
Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Boston
Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Boston
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 Boston 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.
You may also like: People who retire comfortably avoid these financial advisor mistakes
#36. Dietetic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $34,080
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230

#35. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $40,230
- Employment: 14,420
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
#34. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $42,560
- Employment: 2,350
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650

#33. Broadcast technicians
- Annual mean salary: $46,390
- Employment: 620
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650

#32. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Annual mean salary: $47,890
- Employment: 1,790
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340

#31. Forest and conservation technicians
- Annual mean salary: $48,120
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060

#30. Medical equipment repairers
- Annual mean salary: $51,500
- Employment: 530
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370

#29. Chemical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $54,920
- Employment: 1,260
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760
#28. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $54,960
- Employment: 730
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870

#27. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Annual mean salary: $57,360
- Employment: 310
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620

#26. Mechanical drafters
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- Employment: 1,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
#25. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $60,860
- Employment: 960
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290

#24. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $61,000
- Employment: 1,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820

#23. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $61,100
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370
#22. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $62,460
- Employment: 2,710
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110

#21. Desktop publishers
- Annual mean salary: $62,660
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 8,740

#20. Architectural and civil drafters
- Annual mean salary: $62,880
- Employment: 1,620
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
#19. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Annual mean salary: $64,000
- Employment: 5,570
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
#18. Physical therapist assistants
- Annual mean salary: $65,500
- Employment: 1,600
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
#17. Occupational therapy assistants
- Annual mean salary: $66,480
- Employment: 860
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990

#16. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $68,200
- Employment: 3,200
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
#15. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $70,660
- Employment: 500
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
#14. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Annual mean salary: $75,510
- Employment: 610
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
#13. Respiratory therapists
- Annual mean salary: $76,110
- Employment: 1,530
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
#12. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 900
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $81,120
- Employment: 3,700
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
#10. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Annual mean salary: $82,660
- Employment: 300
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110

#9. Computer network support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $84,880
- Employment: 4,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
#8. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $84,910
- Employment: 4,760
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Annual mean salary: $85,890
- Employment: 1,250
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900
#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Annual mean salary: $88,030
- Employment: 1,180
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790

#5. Web developers and digital interface designers
- Annual mean salary: $90,010
- Employment: 4,270
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340

#4. Funeral home managers
- Annual mean salary: $91,200
- Employment: 190
National
- Annual mean salary: $95,220
- Employment: 9,400
#3. Radiation therapists
- Annual mean salary: $92,890
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860

#2. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
- Annual mean salary: $97,440
- Employment: 370
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
#1. Air traffic controllers
- Annual mean salary: $137,080
- Employment: 520
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,140
- Employment: 22,090



