Quick answer: Iowa employs about 2,980 paralegals and legal assistants (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and licensing runs through employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules. Programs, the careers this degree opens, and what they pay are below.
Compare paralegal studies programs enrolling now:
Licensing and Credentials in Iowa
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.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
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.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 6 schools
within 172 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
6 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
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.
#1
Iowa Lakes Community College
📍
Estherville, IA
•130.2 miles away•BOC Score
59.8
Paralegals and Legal Assistants in Iowa earn a median $54,550 per year, below the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Paralegal Studies Pay and Employment in Iowa at a Glance
Metric
Iowa
National
Source
Median annual wage
$54,550
$62,890
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$37,900
$44,740
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$47,820
$50,340
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$66,560
$80,080
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$83,520
$101,500
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
2,980
392,880
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.76
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
0.2%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Iowa Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Iowa median of $54,550 sits below the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.76 puts Iowa below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Paralegal employment tracks the legal market itself: firm concentration, corporate legal departments and government agencies, which favors major metros and state capitals.
Paralegals and Legal Assistants Wages by Metro Area in Iowa
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), paralegals and legal assistants wages in Iowa vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Des Moines-West Des Moines
1,190
$60,080
$62,280
$37,490
$89,920
Omaha
1,010
$64,230
$65,840
$45,330
$92,480
Iowa City
330
$66,400
$69,770
$48,680
$105,010
Cedar Rapids
310
$57,420
$56,440
$37,900
$76,860
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island
280
$57,030
$58,240
$38,280
$81,170
Waterloo-Cedar Falls
120
$48,030
$52,930
$37,670
$72,600
Dubuque
80
$55,740
$57,540
$37,590
$77,420
Sioux City
80
$56,100
$57,120
$37,740
$77,110
Ames
60
$53,180
$55,270
$38,480
$72,420
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do paralegals and legal assistants make in Iowa?
The median annual wage for paralegals and legal assistants in Iowa is $54,550, below the national median of $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $47,820 at the 25th percentile to $66,560 at the 75th.
How many paralegals and legal assistants work in Iowa?
Iowa holds about 2,980 paralegal jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 392,880, and BLS projects about 39,300 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a paralegal in Iowa?
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. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a paralegal studies associate or bachelor's online while working in Iowa?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies employers in your market on the credential they expect, and your state bar for any state-specific rules.
What is the highest-paying area of Iowa for paralegals and legal assistants?
Among Iowa metro areas with published data, Iowa City reports the highest median at $66,400 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Iowa a good state for paralegals and legal assistants?
On pay, the state median of $54,550 sits below the national $62,890 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.76 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Paralegals and Legal Assistants (SOC 23-2011), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
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/.
