Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Boston

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February 1, 2021
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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.

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#36. Dietetic technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $34,080
- Employment: 820

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230
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#35. Preschool teachers, except special education

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $40,230
- Employment: 14,420

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
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#34. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $42,560
- Employment: 2,350

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
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#33. Broadcast technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $46,390
- Employment: 620

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650
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#32. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $47,890
- Employment: 1,790

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340
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Queryzo // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Forest and conservation technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $48,120
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060
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#30. Medical equipment repairers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $51,500
- Employment: 530

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370
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#29. Chemical technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $54,920
- Employment: 1,260

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760
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#28. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $54,960
- Employment: 730

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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#27. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $57,360
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620
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#26. Mechanical drafters

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- Employment: 1,300

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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#25. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $60,860
- Employment: 960

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290
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#24. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $61,000
- Employment: 1,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820
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#23. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $61,100
- Employment: 290

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370
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#22. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $62,460
- Employment: 2,710

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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#21. Desktop publishers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $62,660
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 8,740
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#20. Architectural and civil drafters

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $62,880
- Employment: 1,620

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
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#19. Paralegals and legal assistants

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $64,000
- Employment: 5,570

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
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#18. Physical therapist assistants

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $65,500
- Employment: 1,600

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
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#17. Occupational therapy assistants

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $66,480
- Employment: 860

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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#16. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $68,200
- Employment: 3,200

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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#15. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $70,660
- Employment: 500

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
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#14. Electrical and electronics drafters

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $75,510
- Employment: 610

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
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#13. Respiratory therapists

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $76,110
- Employment: 1,530

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
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#12. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 900

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
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#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $81,120
- Employment: 3,700

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
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#10. Nuclear medicine technologists

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $82,660
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
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#9. Computer network support specialists

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $84,880
- Employment: 4,300

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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#8. Dental hygienists

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $84,910
- Employment: 4,760

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
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#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $85,890
- Employment: 1,250

National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900
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#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $88,030
- Employment: 1,180

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
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#5. Web developers and digital interface designers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $90,010
- Employment: 4,270

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
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#4. Funeral home managers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $91,200
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,220
- Employment: 9,400
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#3. Radiation therapists

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $92,890
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860
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#2. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $97,440
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
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#1. Air traffic controllers

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
- Annual mean salary: $137,080
- Employment: 520

National
- Annual mean salary: $120,140
- Employment: 22,090

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