Indiana Paralegal Career and Salary Guide
This career guide will help you as you start your career as a paralegal in this state. You will find answers to the most common questions about how to become a paralegal in Indiana as well as Indiana paralegal salary information, job outlook, and career resources.
Table of Contents:
- How to Become a Paralegal in Indiana
- Paralegal Certification
- Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
- Additional Paralegal Resources
How to Become a Paralegal in Indiana
There are currently no statewide requirements for paralegal certification in Indiana, so paralegals can pursue several different career paths. Typically, paralegals complete some education paired with experience. Following are the basic steps to becoming a paralegal in Indiana:
1. Earn a degree or certificate in paralegal studies.
There are many paralegal schools in Indiana that offer paralegal associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees in paralegal studies, and certificates in legal studies through which candidates can build their skills and credentials. Two paralegal programs in Indiana are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).1
2. Gain experience.
Internships, job shadowing, and other real-world experiences are commonly found in paralegal programs. Although not all programs require experience as part of the degree plan, taking advantage of internship opportunities is usually recommended as it can help students build their skills and professional networks.
3. Seek certification, if desired.
Even though state-level certification is not required to work as a paralegal in Indiana, earning voluntary certification is one way to build your credentials. You can read more about the certification process below.
Paralegal Certification in Indiana
In Indiana, legal paraprofessionals, including paralegals and legal assistants, are permitted to perform certain legal tasks under the direct supervision of a qualified attorney. There are no statewide requirements for Indiana paralegal certification; however, most employers prefer candidates with formal paralegal education. Upon completing a paralegal program, paralegals are typically eligible to pursue voluntary national paralegal certification through an organization such as the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA, the Paralegal Association), or the American Alliance of Paralegals Inc. (AAPI). These certification programs can increase a candidate’s marketability by indicating proficiency in both legal and professional skills. For more information about paralegal certification, visit our guide Steps to Become a Paralegal.
Indiana Certification
The Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA) also offers a voluntary paralegal credential, the Indiana Registered Paralegal (IRP). To qualify for the IRP, you must be currently employed as a paralegal and meet one of the following criteria:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree and a paralegal certificate from an accredited program
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program and two years of paralegal experience
- Hold an associate degree in paralegal studies from an accredited paralegal program and two years of paralegal experience
- Hold a certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited paralegal program and two years of paralegal experience
- Have passed the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE), Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE), or Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) from NFPA or NALA
Indiana Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
Projected Job Growth
8.8%
Paralegals in Indiana from 2022-20322
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently estimated that 5,550 paralegals and legal assistants were employed in Indiana, earning an average annual salary of $56,480.3 Projections report 8.8% estimated employment growth for paralegals and legal assistants in Indiana, which compares favorably to the national projected growth for paralegals, at 4.2% during the same timeframe.2
Indiana Paralegal Salary by Metro Area
Metro Area | Number Employed4 | Average Annual Salary4 |
---|---|---|
Statewide | 5,550 | $56,480 |
Evansville | 240 | $50,560 |
Fort Wayne | 440 | $55,010 |
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson | 2,560 | $63,160 |
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 160 | $51,150 |
Paralegal Employers in Indiana
Many opportunities for Indiana paralegals are found in law firms. Firms across the state provide excellent opportunities for entry-level and advanced paralegals. Large corporations with internal legal departments in Indiana also commonly offer paralegal jobs. Paralegals can also find many opportunities working for government agencies in Indiana at the state and local levels. LinkedIn is a good research resource where you can search on geography (Indiana or city-level) for “paralegal” to find networking opportunities, job postings, and companies most associated with users identifying as paralegals; companies in Indiana with the most users as paralegals include:
- Barnes & Thornburg LLP
- Ice Miller LLP
- Liberty Mutual Insurance
- Marion County Prosecutor’s Office
- Office of the Indiana Attorney General
- State of Indiana
You can read more about different paralegal career tracks and specialties on our careers page.
Paralegal Resources
Here are some resources to help paralegals in Indiana with professional development, networking, and career growth.
Paralegal Associations in Indiana
These are volunteer organizations, typically with elected Boards, that focus on professional development and networking for a specific geography and/or area of law.
- Indiana Paralegal Association (IPA): Promotes the paralegal profession and holds regular meetings and events of interest to paralegals for members statewide.
- Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA): Offers the IRP credential to paralegals who meet the education and experience requirements.
- Indianapolis Bar Association (ISBA): Supports members with a database of downloadable legal forms, resources, and career listings.
- Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association (NIPA): Serving the needs of Indiana paralegals with continuing education and professional networking events.
Additional Resources
- Indiana Courts: Includes contact information for both upper and lower courts and offices, court decisions and case records, and court forms and rules, as well as court news, publications, and other links of interest to legal professionals.
- Indiana Criminal and Traffic Law Manual: An annotated e-book reference for paralegals working in criminal law.
- Indianapolis Bar Association Paralegal Committee: Posts paralegal and legal assistant positions on its job board.
- Indiana Supreme Court Law Library: Hosts a collection numbering over 70,000 volumes, including numerous federal materials as a selective depository for the US government.
- Indiana University Bloomington Maurer School of Law: Has a notably broad circulation policy for a law library, allowing legal professionals as well as members of the general public to apply for a library circulation card with check-out privileges.
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Ruth Lilly Law Library: Houses over 600,000 print volumes in addition to extensive electronic resources and microforms.
- Paralegal411 Jobs Board: To access even more paralegal jobs in Indiana, visit our jobs board.
References:
1. American Bar Association Directory of ABA Approved Paralegal Education Programs: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/paralegals/paralegal-resource-directory/
2. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections, 2022-2032: https://www.projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm