Best Paralegal Schools & Programs in Plattsburgh, New York 2026

Quick answer: Paralegals in New York earn a median of $68,410 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited paralegal schools near Plattsburgh, New York with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Comparing paralegal schools in Plattsburgh, New York starts with the local labor market and the credentials each program offers. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $68,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Plattsburgh Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$68,410BLS OEWS, May 2025
New York pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$48,330 to $115,720BLS OEWS, May 2025
Top-paying New York metro for this fieldNew York, NY, $75,330BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+0.2% growth, about 39,300 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment34,220 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Clinton County establishments20BLS QCEW, 2024
Clinton County unemployment rate3.7%BLS LAUS, 2024
New York location quotient1.40BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the Paralegal Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Plattsburgh. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Clinton County and New York figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

Flexible Paralegal Programs

Now Accepting Students in Plattsburgh, New York:


Paralegal Schools near Plattsburgh

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY 85.3 miles away BOC Score 47.1
Tuition $8,742 - $24,906
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 92.2%
  • Graduation rate: 41.2%
  • Programs offered: 41
  • Annual completions: 463
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $57,422 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Jefferson Community College

Watertown, NY 131.8 miles away BOC Score 44.8
Tuition $6,264 - $19,286
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 27.0%
  • Programs offered: 13
  • Annual completions: 57
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $41,990 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Herkimer County Community College

Herkimer, NY 138.4 miles away BOC Score 44.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31
  • Annual completions: 148
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $40,716 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Schenectady County Community College

Schenectady, NY 132.2 miles away BOC Score 43.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 31.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 28
  • Annual completions: 133
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $44,040 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Bryant & Stratton College-Albany

Albany, NY 139.1 miles away BOC Score 42.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 25.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 8
  • Annual completions: 39
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $43,374 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Paralegal Pay and Job Outlook

Paralegals and Legal Assistants annual wage by percentile: $44,740 at the 10th percentile, $62,890 median, $101,500 at the 90th. Source: U.S. BLS OEWS, May 2025 release.
What paralegals and legal assistants earn across the pay scale
Projected job growth for paralegals and legal assistants: 376,200 jobs in 2024 to 376,800 in 2034, +0.2% change. Source: U.S. BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034.
Projected job growth for paralegals and legal assistants
Top-paying states for paralegals and legal assistants - District of Columbia leads at $89,750. Source: U.S. BLS OEWS, May 2025 release.
Top-paying states for paralegals and legal assistants


How to Become a Paralegal in New York

  1. Complete an ABA-approved paralegal certificate or associate degree program.
  2. Build experience through internships or entry-level roles in law firms, courts, or corporate legal teams.
  3. Earn credentials by sitting for exams such as the NALA Certified Paralegal (CP) or NFPA Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE), then maintain continuing education.

How to Choose the Right Paralegal School

  • Confirm the program is ABA-approved or recommended by your state bar association.
  • Review coursework for legal research, litigation, contracts, and law office technology.
  • Compare career services and internship placement to build connections in New York.
  • Look for flexible online, evening, or accelerated formats that align with your schedule.
  • Ask about certification prep for NALA, NFPA, or NALS credentials.



Explore Your Next Steps

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does paralegal training take near Plattsburgh?

Paralegal certificate programs near Plattsburgh typically take 6 to 12 months of full-time study, while associate degree programs generally run about 2 years. Actual completion time depends on schedule (full-time vs. part-time) and any prerequisite coursework.

How much do paralegals earn in New York?

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), paralegals in New York earned a median annual wage of approximately $68,410. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $48,330 to $115,720 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many paralegal schools are near Plattsburgh?

Clinton County reports approximately 20 paralegal related establishments (BLS QCEW, 2024). Compare the schools listed above for tuition, duration, and credential alignment with the local employer base.


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/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)