North Carolina doesn’t require paralegals to be licensed or certified. The State Bar offers a voluntary North Carolina Certified Paralegal credential, earned through education or five years of experience plus an exam. Paralegals here earn a median $57,500 per year, and roughly 1,300 openings are expected annually through 2034.
Long ranked among the best states in the nation for its business-friendly environment, North Carolina is a hub for corporations such as Lowe’s, Bank of America, and Honeywell. Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, and more: North Carolina is home to multiple large metro areas where business thrives, and opportunities for paralegals abound.
Whether you have an interest in corporate law, bankruptcy law, litigation, or estate law, your solid work ethic, organizational prowess, and ability to thrive under pressure are a perfect match for a career as a paralegal. With 13,650 paralegals employed statewide as of May 2025 and about 1,300 job openings expected each year through 2034, the Tar Heel State’s legal sector hires steadily. Most of that hiring replaces people who retire or move into other work rather than filling brand-new positions, which matters for how you plan your entry into the field.
Department Chair, Paralegal Technology, Pitt Community College
Vicki chairs the Paralegal Technology department at Pitt Community College, a program the North Carolina State Bar has designated a qualified paralegal studies program. She teaches through a simulated law firm, where students take on paralegal and supervising attorney roles and work with the same case management and legal research platforms they’ll use on the job.
Interviewed for our faculty series. Not an author of this page.
Education & Certification Requirements
Before you can become part of this exciting profession, you’ll need to understand how to become a paralegal in North Carolina. The good news is that North Carolina doesn’t require certification to work as a paralegal. You can legally work with various educational backgrounds, from certificate programs to bachelor’s degrees in paralegal studies.
The paralegal-attorney relationship in North Carolina is governed by Rule 5.3 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which covers lawyers’ responsibilities regarding nonlawyer assistance. A lawyer with direct supervisory authority over a paralegal must make reasonable efforts to ensure that the paralegal’s conduct is compatible with the lawyer’s own professional obligations. Lawyers with managerial authority have a related duty to put reasonable compliance measures in place. A lawyer becomes professionally responsible for a paralegal’s misconduct in the specific circumstances Rule 5.3(c) sets out, such as ordering or ratifying it, or failing to take reasonable remedial action. Lawyers also may not ask paralegals to perform tasks that would constitute “practicing law without a license.”
Educational Pathways
Formal education in paralegal studies is the most common route into this work, and it is not the only one. Some employers hire candidates who bring relevant experience instead, and North Carolina’s own certification program has a route built for paralegals who trained on the job. As attorneys, corporations, and government agencies work within an increasingly complex legal framework, the level of responsibility they expect paralegals to take on has also increased. Law offices and other employers in North Carolina have come to rely on paralegals with the kind of expertise that can only come from earning a certificate or degree in paralegal studies.
There’s no shortage of opportunities for legal support staff in large metro areas, but in North Carolina, paralegals also have a strong presence in small-town firms and court systems. In fact, in 2016, the US Department of Labor reported that rural Piedmont employs the highest number of paralegals of all non-metro areas in the nation.
North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP)
With so many paralegals at work in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bar (NCSB) created a Plan for Certification of Paralegals, which was adopted by the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004. Under this plan, paralegals may voluntarily choose to become certified and use one of the following titles: North Carolina Certified Paralegal, North Carolina State Bar Certified Paralegal, Paralegal Certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Paralegal Certification, or NCCP.
The NCCP certification process involves meeting one of several qualifying standards and passing an examination offered by the NCSB. While it’s legal to work in North Carolina without meeting the NCCP requirements, many paralegals pursue the credential to stand out in a job search and to signal a commitment to the profession.
Who Qualifies to Sit for the Exam
Applicants must be legal residents of the United States. Note that this is residency, not citizenship. Beyond that, the State Bar recognizes four separate routes to the exam, and only three of them run through a paralegal studies program:
- An associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree from a qualified paralegal studies program, including at least 9 semester credits or 150 contact hours taken in a live classroom setting
- A certificate from a qualified paralegal studies program, meeting the same classroom-hours standard, combined with an associate or bachelor’s degree in any subject from an accredited institution
- A juris doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school
- A high school diploma or equivalent, plus five years (10,000 hours) of work as a paralegal or paralegal educator, plus one hour of continuing education in professional responsibility within the 12 months before applying. Work experience is documented by sworn affidavit from the lawyers or other supervisory personnel who have knowledge of it
That fourth route matters. Experienced paralegals who came up on the job, without a paralegal degree or certificate, can still certify in North Carolina.
