Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Austin

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February 1, 2021
SofikoS // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Austin

The American economy is increasingly becoming one in which a high school education is simply not enough. Of the 55 million job openings expected from 2010 to 2020, only 36% will require a high school education or less, 30% will require some college or an associate degree, while 35% will require at least a bachelor's degree, according Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workplace.

Attaining an associate degree or better for 25- to 29-year-olds increased from 38% to 46% between 2000 to 2017, while bachelors degree attainment or better increased from 29% to 36%, and attainment of master's degrees or higher grew grown from 5% to 9%, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. While the largest percentage of U.S. workers only hold a high school diploma—with the second-highest percentage belonging to those with baccalaureate degrees—the number of holders of an associate or technical degree is rising.

Fortunately, the number of associate degree-friendly positions is growing. Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying jobs that require a 2-year degree in Austin using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With many people finding the cost of a four-year education too high, given the rising cost of tuition and stagnant wage growth, it's encouraging to know that there are obtainable, well-paying professions for those with a two-year degree. While a bachelor's degree holder can be expected to make about $500,000 more in lifetime earnings compared with an associate degree holder, the jobs we have listed show the exceptions.

Keep reading to learn about some well-paying gigs you can land with an associate degree.

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Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

#33. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $32,140
- Employment: 1,190

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
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CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#32. Preschool teachers, except special education

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $34,160
- Employment: 4,160

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#31. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $43,100
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#30. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $43,200
- Employment: 1,120

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340
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Canva

#29. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $46,680
- Employment: 470

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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Queryzo // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Forest and conservation technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $47,060
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060
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photodiem // Shutterstock

#27. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $47,070
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620
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Lighthunter // Shutterstock

#26. Medical equipment repairers

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $47,380
- Employment: 350

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#25. Chemical technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,190
- Employment: 480

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760
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Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

#24. Avionics technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,950
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,970
- Employment: 21,750
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Gearstd // Shutterstock

#23. Mechanical drafters

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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GOLFX // Shutterstock

#22. Desktop publishers

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,030
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 8,740
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#21. Paralegals and legal assistants

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,590
- Employment: 3,790

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
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Canva

#20. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,800
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

#19. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,900
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
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Canva

#18. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,690
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#17. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $57,370
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820
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Halfpoint // Shutterstock

#16. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,770
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
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lenetstan // Shutterstock

#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,790
- Employment: 1,170

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
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Canva

#14. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,820
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 11,540
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

#13. Respiratory therapists

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $59,830
- Employment: 880

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
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Hitdelight // Shutterstock

#12. Architectural and civil drafters

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $60,520
- Employment: 930

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
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Canva

#11. Electrical and electronics drafters

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $62,370
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#10. Computer network support specialists

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $62,880
- Employment: 2,750

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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U.S. Geological Survey // Flickr

#9. Geological and hydrologic technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,890
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,800
- Employment: 17,110
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Canva

#8. Physical therapist assistants

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $66,000
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
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Canva

#7. Occupational therapy assistants

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,100
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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anyaivanova // Shutterstock

#6. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,640
- Employment: 1,940

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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SofikoS // Shutterstock

#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $72,800
- Employment: 430

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
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Canva

#4. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $75,750
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900
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Canva

#3. Nuclear medicine technologists

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $79,090
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#2. Web developers and digital interface designers

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $80,570
- Employment: 2,160

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
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Canva

#1. Dental hygienists

Austin-Round Rock, TX
- Annual mean salary: $84,570
- Employment: 1,250

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560

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