Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Cleveland

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February 1, 2021
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Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Cleveland

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 Cleveland 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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#35. Dietetic technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $29,580
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230
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CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#34. Preschool teachers, except special education

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $30,270
- Employment: 3,200

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
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#33. Forest and conservation technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $31,870
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060
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#32. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $34,830
- Employment: 380

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
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#31. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $41,680
- Employment: 690

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340
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#30. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $45,440
- Employment: 240

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620
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#29. Paralegals and legal assistants

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $48,320
- Employment: 3,260

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
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#28. Chemical technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $48,990
- Employment: 760

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760
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#27. Medical equipment repairers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $52,240
- Employment: 350

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370
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#26. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $53,790
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
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#25. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,280
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370
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#24. Electrical and electronics drafters

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,330
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
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#22 (tie). Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,800
- Employment: 470

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
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#22 (tie). Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,800
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290
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#21. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
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#20. Broadcast technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,370
- Employment: 160

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650
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#19. Desktop publishers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,480
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 8,740
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#18. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,610
- Employment: 600

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820
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#17. Mechanical drafters

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,640
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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#16. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,810
- Employment: 560

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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#15. Computer network support specialists

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $59,020
- Employment: 1,570

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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#14. Architectural and civil drafters

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $59,330
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
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#13. Respiratory therapists

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $59,660
- Employment: 1,340

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,450
- Employment: 510

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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#11. Occupational therapy assistants

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $61,070
- Employment: 840

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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#10. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $61,490
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $61,500
- Employment: 1,720

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
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#8. Physical therapist assistants

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $61,720
- Employment: 1,040

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
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#7. Dental hygienists

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $66,360
- Employment: 2,380

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $69,020
- Employment: 280

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $69,150
- Employment: 640

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

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $71,440
- Employment: 780

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
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#3. Nuclear medicine technologists

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $78,370
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
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#2. Radiation therapists

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $80,030
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860
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#1. Air traffic controllers

Cleveland-Elyria, OH
- Annual mean salary: $137,370
- Employment: 530

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

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