National Certification Counts Here
Holding an active national credential removes the educational requirement entirely. The State Bar accepts the Certified Paralegal (CP) designation from NALA, the PACE-Registered Paralegal (RP) or Certified Registered Paralegal (CRP) designation from NFPA, the Professional Paralegal (PP) designation from NALS, and any other national paralegal credential the board approves. You still sit for the North Carolina exam, but you don’t have to satisfy the education standard separately.
One caveat if you’re planning around this. NALS has paused its individual certification exams while it revises them, so the PP may not be available to new candidates right now. Existing PP holders keep their credential and North Carolina keeps recognizing it. Check current availability with NALS before you build a plan around that route.
The terms “certificated paralegal” and “certified paralegal” are often used interchangeably, and they mean different things. A certificated paralegal has finished an educational program that awards a certificate. A certified paralegal has passed a credentialing exam. Some certificate programs admit students without a prior degree, while post-baccalaureate programs require one.
Cost, Timing, and Renewal
The exam is administered twice a year, in June and October, using remote proctoring from your own computer. Applications are due April 15 for the June sitting and August 15 for the October sitting. The total cost is $225, made up of a $125 application fee and a $100 exam fee, and neither is refundable.
Certification renews annually on July 1. To keep it, you complete at least six hours of board-approved continuing paralegal education each year, one of which must cover ethics or professional responsibility.
“We offered an evening program for students and are looking to expand that for individuals who already have a college degree but would like to get their paralegal certification, Paralegals are really getting the respect they deserve these days, and taking on more and more responsibilities on the job.”
Wendy Vonnegut · Methodist University
The National Certifying Bodies
Three national organizations credential paralegals. Confirm current exam availability with each one before you apply, because testing schedules change:
- The PACE and PCCE exams from the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), leading to the RP and CRP designations
- The Certified Paralegal (CP) exam from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
- The Professional Paralegal (PP) exam from the National Association for Legal Support Professionals (NALS), currently paused for new individual candidates
ABA-Approved Paralegal Programs in North Carolina
If you plan to certify through the education route, the program you pick has to be a “qualified paralegal studies program” in the State Bar’s specific sense. There are three ways a program gets there, and ABA approval is only one of them.
ABA-approved programs are automatically designated qualified, effective from two years before their ABA approval. Institutions that hold institutional membership in the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) are also designated qualified, effective from the year before their membership. Note that AAfPE membership is an institutional status rather than a program approval regime like the ABA’s, so the two are not equivalent. Everything else has to satisfy the Board of Paralegal Certification’s own checklist directly.
That checklist requires legal specialty courses built for paralegals, a legal research and writing course covering electronic resources, and a course in ethics and professional responsibility. Degree programs need at least 60 credit hours with a minimum of 18 in legal specialty courses. Certificate and diploma programs require students to already hold an associate or bachelor’s degree in any field, plus at least 18 legal specialty credit hours.
ABA approval itself covers curriculum content, faculty, administration, and institutional resources, assessed through self-evaluation and site review. It is a meaningful signal, and it is not the same thing as State Bar qualification. Check both.
Whether you’re looking to advance in your position with the District Attorney in Mecklenburg County, or the Wake County Public Defender’s office in Raleigh, or one of the big firms in a downtown skyscraper, then again, maybe you’re just wrapping up high school and have your sights set on landing your first job with one of these major players in North Carolina’s legal system, or maybe you’ve been grinding along in some other field for the past few years. Now you’re looking to become a paralegal to get the respect and pay you know you deserve, finally.
The profiles of average paralegal students can vary widely, but they’re all faced with a standard set of questions. The biggest one being: how can I find a quality online program, and how do I know if it’s right for my particular situation?
Paralegal Schools & Training Options in North Carolina
North Carolina offers a wide range of paralegal education options, from associate degrees and certificates to post-baccalaureate programs. Many programs offer flexible scheduling with online, hybrid, and evening classes to accommodate working students.
One warning before you enrol, and it catches people out. The Board of Paralegal Certification requires at least 9 semester credits, or 150 contact hours, of live instruction. Real-time delivery counts, including simultaneous broadcast and webinar classes, so a well-built online program can qualify. A program that can be completed entirely without any live instruction will not be designated qualified, no matter how good it is. If certification is your goal, confirm the delivery format of the exact credential you’re enrolling in.
