Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Detroit

Written by:
February 1, 2021
Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Detroit

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 Detroit 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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#34. Dietetic technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $29,480
- Employment: 110

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

#33. Preschool teachers, except special education

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $34,200
- Employment: 4,980

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

#32. Desktop publishers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $38,680
- Employment: 80

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

#31. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 1,270

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#30. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $39,830
- Employment: 1,480

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340
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#29. Broadcast technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $44,210
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650
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#28. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $48,170
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620
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#27. Architectural and civil drafters

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $51,400
- Employment: 1,210

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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,220
- Employment: 4,530

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
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#25. Occupational therapy assistants

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $52,410
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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#24. Electrical and electronics drafters

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,140
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
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#23. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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#22. Physical therapist assistants

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $54,560
- Employment: 1,470

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
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#21. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,340
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
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#20. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,490
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290
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U.S. Geological Survey // Flickr

#19. Geological and hydrologic technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,770
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,800
- Employment: 17,110
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

#18. Respiratory therapists

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- Employment: 1,850

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

#17. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $58,670
- Employment: 1,100

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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $58,860
- Employment: 3,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
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#15. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,050
- Employment: 3,060

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

#14. Medical equipment repairers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,180
- Employment: 660

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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,960
- Employment: 2,700

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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#12. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $60,330
- Employment: 1,380

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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#11. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $61,030
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $74,270
- Employment: 37,900
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Gearstd // Shutterstock

#10. Mechanical drafters

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $62,500
- Employment: 1,180

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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#9. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $64,750
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370
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SofikoS // Shutterstock

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $65,780
- Employment: 1,230

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
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#7. Dental hygienists

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $67,130
- Employment: 4,250

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#6. Computer network support specialists

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $68,810
- Employment: 1,230

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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#5. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $70,670
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#4. Web developers and digital interface designers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $70,700
- Employment: 1,060

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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $74,060
- Employment: 300

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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $83,440
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860
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#1. Funeral home managers

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Annual mean salary: $167,840
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,220
- Employment: 9,400

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