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Legal Research

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 22.0201 - 22.0299.

Types of Degrees Legal Research Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Legal Research can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	21
Bachelor’s Degree	150
Master’s Degree	10,974
Doctor’s Degree	388

What Legal Research Majors Need to Know

Studies in Legal Research develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Legal Research graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Legal Research emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Law and Government — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Legal Research program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Legal Research careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Legal Research graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.5 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Coaching and Developing Others	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Legal Research professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
LexisNexis	Information retrieval or search software	—
Thomson Reuters Westlaw	Information retrieval or search software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
CT Summation iBlaze	Document management software	—
AbacusNext HotDocs	Document management software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Publisher	Desktop publishing software	—
LexisNexis CaseMap	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Legal Research graduates include:

• Torts Law Professor
• Constitutional Law Professor
• Adjunct Law Professor
• College Professor
• Contracts Law Professor
• Paralegal Instructor
• Instructor
• Adjunct Professor
• U.S. Law Instructor (United States Law Instructor)
• Law Lecturer
• Criminal Law Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Media Law Faculty Member
• Legal Writing Professor
• Clinical Law Professor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Legal Research graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
First professional degree	43.1%
Doctoral degree	40.7%
Master’s degree	13.4%
Post-master’s certificate	1.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	0.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Legal Research?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 60.4% of Legal Research degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6,962	60.4%
Men	4,571	39.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Legal Research graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,724	23.6%
Asian	468	4.1%
Hispanic or Latino	866	7.5%
Black or African American	771	6.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	134	1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	4	0.0%
Two or More Races	206	1.8%
Race Unknown	1,320	11.4%
International Students	5,040	43.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Legal Research Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Legal Research graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$78,306
4 years	$93,383
5 years	$107,509

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $107,509 — roughly 37% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Legal Research Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Legal Research. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	2	1
Master’s	56	57

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Legal Research Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Legal Research graduates earn a median of $93,383 four years after completion — roughly 146% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Legal Studies and Professions	68,755
Law	39,447
Legal Support Services	10,492
Legal Professions and Studies, Other	2,487
Non-Professional Legal Studies	728

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.