The schools below include both State Bar-qualified programs and other paralegal and legal-studies options. Qualification attaches to a specific named credential, not to an institution, so a college whose associate degree is qualified may offer certificates or online tracks that are not. The list is a starting point for your research. Check the exact credential against the State Bar’s current Qualified Paralegal Studies Programs list before you enrol for certification purposes.
North Carolina Paralegal Schools
Alamance Community College
AAS in Office Administration with a Legal concentration – Campus
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Family Law Certificate – Campus
Wills and Estates Certificate – Campus
Cape Fear Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Diploma in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Civil Litigation Certificate – Campus
Real Property Certificate – Campus
Carteret Community College
Paralegal Technology Associate’s Degree – Campus and some online
Paralegal Diploma (post-bac) – Campus and some online
Central Carolina Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus and some hybrid
Paralegal Technology Diploma (post-associate) – Campus and some hybrid
Central Piedmont Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus, hybrid, and some online
Diploma in Paralegal Technology (post-bac) – Campus, hybrid, and some online
Coastal Carolina Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Technology Diploma – Campus
Paralegal Certificates – Campus
Davidson County Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Civil Litigation Certificate – Campus
Paralegal Real Estate Certificate – Campus
Durham Tech
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus and partially online
Paralegal Technology Diploma – Campus and partially online
Fayetteville Technical Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Diploma (post-bac) – Campus
Forsyth Technical Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Technology Diploma (post-associate) – Campus
Paralegal Technology Legal Assistant Certificate – Campus
Gaston College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus and some online
Paralegal Technology Certificate – Campus and some online
Guilford Technical Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Technology Certificate – Campus
Johnston Community College
Associate Degree in Paralegal Technology – Classroom and online
General Law Office Certificate (post-associate) – Classroom and online
Meredith College
Paralegal Certificate (post-bac) – Campus
Pitt Community College
Associate Degree in Paralegal Technology – Campus and some online
AAS in Legal Office Administration – Campus
Paralegal Technology Diploma (post-bac) – Campus and some online
Legal Office Administration Certificate – Campus
South Piedmont Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus and some online
Paralegal Technology Diploma – Campus and some online
Paralegal Technology Certificate – Campus and some online
Southwestern Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Technology Certificate – Campus
Surry Community College
Associate Degree in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Certificate in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Vance-Granville Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus and some online
Paralegal Technology Certificate – Campus and some online
Paralegal Technology Diploma – Campus and some online
Western Piedmont Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Online with some campus-based courses
Wilson Community College
AAS in Paralegal Technology – Campus
Paralegal Diploma – Campus
Paralegal Certificate (post-associate) – Campus and online
State Bar Qualified Paralegal Studies Programs
The directory above describes what each school offers and how it’s delivered. This table is a different thing, and if you’re certifying it’s the one that decides your eligibility. It reproduces the Board of Paralegal Certification’s register of designated programs, last updated January 6, 2026.
Read the middle column carefully. Designation attaches to the named credential, so a school whose associate degree is designated may also offer certificates or online tracks that are not. The date is the point from which graduates count: finish after it and you may state on your application that you graduated from a qualified program.
Because it works that way, this is a register of designations rather than a list of programs currently enrolling students. A designation stays on the record even after a program stops running. Two entries on the Bar’s list are omitted below because their institutions have closed, Charlotte School of Law and the Wilmington campus of Miller-Motte College. Confirm with any school that its program is still running before you apply.
