Legal Support Services at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College

J Sargeant Reynolds graduates from this paralegal program start at $38,066, placing them above both the state median ($35,872) and national median ($34,421) for associate-level legal support workers. That's the 60th percentile among Virginia programs—solidly middle of the pack in a state where the top two community colleges produce paralegals earning nearly $46,000. With $20,250 in debt, graduates need about half their first-year salary to cover borrowing, which is manageable compared to many community college programs.

The real caveat here is sample size: fewer than 30 graduates means these numbers could shift substantially year to year. One student landing an unusually good or poor position can swing the average considerably. That said, the program's positioning relative to peers suggests it's preparing students adequately for entry-level paralegal work in the Richmond market, even if it's not matching the performance of Northern Virginia Community College, which benefits from proximity to higher-paying legal markets in the D.C. suburbs.

For a student interested in legal work and planning to stay in central Virginia, this program offers reasonable value at a relatively low debt level. Just don't expect the premium salaries that Northern Virginia's legal market commands—those require either relocating or choosing a different campus from the start.