Legal Support Services at Inver Hills Community College

Inver Hills' legal support associate's program posts first-year earnings of $49,694—44% above the national median for this degree and ahead of bigger-name competitors like Herzing University. That's an impressive start, particularly for a community college program. However, the small cohort size (fewer than 30 graduates) means these figures could shift significantly with different students, and the 6% earnings decline by year four raises questions about career trajectory that warrant deeper investigation before enrolling.

Within Minnesota, this program sits at the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack rather than elite. North Hennepin Community College's graduates edge slightly ahead at $48,960, though the difference is modest. More concerning is that earnings drop from $49,694 to $46,860 between years one and four. This could reflect graduates switching from legal support roles to other positions, or simply the volatility you'd expect from tracking a small group.

The debt load of $24,521 is actually lower than both state and national medians, translating to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.5. For families seeking an affordable entry into legal services without a four-year commitment, this represents reasonable value—but the small sample size means you're betting on limited data. If your child is considering this path, connecting with recent graduates directly would provide the ground truth these numbers can't fully capture.