
Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Dallas
Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Dallas
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 Dallas 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
- Annual mean salary: $28,700
- Employment: 570
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230

#35. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $35,180
- Employment: 10,790
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
#34. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $36,340
- Employment: 3,360
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650

#33. Embalmers
- Annual mean salary: $39,760
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,100
- Employment: 3,890

#32. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Annual mean salary: $43,590
- Employment: 3,490
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340

#31. Broadcast technicians
- Annual mean salary: $47,530
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650

#30. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Annual mean salary: $49,850
- Employment: 790
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620

#29. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
- Annual mean salary: $50,370
- Employment: 710
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440

#28. Desktop publishers
- Annual mean salary: $50,810
- Employment: 290
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 8,740
#27. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,160
- Employment: 1,260
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
#26. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $52,720
- Employment: 1,580
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110

#25. Medical equipment repairers
- Annual mean salary: $53,240
- Employment: 1,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370

#24. Mechanical drafters
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- Employment: 1,150
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
#23. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $55,690
- Employment: 800
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290

#22. Architectural and civil drafters
- Annual mean salary: $55,850
- Employment: 4,040
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800

#21. Chemical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $56,150
- Employment: 890
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760

#20. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $56,170
- Employment: 630
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370
#19. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $56,730
- Employment: 270
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
#18. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Annual mean salary: $60,120
- Employment: 820
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
#17. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $61,390
- Employment: 3,660
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
#16. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Annual mean salary: $62,690
- Employment: 7,940
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870

#15. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $62,730
- Employment: 750
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820
#14. Respiratory therapists
- Annual mean salary: $64,350
- Employment: 3,460
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
#13. Geological and hydrologic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $65,680
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,800
- Employment: 17,110
#12. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $67,070
- Employment: 640
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 11,540
#11. Occupational therapy assistants
- Annual mean salary: $68,360
- Employment: 1,400
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990

#10. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $70,430
- Employment: 3,090
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
#9. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $72,080
- Employment: 2,070
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Annual mean salary: $74,990
- Employment: 1,370
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Annual mean salary: $75,100
- Employment: 840
National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900

#6. Web developers and digital interface designers
- Annual mean salary: $75,200
- Employment: 3,850
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340

#5. Computer network support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $78,920
- Employment: 5,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
#4. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $81,030
- Employment: 5,060
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
#3. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Annual mean salary: $82,480
- Employment: 210
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
#2. Radiation therapists
- Annual mean salary: $86,970
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860
#1. Air traffic controllers
- Annual mean salary: $142,990
- Employment: 780
National
- Annual mean salary: $120,140
- Employment: 22,090



