Not just wheat and cornfields, the “Sunflower State” is home to several large hubs of commerce, including both Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, where paralegals are valued and in-demand.
As of May 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported a total of 2,450 paralegal jobs in Kansas, the majority of which worked in the Kansas City metropolitan area. A relatively high number of paralegals also work in Wichita, which is home to businesses like Learjet and the Coleman Corporation.
The average salary for the state’s paralegals was $45,090, or $21.68 per hour during this time. Those with considerable experience, particularly in specific areas of law like litigation or corporate law, earned upwards of $73,650, or $35.41 per hour, which represents the profession’s top 10% of earners.
These wages can go a long way as the cost of living in this state is not as high as it is in states such as California or New York.
Paralegal Certification
There is no state regulation of paralegals in Kansas; however, the Kansas Bar Association adopted Official Standards and Guidelines for the Utilization of Legal Assistants/Paralegals in Kansas in 2009. In 2008, paralegal associations in Kansas presented a voluntary certification program proposal to the Kansas Bar Board of Governors, which is still pending.
Where to Earn Your Paralegal Certificate or Degree in Kansas
Paralegal Certificates
Johnson County Community College
The Paralegal Certificate program at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) requires a total of 34 credit hours and can be completed in three semesters. JCCC is a public, two-year educational institution in the Overland Park community of the Kansas City area. In addition to its paralegal certificate program, it is one of the few schools that offers a Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate, an eight-month, 22 credit hour program.
- Estimated Program Cost: $2,890 for Johnson County residents; $3,400 for residents of other Kansas counties; $6,732 for non-residents (based on spring 2014 per credit hour tuition)
- Prerequisites: Completion of a two-year associate degree or four-year degree and JCCC and American Bar Association (ABA) general education requirements (18 hours of general education credit from at least three of the following disciplines: humanities, social science, natural science and mathematics)
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On campus
Hutchinson Community College
Hutchinson Community College (HCC) is a two-year institution that’s been serving students since 1928. Located in Hutchinson, Kansas, just northwest of Wichita, HCC offers students affordable educational options that can improve their job prospects. Its 36-credit hour Paralegal Certificate program prepares students to sit for the national certification exam.
- Estimated Program Cost*: $3,204 for state residents; $4,320 for out-of-state students; $5,004 for international students (based on 2013-2014 per credit hour tuition)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED; exceptions may apply, so consult HCC’s website to see which requirements apply to you.
- ABA Approved: No
- Format: On campus or hybrid online/on campus
Paralegal Associate Degrees
Johnson County Community College
The Associate of Arts for aspiring paralegals at Johnson County Community College requires 65 credit hours, including courses in social science and humanities, as well as a minimum of 18 hours in legal specialty classes. The school stresses that although the opportunities for paralegals are increasing, so is competition in the job market, making it even more important to have a degree in the field.
- Estimated Program Cost: $5,525 for Johnson County residents; $6,500 for residents of other Kansas counties; $12,870 for out-of-state students (based on spring 2014 tuition costs)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED; students age 18 and above may also be admitted it they have not graduated from high school but have determined by JCCC to be able to benefit from the courses in which they wish to enroll.
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On campus
Sample courses required:
- Civil Litigation
- Legal Analysis and Writing
- Legal Ethics, Interviewing and Investigation
- Advanced Legal Technology
Newman University
Located in Wichita, Kansas, Newman University is a Catholic University founded for the purpose of empowering students to transform society. Its goal is twofold: educating the mind and inspiring the spirit. The school offers a Paralegal Associate of Science degree, a course of study that involves at least 62 credit hours, 36 hours of which must be related to law.
- Estimated Program Cost: $46,934 (based on 2013-2014 per credit hour tuition)
- Requirements: High school diploma or GED; ACT OR SAT if under 21 years old unless transferring 24 or more credit hours. TOEFL or IELTS scores must be submitted by international students who have not completed English composition.
- ABA Approved: No
- Format: On campus
Washburn University
Washburn University, located in Topeka, offers an Associate of Arts in legal studies for students wishing to pursue careers as paralegals. This program requires 48 semester credit hours, including both general education classes and those focused on legal topics. In addition to its undergraduate program, Washburn University has a respected law school, should you decide to continue into a more advanced legal career.
- Estimated Program Cost: $11,376 for Kansas residents; $25,680 for out-of-state students (based on 2013-2014 per credit hour tuition)
- Requirements: High School Diploma, GED or at least 24 hours of college courses; ACT/COMPASS required for students who have not completed 24 hours of college courses. Consult Washburn’s admissions requirements for details regarding required GPA and ACT scores.
- ABA Approved: No
- Format: On campus
Sample courses required:
- Social Sciences
- Introduction to Paralegalism
- Legal Research
- Corporate Law
- Personal Injury Law
Paralegal Bachelor’s Degrees
Washburn University
Washburn University offers a Bachelor of legal studies (BLS) through its School of Applied Studies. Located in the state capital of Topeka and founded in 1865, Washburn is a four-year university with over 7,000 students. In addition to certificate and undergraduate programs, students can tackle graduate programs in many fields or study in Washburn’s well-regarded law school.
- Estimated Program Cost: $28,440 for Kansas residents; $64,200 for out-of-state students (based on 2013-2014 per credit hour tuition)
- Requirements: High School Diploma, GED or at least 24 hours of college courses; ACT/COMPASS required for students who have not completed 24 hours of college courses. Consult Washburn’s admissions requirements for details regarding required GPA and ACT scores.
- ABA Approved: No
- Format: On campus
Professional Organizations
- The Kansas Paralegal Association (KPA) is a professional organization open to paralegals, legal assistants, students, paralegal educators and institutions interested in promoting professional standards in the paralegal community, fostering creative expansion of paralegal careers, meeting and exchanging ideas and establishing working relationships with local, state and national paralegal and bar associations.
- The Kansas Association of Legal Assistants (KALA) is a statewide association affiliated with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). KALA supports formal education for legal assistants and paralegals and offers continuing education through practicums and seminars. They support and endorse certification through the Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) exam and offer study groups to help legal assistants prepare for this exam. In addition, they offer a job registry of legal assistant openings and award an annual scholarship. Membership is open to individuals with on-the-job training as a legal assistant, specified experience as a legal assistant, those who have passed the CLA exam and those who have have graduated from paralegal educational programs as outlined in their membership guidelines.
- The Heartland Paralegal Association (HPA) serves members in the metro Kansas City area, both Kansas and Missouri, along with the surrounding region. This association fosters good relationships between local paralegals and legal assistants, NALA and the legal community. They also sponsor continuing education prgrams, in addition to educating the community about the paralegal community and services.
- The Kansas City Paralegal Association (KCPA) is active in the Kansas City area. They promote professionalism in the paralegal community and offer networking opportunities through luncheons, a newsletter, seminars and other events, as well as share resources and information concerning the paralegal profession.
- The Kansas Bar Association (KBA) is an association not only for attorneys, but also for judges, law students and paralegals. They also have a paralegal committee that works to enhance professionalism, high standards and guidelines in the paralegal community.
2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary data and job market trends for paralegals reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2022.