| School | Qualified Credential | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick Community College | Certificate | August 2015 |
| Caldwell Community College, Hudson | Associate degree | September 1981 |
| Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington | Associate degree | May 2006 |
| Carteret Community College, Morehead City | Associate degree and diploma | February 1988 |
| Central Carolina Community College, Sanford | Associate degree | May 1987 |
| Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte | Associate degree and diploma | September 1976 |
| Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville | Associate degree | September 1987 |
| Davidson County Community College, Lexington | Associate degree | May 1976 |
| Duke Paralegal Studies Certificate Program, Durham | Certificate, classroom program only | July 2005 |
| Durham Technical Community College, Durham | Associate degree; diploma | January 1994; 2014 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville | Associate degree | August 1975 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem | Associate degree; diploma | September 1999; February 2009 |
| Gaston College, Dallas | Associate degree | May 1994 |
| Greensboro College, Greensboro | Associate degree and certificate | May 2006 |
| Guilford College, Greensboro | Certificate | September 2007 |
| Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown | Associate degree; certificate | January 1998; July 2018 |
| Halifax Community College, Weldon | Associate degree | August 2002 |
| James Sprunt Community College, Kenansville | Certificate | 2021 |
| Johnston Community College, Smithfield | Associate degree and diploma; certificate | January 1989; 2015 |
| King’s College, Charlotte | Associate degree | January 1992 |
| Mayland Community College | Certificate | June 2021 |
| Meredith College, Raleigh | Certificate | January 1980 |
| Methodist College, Fayetteville | Bachelor’s degree, minor in legal studies | August 1997 |
| Miller-Motte College, Fayetteville | Associate degree | May 2010 |
| Miller-Motte College, Raleigh | Associate degree | January 2010 |
| Mitchell Community College, Statesville | Certificate | October 2018 |
| Pitt Community College, Greenville | Associate degree; diploma | January 1992; March 2010 |
| South College, Asheville | Associate degree; certificate; bachelor’s degree | 1997; 2008; 2012 |
| South Piedmont Community College | Associate degree | 2002 |
| South University, High Point | Associate degree | January 2013 |
| Southeastern Community College, Whiteville | Certificate | November 2023 |
| Southwestern Community College, Sylva | Associate degree | January 1975 |
| Surry Community College, Dobson | Associate degree | January 1993 |
| UNC Chapel Hill | Certificate | June 2009 |
| UNC Charlotte | Certificate | September 2005 |
| Vance-Granville Community College, Henderson | Associate degree and diploma | December 2014 |
| Wake Technical Community College, Raleigh | Associate degree and certificate | February 2024 |
| Western Piedmont Community College, Morganton | Associate degree | January 1997 |
| Wilkes Community College, Wilkesboro | Certificate | May 2019 |
| Wilson Community College, Wilson | Associate degree; certificate | Not stated; February 2016 |
What Classroom Training Looks Like
Many North Carolina programs build their coursework around simulated casework rather than lectures alone, so graduates arrive at their first job already familiar with the software a firm runs on.
Faculty Voice
“The students and instructors behave as a law firm. “Paralegals” and “supervising attorneys” work as a team to produce authentic workplace products so that all students get real legal experience–they will use case management systems, westlaw and fastcase subscriptions, and specialized legal subject matter software.
Salary & Compensation in North Carolina
North Carolina’s economic climate equates to more opportunities than ever before for paralegals who lend their talents to the Tar Heel State’s legal services industry. The American Bar Association counted 26,515 resident lawyers in North Carolina in 2024. An earlier ABA survey series recorded 17.1% growth in the state’s lawyer population between 2011 and 2021. Those are two different measurement periods and shouldn’t be read as a single trend. A larger bar can support demand for legal support staff, though staffing ratios, practice mix, and technology all affect how many paralegals firms actually hire.
North Carolina ranks among the states with the largest paralegal workforces, employing 13,650 as of May 2025.
Statewide Salary Overview
North Carolina paralegals earned a median wage of $57,500 per year, or $27.64 per hour, as of May 2025. The mean was higher at $60,770 per year, or $29.22 per hour. When the mean sits above the median, it tells you the pay range is wide and stretched upward at the top end. It doesn’t tell you which employers or practice areas sit up there.
Both the state median and the state mean run below the national figures of $62,890 and $69,700. The wage data show that gap without explaining what produces it.
The figures below are pay distribution percentiles, not experience levels. A paralegal with twenty years in a small rural firm can sit near the 10th percentile, and a newer one in Charlotte can sit near the 75th. Location and employer type move these numbers as much as tenure does.
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,570 | $18.54 |
| 25th | $47,640 | $22.90 |
| 50th (Median) | $57,500 | $27.64 |
| 75th | $71,930 | $34.58 |
| 90th | $84,410 | $40.58 |
Hourly and Salaried Pay
Paralegal compensation is almost evenly divided between hourly and salaried pay. NALA survey data found that 51% of paralegals were salaried, while about 49% were paid hourly. That figure comes from a national survey of NALA respondents, not a count of North Carolina paralegals, so read it as a signal about the profession rather than a state-level split. The practical point holds either way: the hourly column above matters to a job offer as much as the annual one does.
