Legal Support Services at Hillsborough Community College

Hillsborough Community College's legal support certificate puts graduates ahead of most Florida programs in the field, with first-year earnings of $43,871—about $1,700 above the state median. That 60th percentile ranking among Florida's 23 programs matters because most students will compare this to other in-state options rather than out-of-state alternatives. The program also edges out the national median by over $3,400, landing at the 75th percentile nationally.

The debt picture looks reasonable at $27,000, translating to a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's actually below the state median debt load for this certificate and well below the national 75th percentile, meaning graduates aren't being saddled with outsized loans relative to peers. For context, even Florida's highest-earning program (Rasmussen at $40,492) produces lower first-year earnings than this one, though debt comparisons would matter for a complete picture.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. But for families weighing community college certificate options in the Tampa area, these numbers suggest a relatively quick path to employment that pays modestly above other Florida paralegal programs without excessive debt. Just verify current job placement rates given the small cohort size.