The Bureau for Labour Statistics provides great career information for North American men and women who want to embark on a new career or shift gears if you like.
The data provided for paralegals is up to date with data from 2010-2011.
The research points out 4 major things worth noting about the paralegal career and employment prospects.
1) The need for paralegal is still fairly strong however there is severe competition for jobs which makes it difficult for those who have just graduated and are looking for way to pay back their student fees.
2) The ones that do not need to worry are experienced paralegals – who have been in the field for a long time and also hold the necessary educational requirements.
4) Employers are taking on those with an associate degree in paralegal studies or a bachelors. If you happen to hold a degree in another discipline then a certificate in paralegal studies should suffice.
5) The main employer for paralegals are law firms, they employ two thirds of all paralegals in the US.
Median annual paralegal salary stood around $44K – which is a pretty sum of money especially if you have tuition fees you need to pay back.
Interestly enough paralegals are always needed in a recession due to the many bankruptcies, foreclosures and divorces that occur during these very difficult times.