Being paid hourly doesn’t mean working freelance. An hourly-paid paralegal is typically a firm employee working the same matters as salaried colleagues, with the difference showing up in how hours and overtime are tracked rather than in the nature of the work.
Salary by Metro Area
Charlotte and Raleigh pay well above the state average, and the gap between the top and bottom metro areas is roughly $17,000 a year at the mean. Charlotte’s highest earners clear $99,000.
| Metro Area | Mean Annual | Mean Hourly | Median Annual | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $66,200 | $31.83 | $59,870 | $99,530 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $63,060 | $30.32 | $61,880 | $85,560 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $61,690 | $29.66 | $52,500 | $89,720 |
| Asheville | $60,290 | $28.99 | $57,500 | $77,670 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $58,740 | $28.24 | $58,650 | $77,250 |
| Fayetteville | $57,500 | $27.64 | $60,370 | $74,400 |
| Wilmington | $56,840 | $27.33 | $56,060 | $75,600 |
| Jacksonville | $55,360 | $26.61 | $51,630 | $78,850 |
| Burlington | $55,260 | $26.57 | $51,620 | $71,240 |
| Winston-Salem | $55,240 | $26.56 | $50,680 | $75,040 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $55,140 | $26.51 | $49,430 | $70,520 |
| Rocky Mount | $52,580 | $25.28 | $49,140 | $68,630 |
| Goldsboro | $51,240 | $24.64 | $49,890 | $62,710 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $51,240 | $24.63 | $48,530 | $73,490 |
| Greenville | $49,340 | $23.72 | $47,530 | $63,790 |
Note that mean and median can diverge sharply in a single metro. Durham-Chapel Hill has a mean of $61,690 against a median of $52,500, which indicates earnings concentrated at the top of that market. The aggregate data don’t show how many people sit there or which employers they work for. Fayetteville runs the other way, with a median above its mean.
Job Outlook & Career Growth
Paralegal employment in North Carolina is projected to hold roughly flat. The state’s long-term projections show 12,420 paralegal jobs in 2024 growing to 12,440 by 2034, an increase of 20 positions, or 0.1%.
Flat net employment doesn’t mean no hiring. North Carolina expects about 1,300 paralegal openings each year through 2034. Nearly all of those come from people leaving the occupation, retiring, or moving into other roles, rather than from firms creating new positions. Replacement openings and newly created jobs both put you in front of a hiring manager, and they describe different labor markets. A flat-growth market can still produce substantial hiring. What it changes is the shape of the competition: you’re applying for a seat someone else vacated rather than one being newly created.
North Carolina Projections, 2024-2034
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024 Employment | 12,420 paralegals |
| 2034 Projected Employment | 12,440 paralegals |
| Net Change | +20 jobs |
| Percent Change | +0.1% |
| Average Annual Openings | 1,300 per year |
The National Picture, 2025-2035
The national outlook runs on a different projection cycle than the state figures above, so the two aren’t directly comparable. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects little or no change in paralegal employment between 2025 and 2035, with jobs moving from 404,900 to 403,800. That’s a decline of 1,100 positions, or 0% growth, against about 40,800 average annual openings nationwide.
BLS attributes the limited growth partly to technology, including artificial intelligence, which is expected to make paralegals more efficient at legal research and document preparation. How far that reshapes the work is an open question rather than a settled forecast. North Carolina’s own projection, which is close to flat but slightly positive, sits in the same broad territory.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Paralegals in North Carolina can advance their careers through:
- Specialization in areas such as corporate law, intellectual property, or healthcare compliance
- Senior paralegal positions with supervisory responsibilities
- Paralegal manager or legal operations roles
- Transition to litigation support or e-discovery specialist positions
- Compliance officer roles in corporate settings
Professional Associations
The North Carolina Paralegal Association (NCPA), founded in 1980, has worked for over 30 years to develop a strong paralegal network across the state and to advocate for the interests of paralegals in discussions on regulation, educational standards, and related matters. The NCPA championed the North Carolina Certified Paralegal plan as part of its commitment to raising the professional status of paralegals and demonstrating a commitment to ongoing education. The NCPA continues to respond to the needs and interests of its members by introducing new programs, partnering with Legal Aid of North Carolina to offer pro bono services, and providing continuing legal education (CLE) on hot topics in the paralegal profession.
