by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the legal profession, there are many directions you can take. Some of the more traditional options are to become a lawyer, paralegal or a court reporter, but are plenty of other lesser known subjects to pursue. Some students decide to major in Political Science and Government, Criminal Justice or Public Policy Analysis.
In any of these majors you will need to take classes on law, psychology, sociology, public administration, English, history, and statistics.
Legal Professions (Other) was the 200th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 2,013 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 27.4% reduction in other legal professions degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 2,565.
This year's Best Legal Professions (Other) Schools ranking compares 47 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom other legal professions rankings further below.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
You will be expected to become acquainted with politics, government, and public policy, and be prepared to argue your point and stick up for what you believe in. Your classmates and professors will often have opposing viewpoints. Students with a bold personality will usually succeed in this field. You will sharpen your debating skills and your ability to reason. Communication skills will help you greatly; this includes critical reading, writing and speaking. These majors require you to use interdisciplinary skills to dissect and understand what you are learning.
Those who are naturally curious will do well as students spend many hours researching the legal and justice system as well as public policy. Be prepared to question data and dig deep to find answers. Coursework and projects will help you develop your problem solving skills. You will learn how to handle urgent issues and propose solutions. Good interpersonal skills will help you as you debate others and try to persuade people.
Many schools will require you to participate in an internship in your field to get hands-on experience in the workforce.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most other legal professions degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Once you obtain your degree, additional other legal professions certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are many different other legal professions degree levels. You can get anything from a in legal professions (other) to the highest other legal professions degree, a . How long it takes to complete some common other legal professions degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
Any of these majors will prepare you to continue on in your education and go to law school. However, you could also become a police officer or detective with your background. You would also be well prepared to teach history, political science or law at the secondary level. You could also go into legal research, work in public policy or work as an analyst. The salaries of these very different careers will range drastically. Salaries will also differ depending on if you are working for the public or for a private law firm.
Recently graduated legal professions (other) students earned an average of $51,368 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $25,776 to as high as $161,093. As you might expect, salaries for other legal professions graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Learn about other programs related to Legal Professions (Other) that might interest you.
One of 4 majors within the Legal Professions area of study, Legal Professions (Other) has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Law | 36,216 |
| Legal Support Services | 11,545 |
| Legal Research | 6,874 |
| Non-Professional General Legal Studies | 4,407 |
