New Jersey Paralegal Career and Salary Guide

While New Jersey does not regulate the profession of paralegals and legal assistants, many jobs in the field require an associate degree or a certificate in paralegal studies. On this page, you will find in-depth information on how to become a paralegal in New Jersey, voluntary certification information, New Jersey paralegal salary and job outlook data, and valuable career resources.

Table of Contents

• How to Become a Paralegal in New Jersey
• Paralegal Certification
• Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook
• Paralegal Resources

How to Become a Paralegal in New Jersey

Since there are no statewide standards or regulations for paralegals in New Jersey, there are several paths to becoming a paralegal professional. Most paralegals possess a combination of education and experience.

1. Earn a degree or certificate in paralegal studies.

Paralegals and legal assistants typically complete one of the many paralegal programs in New Jersey to gain a certificate in paralegal studies, associate degree in legal studies, or bachelor’s in paralegal studies, which generally include a background in substantive legal areas as well as practical training in professional skills. Though there are no mandated minimum educational requirements, paralegal candidates and legal assistants are strongly encouraged to seek formal education in the field. Currently, the American Bar Association (ABA) has approved six paralegal programs in New Jersey.¹

2. Gain experience.

Many paralegal programs in the state will include on-the-job training, including internships or job shadowing. Gaining real-world experience in the paralegal field can give candidates a competitive advantage when competing for entry-level paralegal jobs. Law firms, government agencies, and corporate in-house legal offices may also offer experiences for paralegal candidates. Paralegals may also start their careers as legal assistants, document preparers, or in related occupations to build experience before moving into a paralegal role.

3. Seek certification, if desired.

Seeking professional paralegal certification at the state or national level is a great way to become more competitive in the job market and can lead to higher salaries. Obtaining certification is voluntary in New Jersey, but it can be highly desirable for employers seeking knowledgeable and committed paralegal candidates.

Paralegal Certification in New Jersey

New Jersey defines a paralegal according to the ABA’s definition, which is a person qualified by education, training, or experience; employed by a legal entity; and performs legal work under the direction of a licensed attorney. Though there is no statewide requirement for New Jersey paralegal certification, there are voluntary certification programs that can benefit paralegal candidates. National organizations offer certification programs to maintain a consistent level of competency within the paralegal profession nationwide. The National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA, the Paralegal Association); the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA); and the American Alliance of Paralegals Inc. (AAPI) offer voluntary certification programs that are widely accepted by the industry as preparing candidates for professional excellence. Obtaining voluntary certification from these associations is highly recommended and will make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. Certification from these organizations requires a combination of education and experience in the paralegal field.

New Jersey Certification

Paralegals may also wish to consider pursuing the New Jersey Certified Paralegal (NJCP) credential from the South Jersey Paralegal Association (SJPA). To qualify for the NJCP credential, paralegals must be registered SJPA members in good standing and meet one of the following education and experience requirements:

• Have a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an accredited school and one year of substantive paralegal experience
• Have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited school, a certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal program, and one year of substantive paralegal experience
• Have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited school and three years of substantive paralegal experience
• Have an associate’s degree in paralegal studies and two years of substantive paralegal experience
• Have a certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal program and three years of substantive paralegal experience
• Be designated as a Registered Paralegal (RP), CORE Registered Paralegal (CRP), Certified Legal Assistant (CLA), Certified Paralegal (CP), or other SJPA-approved paralegal credential and two years of substantive paralegal experience

Paralegals who pass the exam can use the designation Certified Paralegal (CP) or Certified Legal Assistant (CLA). Additionally, CLA/CP paralegals can opt to take specialty exams for an Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP) credential. CLA/CP paralegals are bound by a code of ethics and professional responsibility. Obtaining this voluntary state certification may help expand potential job opportunities. You can also learn more about how to become a paralegal with our guide Steps to Become a Paralegal.

New Jersey Paralegal Career and Salary Outlook

There were 11,440 paralegals and legal assistants recently reportedly working in New Jersey, earning an average annual salary of $70,380.³ Projections Central predicts an employment growth of 1.1% for legal assistants in New Jersey, slower than the projected national growth of 4.2%.² This growth is based on an estimated 110 new jobs over the 10-year period and 1,000 average annual paralegal openings.²

New Jersey Paralegal Salary by Metro Area

Paralegal Employers in New Jersey

Prospective paralegals seeking specialization in a particular area of law should consider large private law firms, which tend to designate paralegals to specialized legal departments. Additionally, many large national firms with in-house legal departments have offices in New Jersey and may have good opportunities for aspiring paralegals and legal assistants. Job seekers may also find New Jersey paralegal jobs in government and non-profit organizations.

LinkedIn is a good research resource where you can search on geography (New Jersey or city-level) for “paralegal” to find networking opportunities, job postings, and companies most associated with users identifying as paralegals; companies in New Jersey with the most LinkedIn users as paralegals include:

• Fragomen
• Hill Wallack LLP
• Johnson & Johnson
• New Jersey Courts
• Pressler, Felt & Warshaw LLP
• Rutgers University
• State of New Jersey

For more information about paralegal careers, take a look at our careers page.

Paralegal Resources

Here are some resources to help paralegals in New Jersey with professional development, networking, and career growth.

Paralegal Associations in New Jersey

These are volunteer organizations, typically with elected boards, that focus on professional development and networking for a specific geographical location and/or area of law.

• South Jersey Paralegal Association (SJPA): Provides networking, continuing legal education, and mentoring opportunities for paralegals and legal assistants in southern New Jersey and also provides a voluntary certification program to help members build their credentials.
• The Paralegal Association of New Jersey (PANJ): Provides professional development, networking opportunities, and a members-only job board while promoting uniform educational standards and practice guidelines for New Jersey paralegals.

Additional Resources

• New Jersey Courts: Provides links to all courts operating in the state, online resources and forms, news, and publications of interest to New Jersey legal professionals, and access to a members-only job board.
• New Jersey District Court: Provides updated court and case information for legal professionals and the public and collects the most current forms for civil and criminal actions handled by the District Court.
• New Jersey State Library Law Library: Located at the New Jersey State Library, the law library offers a comprehensive collection covering all aspects of law from the state to the federal level, including superseded volumes of New Jersey laws and statutes to allow referencing to earlier texts.
• Parlaegal411 Jobs Board: Search for New Jersey paralegal jobs on our jobs board.
• Rutgers University Law Library: Hosts over 790,000 volumes in hard copy, electronic copy, and microform, providing legal professionals and members of the public access to the collections, subject to restrictions during the school year.

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://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