North Carolina Paralegal Association (NCPA) Membership Levels
General Member – Open to North Carolina residents who meet one of the following:
- Paralegal school graduate who is or has been employed as a paralegal
- Three years of continuous on-the-job paralegal training
- NALA certification as a Certified Paralegal (CP)/Certified Legal Assistant (CLA)
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP)
Associate Member – Open to North Carolina residents who meet one of the following:
- Employed paralegals who have been working for less than three years
- Graduates of paralegal training programs with no work experience
- Paralegal educators
- Licensed practicing attorneys
- Former General Members
- Meets General Membership eligibility but resides out of state
Student Member – Open to students enrolled in a paralegal education program
Patron/Sustaining Member – Open to persons and entities who support the NCPA
Affiliate Member – Open to paralegal associations in North Carolina
Paralegal Educational Program – Open to schools that offer paralegal education programs
Regional Professional Associations
Many professional associations provide networking opportunities, develop working relationships with local bar associations, and offer ongoing education and professional development.
Raleigh-Wake Paralegal Association (RWPA) – Offers two levels of membership:
General Membership – Open to individuals who meet one of the following:
- Is or has been employed under the direct supervision of a licensed attorney
- Has completed a paralegal training program
- Is currently a North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP)
- Is an educator associated with paralegal training programs
Student Membership – Open to those enrolled in a paralegal training program
Metrolina Paralegal Association (MPA) – Affiliated with the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), the MPA offers three levels of membership:
General Member – Open to those who meet one of the following:
- North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP) credential
- Certified Paralegal (CP)/Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) credential from NALA
- Graduate of a paralegal program and currently employed as a paralegal
- Three years of on-the-job paralegal training
Associate and Student Members – Open to those who meet one of the following:
- A graduate of a paralegal program, but not currently employed
- Less than three years of paralegal work experience
- Enrolled as a student in a paralegal program
- Individuals, attorneys, and paralegal program representatives who endorse the paralegal concept
Patron – Open to persons and entities who support the goals of the MPA
Cumberland County Paralegal Association (CCPA) – Offers three levels of membership:
General – Open to those who live in Cumberland County who meet one of the following:
- Graduate of a paralegal program with current or previous paralegal employment experience
- Two years of on-the-job training as a paralegal
- Certified Paralegal (CP) or Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) credential from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA)
Associate – Open to those who live in Cumberland County who meet one of the following:
- Six months of paralegal training
- Graduate of a paralegal program
- Paralegal program educators
- Does not live in Cumberland County but otherwise qualifies for General membership
- Licensed North Carolina attorney
Student – Open to students enrolled in a paralegal program
Catawba Valley Paralegal Association (CVPA) – Offers five levels of membership:
- Professional: Open to paralegals, paralegal educators, and those employed in the judicial system
- Associate: Open to retired or unemployed paralegals
- Graduate: Open to recent graduates of paralegal programs
- Student: Open to students enrolled in at least an associate’s degree program in paralegal studies
- Educational Institution: Open to classes of paralegals with at least 25 students
Additional Regional Associations
Top Law Firms in North Carolina
North Carolina hosts offices of many regional, national, and international firms, and large firms are significant paralegal employers. Firms merge, rebrand, and open or close offices, so verify a name against the firm’s own site before you apply. Firms with a substantial North Carolina presence include:
- Alston & Bird LLP
- Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & L
- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
- Cranfill, Summer & Hartzog LLP
- Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo
- Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
- K & L Gates
- Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
- Mayer Brown
- McGuirewoods
- Merritt, Flebotte, Wilson, Webb & C
- Moore & Van Allen PLLC
- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
- Maynard Nexsen
- Parker, Poe, Adams & Bernstein
- Patterson Dilthey Clay Bryson
- Poyner & Spruill
- Robinson Bradshaw & Hinson
- Fox Rothschild LLP
- Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan LLP
- The Van Winkle Law Firm
- Ward and Smith, P.A
- Williams Mullen
- Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
- Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton
Important Contacts for North Carolina Paralegals
- North Carolina Paralegal Association (NCPA), affiliated with NALA
- Catawba Valley Paralegal Association, Inc. (CVPA)
- Cumberland County Bar Association (CCPA)
- Metrolina Paralegal Association (MPA), affiliated with NALA
- Raleigh-Wake Paralegal Association (RWPA)
- Research Triangle Paralegal Association (RTPA)
- North Carolina Bar Association (NCBA)
- North Carolina State Bar – Board of Paralegal Certification
- North Carolina State Bar – Guidelines for the Use of Paralegals in North Carolina
- North Carolina State Bar – How to Become a Certified Paralegal in North Carolina
- North Carolina Judicial Branch
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State
Frequently Asked Questions
Does North Carolina require certification to work as a paralegal?
