As of May 2020, there were about 6,030 paralegal jobs in South Carolina. The average salary for South Carolina’s paralegals was $46,690, or $22.45 per hour during this time.
As with most professions, those with more experience and education are usually the ones who are hired for the more desirable, higher-paying positions. In South Carolina, the top-paid paralegals (top 10%) earned about $70,420 as of May 2020.
The demand for paralegals extends beyond law firms to insurance companies, corporations and more. Professional opportunities often increase for paralegals with a paralegal education and industry certification.
South Carolina Paralegal Certification
Certification or licensing is not required for paralegals in the state of South Carolina.
Where to Earn Your Paralegal Certificate or Degree in South Carolina
Paralegal Certificates
Horry Georgetown Technical College (HGTC)
Located in Conway, South Carolina, Horry Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) offers a paralegal specialist certificate designed to prepare students to work under the supervision of attorneys. Students learn and practice documentary and legal research, gain the ability to recommend solutions for procedural problems and come to understand office procedure in the legal environment. Upon completion of this 40-semester credit hour program, graduates have found work in law firms, government offices and the private sector.
- Estimated Program Cost: $5,560 for Horry or Georgetown County residents; $7,080 for South Carolina residents outside of Horry and Georgetown Counties; $10,080 for out-of-state students (based on 2013-2014 per-credit tuition)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma, GED or age 18 or above; ACT, SAT or COMPASS scores
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On campus
Sample Required Courses:
- Torts
- Business Law I
- Legal Writing
- Introduction to Law & Ethics
- Legal Bibliography
Midlands Technical College (MTC)
Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a public, two-year institution based in Columbia, South Carolina that offers a post-baccalaureate paralegal certificate. This program is for students who already have a bachelor’s degree and are looking to change careers or seeking more education in their field to add to their knowledge or advance in the workplace.
- Estimated Program Cost: $3,624 for county residents; $4,536 (for out-of-county state residents; $10,872 for out-of-state students (based on spring 2014 per-credit tuition)
- Prerequisites: Bachelor’s degree
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On campus with a few courses offered online
Sample required courses:
- Torts
- Business Law I
- Civil Litigation
- Wills, Trust & Probate
- Property Law
Paralegal Associate Degrees
Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC)
Serving Clarendon, Lee, Kershaw and Sumter counties, Central Carolina Technical College (CCTC) is a public, two-year institution. Its paralegal Associate in Applied Science includes general education courses that give students necessary oral and written communication skills, while the core legal program provides students with an understanding of the court system and the processes of civil and criminal litigation. Students also learn to prepare legal research and documents in at least three areas of law.
- Estimated Program Cost: $10,695 for residents of Clarendon, Lee, Kershaw and Sumter County; $12,420 for state residents of other counties; $18,492 for out-of-state students (based on fall 2013 per-credit tuition)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED; age 18 or above
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On campus
Sample required courses:
- Introduction to Computers
- Introduction to Law and Ethics
- Torts
- Office Accounting
- Legal Writing
- Civil Litigation I
Greenville Technical College (GTC)
Greenville Technical College (GTC) offers a 64-credit paralegal Associate in Applied Science. Students are trained in factual research and conducting interviews as well as reviewing, analyzing and drafting legal documents, enabling them to work in entry-level positions. The program is taught primarily by licensed attorneys and both day and night courses are available.
- Estimated Program Cost: $13,824 for in-county residents; $14,720 for out-of-county state residents; $24,960 for out-of-state students (based on fall 2013 per-credit tuition and fees)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On campus
Sample required courses:
- Legal Writing
- Legal Bibliography
- Claims Investigation
- Property Law
Trident Technical College
Located in Charleston, South Carolina, Trident Technical College (TTC) offers a paralegal Associate in Applied Science. The program is designed to prepare students to draft legal documents, conduct research and apply ethical principles. Students receive a well-rounded general education, along with a core legal education to prepare them for working under the direction of attorneys.
- Estimated Program Cost: $10,902 for residents of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester Counties; $12,100 out-of-county state residents; $20,643 for out-of-state students (based on 2013-2014 per credit tuition)
- Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED; English and math proficiency
- ABA Approved: Yes
- Format: On-campus
Sample required courses:
- Legal Writing
- Criminal Law I
- Introduction to Law & Ethics
- Claims Investigation
Additional Paralegal Educational Programs
Technical College of the Low Country
Beaufort, South Carolina
Degrees Offered: certificate, Associate in Applied Science
Florence-Darlington Technical College
Florence, South Carolina
Degree Offered: Associate in Applied Science
Greenville Technical College
Greenville, South Carolina
Degree Offered: Certificate
Horry-Georgetown Technical College
Conway, South Carolina
Degree Offered: Associate in Applied Science
Midlands Technical College
West Columbia, South Carolina
Degrees Offered: certificate, Associate of Applied Science
Central Carolina Technical College
Sumter, South Carolina
Degree Offered: Associate in Applied Science
Trident Technical College
North Charleston, South Carolina
Degrees Offered: certificate, Association Applied Science
Professional Organizations
- The Charleston Association of Legal Assistants (CALA) has been promoting professionalism in the paralegal profession since 1982. Membership meetings are held every month and provide excellent opportunities for networking and learning. Additional membership benefits include a job bank and opportunities for continuing legal education (CLE) and community service.
- The South Carolina Upstate Paralegal Association (SCUPA) works to establish fellowship among SCUPA members, the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and members of the legal community. It holds educational luncheon meetings, maintains cooperation with bar associations and supports continuing legal education. Members can keep up with association and legal news through the association’s publication “The SCUPA Scoop.”
- The Palmetto Paralegal Association (PPA) offers opportunities for continuing legal education; for example, luncheons are a way of networking, staying current with developments in the law and obtaining CLE credit. The PPA also holds an all-day educational seminar each year. Its newsletter, “In Brief,” contains information on local, state and national legal issues. Members also receive job listings via email and can keep up with salary trends thanks to access to PPA’s statewide survey of paralegal compensation.
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.