Survey Results
Report of the 2005 Survey of Approved Paralegal Education Programs Characteristics
The ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals is pleased to publish the results of its 2005 survey of ABA approved paralegal education programs. ABA approval is a voluntary process through which programs which meet the ABA Guidelines are granted approved status. The ABA House of Delegates approved the first paralegal education programs in 1975. Since that time, there has been a remarkable growth in paralegal utilization and increased numbers of institutions offering ABA approved paralegal education programs. The Standing Committee surveyed all ABA approved paralegal education programs in September 2005.
The data below reflects the characteristics of 119 paralegal education programs which responded to the survey and which represent current student enrollment of 15,273. These students are enrolled in programs ranging from less than 100 students to more than 400 current student enrollment. The distribution is as follows:
|
Under 100 students |
39% |
101-250 students |
43% |
|
251-400 students |
9% |
|
Over 400 students |
1% |
|
No response |
8% |
In addition, the programs responding to the survey reported a total of 78,820 graduates since 1975 when the ABA first began approving paralegal education programs. The size of the various programs responding ranged from less than 250 graduates to more than 1000 graduates as follows:
|
Under 250 graduates |
26% |
251-500 graduates |
18% |
|
501-1000 graduates |
23% |
|
Over 1000 graduates |
17% |
|
No response |
16% |
ABA approved paralegal education programs are offered by two-year community and junior colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and business and proprietary schools, some of which are freestanding institutions devoted solely to providing this type of training. Among the various educational program options offered by ABA approved programs are two-year associate degree programs offered by comprehensive community colleges and some four-year degree-granting institutions; four-year baccalaureate degree programs with a major or minor in paralegal studies; non-degree certificate programs offered by universities, colleges, business and proprietary schools as well as certificate programs offered for academic college credit.
Many ABA approved programs offer one or more program options. For example, a program may offer both an associate's degree and a post-baccalaureate certificate program. Our survey results indicate the following breakdown:
|
Associate's degree |
76% |
Post-baccalaureate certificate |
43% |
|
Certificate other than post-baccalaureate |
25% |
|
Bachelor's degree |
24% |
|
Legal nurse/nurse paralegal |
11% |
|
Minor within Bachelor's degree |
9% |
|
Other |
5% |
|
Master's degree |
1% |
The ABA Guidelines for Approval of Paralegal Education Programs require that programs meet certain specified criteria regarding legal specialty courses, including a specified number of semester hours or the equivalent in traditional classroom instruction. Programs can, however, offer legal specialty courses in alternative delivery formats, such as a compressed or accelerated format and online instruction, so long as the courses meet the requirements of the Guidelines.
It is interesting to note that when asked whether they offered any legal specialty courses entirely online, only 23% of the responding programs reported offering any legal specialty in that format. Of legal specialty courses offered entirely online, programs reported a variety of course titles. Although each program may title its courses differently, the general types of courses offered in this format were introductory courses, legal research and/or writing, commercial law (including contracts, bankruptcy, and similar courses), litigation and trial practice related courses, probate and estate planning courses as well as legal ethics and professional responsibility.
The ABA Guidelines require ABA approved programs to have a library that meets specified criteria available to students and also require that specific legal reference materials be available. However, programs can meet the library criteria in a number of ways, including using a combination of internal and external library sources.
77% of the programs responding to the survey reported relying on their own internal facilities to meet the ABA Guidelines requirements for library facilities and materials.
Programs reporting use of either external facilities or a combination of external and internal facilities identified the required legal reference materials resources for which they relied solely on external facilities to meet the ABA Guidelines.
In responding to this question, the programs were allowed to choose multiple reference materials from the listed required resources. The results follow:
Shepard's Citations |
35.9% |
State or regional reporter for preceding 25 years |
29.7% |
Legal Encyclopedia |
28.1% |
Local and state bar journals and newspapers |
28.1% |
Current state or regional digest |
26.6% |
Texts, practice manuals, and form books on legal specialty areas taught in program |
14.1% |
State code |
12.5% |
Periodicals devoted to the paralegal profession |
9.4% |
Law Dictionaries |
7.8% |
Texts and other resources about the paralegal profession |
6.2% |
ABA approved programs are required to provide for instruction in legal research, including electronic resources. In order to meet these requirements, 86% of the reporting programs indicated they offered Lexis© products, 77% of the programs offered Westlaw© products while 57% of the programs offered only general internet resources.
About the Survey
The ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals 2005 Survey of ABA Approved Paralegal Education Programs was designed to increase general knowledge about ABA approved paralegal education programs. The survey was not intended as a complete census of all paralegal education programs in the United States. The results published here are based exclusively on information voluntarily furnished by the program directors of ABA approved paralegal education programs who are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the data furnished. We have made every effort to represent the survey data in a way that is easy to read and understand.
If you have questions regarding the survey, please email the .