No. North Carolina doesn’t require certification or licensure to work as a paralegal, and you can work with a range of educational backgrounds. The State Bar offers a voluntary North Carolina Certified Paralegal (NCCP) credential, which reserves specific professional titles for those who earn it.
What are the requirements for the NCCP credential?
You must be a legal resident of the United States and meet one of four standards: a degree from a qualified paralegal studies program, a qualified certificate plus an associate or bachelor’s degree in any field, a juris doctorate, or a high school diploma plus five years of paralegal work experience. An active national credential such as NALA’s CP replaces the education requirement. Everyone sits the exam.
Can I become certified in North Carolina without a paralegal degree?
Yes. The State Bar accepts a high school diploma or equivalent plus five years, or 10,000 hours, of work as a paralegal or paralegal educator, along with one hour of professional responsibility continuing education completed within the 12 months before you apply. Lawyers or other supervisory personnel with knowledge of the work document it by sworn affidavit.
How much does NCCP certification cost?
The total is $225, made up of a $125 application fee and a $100 exam fee. Neither is refundable. The exam is offered in June and October with application deadlines of April 15 and August 15, and certification renews every July 1 with six hours of continuing paralegal education.
How long does it take to become a paralegal in North Carolina?
The timeline varies by program type. A certificate program typically takes 6 to 12 months, an associate degree about 2 years, and a bachelor’s degree about 4 years. Post-baccalaureate certificate programs for those who already hold a degree usually take 12 to 18 months.
What’s the average paralegal salary in North Carolina?
As of May 2025, paralegals in North Carolina earned a median of $57,500 per year, or $27.64 per hour, with a mean of $60,770 per year. The 10th percentile sits at $38,570 and the 90th at $84,410. These are pay distribution percentiles rather than experience levels.
Are online paralegal programs accepted in North Carolina?
Employers widely accept online and hybrid programs. NCCP certification is stricter. The Board of Paralegal Certification requires at least 9 semester credits or 150 contact hours of live instruction, which real-time broadcast and webinar classes satisfy but fully self-paced coursework does not. A program that can be completed entirely without live instruction will not be designated qualified. Check the exact credential against the State Bar’s qualified program list before enrolling.
Which cities in North Carolina pay paralegals the highest salaries?
Charlotte leads with a mean of $66,200 per year, followed by Raleigh-Cary at $63,060 and Durham-Chapel Hill at $61,690. Charlotte also has the highest top end, with 90th percentile earnings of $99,530. Greenville is the lowest of the state’s metro areas at a $49,340 mean.
What’s the job outlook for paralegals in North Carolina?
North Carolina projects paralegal employment to move from 12,420 in 2024 to 12,440 in 2034, a 0.1% increase. Despite that flat net figure, about 1,300 openings are expected each year, almost all of them replacing paralegals who retire or change occupations rather than filling newly created roles.
Key Takeaways
- North Carolina doesn’t license or require certification for paralegals. The voluntary NCCP credential from the State Bar reserves specific professional titles for those who earn it.
- There are four routes to the NCCP exam, and one of them requires no paralegal degree at all: a high school diploma plus five years of documented paralegal work.
- An active national credential from NALA, NFPA, or NALS replaces the NCCP education requirement entirely, though NALS has paused its individual exams for new candidates.
- Certification costs $225 in total, with exams in June and October and annual renewal on July 1.
- Paralegals in North Carolina earned a median $57,500 per year as of May 2025, ranging from $38,570 at the 10th percentile to $84,410 at the 90th.
- Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham pay the most, with Charlotte’s top earners reaching $99,530.
- Employment is projected to stay roughly flat through 2034, with about 1,300 annual openings driven by turnover rather than growth.
- The State Bar’s qualified-program list runs to more than 40 credentials statewide. Qualification attaches to a named credential, not to a school, so check the exact program before enrolling.
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May 2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures for Paralegals and Legal Assistants. Long-term 2024-34 job growth projections from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, ProjectionsCentral. Figures reflect city, state, and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2026.
