Est. Earnings (1yr)
$40,429
Est. from national median (41 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$19,500
Est. from national median (15 programs)

Analysis

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.48 puts this program in reasonable territory—you'd expect to owe roughly half what you'll earn in your first year. Based on comparable Legal Support Services programs nationally, graduates typically earn around $40,000 starting out, while accumulating roughly $19,500 in debt. That's a manageable burden if the credential actually opens doors to paralegal or legal assistant positions, where steady employment matters more than stratospheric starting salaries.

The challenge here is that these figures come from peer programs nationwide, not Greenville Tech's actual outcomes—the graduate pool is too small for the Department of Education to report. That means you're betting on this program performing like the national median, which could be optimistic or pessimistic depending on Greenville's local legal market and the program's employer connections. South Carolina has eight schools offering this credential, so competition for entry-level positions exists, and without concrete data on Greenville Tech's placement rates or graduate outcomes, you're working with incomplete information.

Before committing, nail down specifics the data can't tell you: where recent graduates actually landed jobs, what percentage found legal work versus adjacent fields, and whether local law firms actively recruit from this program. The estimated numbers suggest a workable financial outcome, but only if the certificate delivers genuine entry into the legal support profession rather than leaving you qualified on paper but overlooked in practice.

Where Greenville Technical College Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all legal support services certificate's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs Nationally

Legal Support Services certificate's programs at top institutions nationally

Scroll to see more →

SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Greenville Technical CollegeGreenville$5,639$40,429*$19,500*
Tacoma Community CollegeTacoma$4,920$50,681*$17,629*0.35
Loyola University ChicagoChicago$51,716$48,819*$35,000*0.72
North Hennepin Community CollegeBrooklyn Park$5,050$48,599*$52,694*
Edmonds CollegeLynnwood$4,669$45,880*$23,471*0.51
College of Lake CountyGrayslake$4,494$45,094**
National Median$40,429*$20,834*0.52
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with legal support services graduates

Court Reporters and Simultaneous Captioners

Use verbatim methods and equipment to capture, store, retrieve, and transcribe pretrial and trial proceedings or other information. Includes stenocaptioners who operate computerized stenographic captioning equipment to provide captions of live or prerecorded broadcasts for hearing-impaired viewers.

$67,310/yrJobs growth:Postsecondary nondegree award

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Assist lawyers by investigating facts, preparing legal documents, or researching legal precedent. Conduct research to support a legal proceeding, to formulate a defense, or to initiate legal action.

$61,010/yrJobs growth:Associate's degree

Interpreters and Translators

Interpret oral or sign language, or translate written text from one language into another.

$59,440/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Perform secretarial duties using legal terminology, procedures, and documents. Prepare legal papers and correspondence, such as summonses, complaints, motions, and subpoenas. May also assist with legal research.

$47,460/yrJobs growth:High school diploma or equivalent

Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers

Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance documents or details for a variety of purposes. May compile lists of mortgages, contracts, and other instruments pertaining to titles by searching public and private records for law firms, real estate agencies, or title insurance companies.

Legal Support Workers, All Other

All legal support workers not listed separately.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Greenville Technical College, approximately 33% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the national median of 41 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.