Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Houston
Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Houston
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 Houston 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. Veterinary technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $30,580
- Employment: 2,790
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
#35. Dietetic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $32,800
- Employment: 490
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230

#34. Broadcast technicians
- Annual mean salary: $38,550
- Employment: 550
National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650

#33. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Annual mean salary: $39,290
- Employment: 9,120
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350

#32. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Annual mean salary: $42,450
- Employment: 2,550
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340

#31. Forest and conservation technicians
- Annual mean salary: $44,580
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060

#30. Desktop publishers
- Annual mean salary: $44,840
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $48,740
- Employment: 8,740

#29. Medical equipment repairers
- Annual mean salary: $48,460
- Employment: 920
National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370

#28. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- Annual mean salary: $49,200
- Employment: 500
National
- Annual mean salary: $57,820
- Employment: 14,370

#27. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Annual mean salary: $50,440
- Employment: 1,060
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620

#26. Embalmers
- Annual mean salary: $51,830
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $50,100
- Employment: 3,890
#25. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
#24. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $58,650
- Employment: 2,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
#23. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $59,120
- Employment: 1,310
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
#22. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Annual mean salary: $59,460
- Employment: 1,340
National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140

#21. Architectural and civil drafters
- Annual mean salary: $61,350
- Employment: 3,060
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
#20. Respiratory therapists
- Annual mean salary: $61,450
- Employment: 3,000
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090

#19. Chemical technicians
- Annual mean salary: $64,100
- Employment: 3,280
National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760

#18. Mechanical drafters
- Annual mean salary: $64,320
- Employment: 2,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
#17. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $65,760
- Employment: 4,300
National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
#16. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $68,050
- Employment: 2,010
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110

#15. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $69,350
- Employment: 1,520
National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820
#14. Geological and hydrologic technicians
- Annual mean salary: $69,540
- Employment: 2,720
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,800
- Employment: 17,110

#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $69,980
- Employment: 3,030
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550

#12. Avionics technicians
- Annual mean salary: $70,570
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $66,970
- Employment: 21,750

#11. Web developers and digital interface designers
- Annual mean salary: $71,570
- Employment: 1,540
National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Annual mean salary: $72,320
- Employment: 1,510
National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
#9. Dental hygienists
- Annual mean salary: $73,100
- Employment: 3,190
National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
#8. Occupational therapy assistants
- Annual mean salary: $75,600
- Employment: 540
National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990

#7. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
- Annual mean salary: $77,150
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
#6. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $77,610
- Employment: 400
National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
#5. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
- Annual mean salary: $78,190
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 11,540
#4. Physical therapist assistants
- Annual mean salary: $78,530
- Employment: 1,470
National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840

#3. Computer network support specialists
- Annual mean salary: $80,100
- Employment: 3,500
National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
#2. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Annual mean salary: $80,650
- Employment: 470
National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
#1. Radiation therapists
- Annual mean salary: $89,980
- Employment: 620
National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860



