contact Information
- Address: 1971 University Blvd. Lynchburg, Virginia 24515
- Phone: (888) 376-3157
- Website: https://www.liberty.edu
Regional Salary in Mississippi
| 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.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read our list of the best paralegal schools in Mississippi, the next step is to continue the research and decide if this career path is a right fit for you.
Once you have decided that this is the profession you want to pursue, you can choose an online program or one available near you that fits your learning style and career aspirations.
