Online Master of Legal Studies Programs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania currently has two in-state universities offering online legal studies master’s-level options: Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) and Drexel University.

PennWest offers a 100% online MS in Legal Studies that requires 30 credits to complete. The program focuses on legal theory, ethics, reasoning, public policy, and applied legal analysis. While the university previously marketed emphasis areas under the former California University of Pennsylvania brand, the current PennWest program states that no concentrations are offered.

Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law offers a fully online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) that requires 45 quarter credits. Students may pursue the general MLS or choose an optional concentration. Current concentration options include Criminal Law, Cybersecurity and Information Privacy Compliance, Entrepreneurship and Law, Financial Regulatory Compliance, Health Care Compliance, Higher Education Compliance, Human Resources Compliance, NCAA Compliance, and Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Regulatory Compliance.

In addition to these in-state options, Pennsylvania students may also consider a wide range of out-of-state online Master of Legal Studies programs that accept remote learners.

Legal Career Outlook in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of the larger legal employment markets in the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the state employed 47,170 people in legal occupations, with a mean annual wage of $127,170 across all legal roles. Lawyers account for the largest share of that workforce, with 27,170 employed statewide and a median annual wage of $157,180. Philadelphia is the state's dominant legal market — the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro employed 32,950 legal professionals as of May 2025, with lawyers in that metro earning a median of $170,660 — while Pittsburgh supported an additional 9,470 legal-occupation workers.

Careers with a Master's Degree in Legal Studies in Pennsylvania

An MLS degree opens doors across Pennsylvania's diverse economy, which spans financial services, healthcare, energy, higher education, and government. Graduates most commonly move into roles where legal knowledge is applied without practicing law, including:

• Paralegals and legal assistants: Pennsylvania employed 14,670 paralegals and legal assistants as of May 2025, with a median annual wage of $63,370 statewide. In the Philadelphia metro, median wages for this role reached $70,430, reflecting the concentration of large law firms and corporate legal departments in Center City.
• Compliance officers and risk managers: Pennsylvania's pharmaceutical and financial services sectors create strong demand for compliance professionals. Drexel's MLS concentrations in Financial Regulatory Compliance, Health Care Compliance, and Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Regulatory Compliance are directly aligned with these industries.
• Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators: Pennsylvania employed 310 arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators as of May 2025, with a median annual wage of $67,890. Pennsylvania courts operate active mediation programs, and the state bar maintains a roster of certified neutrals.
• Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers: With 2,220 employed statewide at a median annual wage of $52,220, title examination is a steady entry point for MLS graduates interested in real estate law, particularly given Pennsylvania's active residential and commercial property markets.

Top Legal Employers in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is home to several of the largest law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Dechert LLP, Ballard Spahr, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius — a firm that consistently ranks among the largest in the world by attorney headcount. Pittsburgh's legal market is anchored by firms such as Reed Smith and Klett Rooney Lieber & Schorling (now part of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney). MLS graduates may find non-attorney roles at these firms in areas such as paralegal services, compliance, contracts administration, and legal operations.

Beyond law firms, Pennsylvania's large healthcare systems — including UPMC (which employs more than 100,000 people statewide), Penn Medicine, and Jefferson Health — maintain substantial legal and compliance departments. The commonwealth government in Harrisburg is also a significant employer of legal professionals across agencies and the Office of General Counsel, and several federal agencies maintain regional offices in Philadelphia that hire legal support staff.

Note: Programs marked with * have been granted acquiescence by the American Bar Association (ABA).

Information last updated June 2026, using May 2025 BLS OEWS data. Job growth projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.

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