Legal Support Services at Lewis and Clark Community College

Lewis and Clark's legal support certificate carries an estimated $19,500 in debt—roughly $6,000 less than the state median for similar programs—while still producing earnings that match Illinois' typical outcomes for this credential. Based on comparable programs across the state, graduates can expect around $42,236 in first-year earnings, putting this program squarely in the middle of what legal support certificates deliver in Illinois. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 suggests manageable repayment, though it's worth noting that some community colleges in the state report graduates earning in the mid-$40,000s.

The limitation here is uncertainty. Because Lewis and Clark's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes, these figures reflect what peer programs typically produce rather than verified results for this specific school. That matters when the range among Illinois programs is substantial—from just over $40,000 to nearly $49,000 at Loyola. Whether Lewis and Clark's students land closer to the lower or upper end of that spectrum depends on factors like local employer relationships and internship quality that aren't captured in these estimates.

For families considering this certificate, the relatively modest debt load is the strongest argument in its favor. If the actual outcomes align with state averages, you're looking at a credential that pays for itself within a year. But recognize you're making this decision with less certainty than programs where actual graduate data exists.