Legal Professions and Studies at Berkeley College-Woodland Park

Berkeley College-Woodland Park's Legal Professions program carries notably high debt—$34,413 against first-year earnings of just $32,325. While that 1.06 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, it means graduates start with essentially a full year's salary in student loans. The 14% earnings growth to $36,772 by year four helps, but even then, graduates are earning less than the national median for this program while carrying more debt than 95% of comparable programs nationwide.

Here's the surprising context: despite ranking in just the 22nd percentile nationally, this program performs reasonably well within New Jersey, hitting the 60th percentile among the state's four Legal Professions programs. That tells you more about New Jersey's limited options than about this program's strength. The state median is only $29,969, so Berkeley's graduates do clear that bar—but keep in mind 60% of students here receive Pell grants, meaning many families are stretching to afford this despite modest post-graduation outcomes.

For a child interested in legal support roles, community college paralegal programs typically offer similar career preparation at a fraction of the cost. If Berkeley is the choice, enter with eyes open about that debt load and the likelihood of needing several years to pay it down on a $32,000 starting salary. The small sample size adds uncertainty, but the core numbers suggest this is an expensive path to a modest-paying field.