Est. Earnings (1yr)
$41,695
Est. from CA median (4 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$14,947
Est. from national median (42 programs)

Analysis

California's legal support programs cluster around $40,000 in first-year earnings, and peer programs suggest Oxnard College likely delivers similar results. With estimated debt of $14,947—roughly half the national median for this credential—the financial foundation appears solid. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36 means graduates would owe about four months of gross pay, a manageable burden that leaves room for cost-of-living expenses in Ventura County.

That said, paralegal and legal assistant positions in California face real competition. Some private career colleges in the state report higher outcomes (MTI College shows $47,535), while other community colleges trail significantly lower. Without program-specific data from Oxnard, it's unclear where this program stands in preparing graduates for California's legal market versus simply awarding a credential. The 35% Pell grant rate suggests the program serves students who need education to translate directly into employment, making placement outcomes particularly important.

The low debt estimate makes this less risky than most associate's programs nationally, but families should verify what actually happens to Oxnard's legal support graduates. Do they land positions at law firms, courts, or corporate legal departments? Are local employers hiring from this program? The estimated numbers suggest reasonable value, but actual job placement rates and employer relationships will determine whether this investment pays off for your child specifically.

Where Oxnard College Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Legal Support Services associates's programs at peer institutions in California (63 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Oxnard CollegeOxnard$1,416$41,695*$14,947*
MTI CollegeSacramento$47,535*$48,502$13,758*0.29
South Coast CollegeOrange$13,409$44,536*$48,586*
Fremont UniversityCerritos$38,854*$39,533$21,312*0.55
Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut$1,364$29,569*$34,315$14,353*0.49
National Median$34,421*$25,166*0.73
* 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 Oxnard College, approximately 35% 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 median of 4 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.