Quick answer: The Modesto metro employs about 420 paralegals and legal assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing is set at the state level, through employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Paralegals are not licensed in most of the country, and voluntary certification exists alongside the degree. Some programs hold ABA approval, which is program-level and voluntary; employers genuinely vary in how much weight they give it.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
This page lists 10 schools within 79 miles, nearest first in 25-mile distance bands, then by BOC Score inside each band with the highest at the top. 10 of them carry a score.
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in the Modesto area earn a median $58,820 per year, below the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Modesto metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $58,820 | $77,390 | $62,890 |
| 10th percentile | $46,600 | $50,460 | $44,740 |
| 25th percentile | $54,590 | $60,170 | $50,340 |
| 75th percentile | $75,570 | $98,430 | $80,080 |
| 90th percentile | $93,890 | $119,580 | $101,500 |
| Employment | 420 | 47,130 | 392,880 |
| Location quotient | 0.86 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Modesto, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The Modesto median of $58,820 is below the national median of $62,890, and below the California statewide median of $77,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 0.86 means paralegals and legal assistants are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Paralegal employment tracks the legal market itself: firm concentration, corporate legal departments and government agencies, which favors major metros and state capitals.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $77,520 | 22,240 |
| San Francisco | $84,030 | 7,630 |
| San Diego | $76,300 | 4,440 |
| Sacramento | $78,550 | 2,590 |
| Riverside | $61,460 | 2,460 |
| San Jose | $99,250 | 2,030 |
| Fresno | $62,450 | 920 |
| Oxnard | $74,780 | 520 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants in the Modesto, CA metro area is $58,820, below the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Modesto, CA metro area employs about 420 paralegals and legal assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Paralegals are not licensed in most of the country, and voluntary certification exists alongside the degree. Some programs hold ABA approval, which is program-level and voluntary; employers genuinely vary in how much weight they give it. Confirm current requirements with employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules.
The Modesto metro median is $58,820 against a statewide median of $77,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
