Indiana Paralegal Career and Salary Guide
An associate’s degree or certificate is typically the entry-level requirement for paralegals in Indiana. This career guide is your starting point for launching a career as a paralegal in this state. Here 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. Get started using the easy-to-navigate directory below.
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, which means that paralegals can pursue a variety of career paths. Typically, paralegals will complete an education paired with experience. Experience is commonly gained during in-school internships or on-the-job training in entry-level roles.
1. Earn a degree or certificate in paralegal studies.
There are many paralegal schools in Indiana that offer associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and certificates through which candidates can build their skills and credentials. Currently, there are two paralegal programs in Indiana that have been 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 such experience as part of the degree plan, taking advantage of experience opportunities is usually recommended as it can help students build their skills and their professional networks.
3. Seek certification, if desired.
Even though state-level certification is not required in order to work as a paralegal in Indiana, earning voluntary certification is one way to build your credentials. You can read more about certification and 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 currently 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 (AAPI). These certification programs can increase a candidate’s marketability and indicate proficiency in both legal and professional skills. The Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA) also offers a voluntary paralegal certification, Indiana Registered Paralegal. For more information regarding paralegal certification, visit our guide Steps to Become a Paralegal.
Indiana Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
Many opportunities for Indiana paralegals are found in law firms. Firms across the state provide excellent opportunities for entry-level paralegals as well as professionals who are more advanced in their paralegal careers. Eichhorn & Eichhorn, LLP is a large, well-established business litigation firm representing clients throughout Indiana in energy and utilities, healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and government. Bose, McKinney & Evans LLP is another large firm practicing in a variety of industries ranging from agribusiness and real estate to venture capital and private equity. Firms such as these provide good opportunities for paralegals who wish to focus on specific areas of law or who are interested in a large law firm setting.
Large corporations with internal legal departments that commonly offer paralegal jobs in Indiana include Anthem, Eli Lilly, Cummins, and Steel Dynamics. 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 and also 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
- Simon Property Group
- State of Indiana
You can read more about different paralegal career tracks and specialties on our careers page.
Indiana Paralegal Salary Information
Projected Job Growth
14.9%
Paralegals in Indiana from 2018-20282
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 14.9% employment growth for paralegals and legal assistants in Indiana from 2018 to 2028.2 This projected growth rate compares favorably to the projected employment growth for paralegals, at 12% during the same timeframe.2 Over the coming years, law firms are expected to diversify the type of tasks allotted to paralegals and support staff and expand the overall number of support staff positions in an effort to reduce the cost of providing legal services.
In May 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that there were 4,490 paralegals and legal assistants employed in Indiana.3 The reported average paralegal salary in Indiana as of May 2019 was $48,280.3 Though this annual wage is significantly lower than the national median annual salary for paralegals and legal assistants of $55,020, this may reflect the relatively low cost of living throughout the state.3 However, urban areas may offer higher average salaries; for example, the average paralegal salary in the Indianapolis area was $52,030 in 2019.3 In addition, paralegals and legal assistants with national certification, formal paralegal education, and work experience may be better positioned to negotiate for higher salaries. Estimates are based on national data, not school-specific information; data accessed in March 2021.
Indiana Paralegal Salary by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Number Employed4 | Average Annual Salary4 |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne | 500 | $51,800 |
| Gary | 360 | $44,270 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson | 2,180 | $52,030 |
| Terre Haute | 120 | $38,270 |
Paralegal Resources
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, Inc.: Promotes the paralegal profession and holds regular meetings and events of interest to paralegals for members statewide.
- Indianapolis Bar Association (Indy Bar): Supports members with a database of downloadable legal forms, resources, and career listings.
- Northeast Indiana Paralegal Association: Serving the needs of Indiana paralegals with continuing education and professional networking events.
Additional Resources
- Indiana Courts: Access contact information for both upper and lower courts and offices, look up court decisions and case records, and view 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. Users may also access the library’s electronic legal databases. The first-rate collections at this law library include titles in state, federal, and international law, with deep holdings in Anglo-American legal history.
- 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 the 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 Centra Long Term Occupational Projections: https://www.projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm