Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Houston

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February 1, 2021
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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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Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock

#36. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $30,580
- Employment: 2,790

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

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $32,800
- Employment: 490

National
- Annual mean salary: $31,180
- Employment: 29,230
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Dragon Images // Shutterstock

#34. Broadcast technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $38,550
- Employment: 550

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650
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CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#33. Preschool teachers, except special education

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $39,290
- Employment: 9,120

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#32. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $42,450
- Employment: 2,550

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

#31. Forest and conservation technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,580
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060
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GOLFX // Shutterstock

#30. Desktop publishers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,840
- Employment: data not available

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

#29. Medical equipment repairers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,460
- Employment: 920

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

#28. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,200
- Employment: 500

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

#27. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $50,440
- Employment: 1,060

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,760
- Employment: 32,620
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NKM999 // Shutterstock

#26. Embalmers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $51,830
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,100
- Employment: 3,890
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

#25. Paralegals and legal assistants

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $52,480
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
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#24. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,650
- Employment: 2,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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Halfpoint // Shutterstock

#23. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $59,120
- Employment: 1,310

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
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#22. Electrical and electronics drafters

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $59,460
- Employment: 1,340

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 24,140
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Hitdelight // Shutterstock

#21. Architectural and civil drafters

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $61,350
- Employment: 3,060

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

#20. Respiratory therapists

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $61,450
- Employment: 3,000

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

#19. Chemical technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,100
- Employment: 3,280

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760
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Gearstd // Shutterstock

#18. Mechanical drafters

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,320
- Employment: 2,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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lenetstan // Shutterstock

#17. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $65,760
- Employment: 4,300

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

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,050
- Employment: 2,010

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#15. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $69,350
- Employment: 1,520

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,160
- Employment: 42,820
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U.S. Geological Survey // Flickr

#14. Geological and hydrologic technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $69,540
- Employment: 2,720

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

#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $69,980
- Employment: 3,030

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

#12. Avionics technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $70,570
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,970
- Employment: 21,750
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#11. Web developers and digital interface designers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $71,570
- Employment: 1,540

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
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SofikoS // Shutterstock

#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $72,320
- Employment: 1,510

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

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $73,100
- Employment: 3,190

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
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#8. Occupational therapy assistants

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $75,600
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

#7. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $77,150
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
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#6. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $77,610
- Employment: 400

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
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#5. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,190
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 11,540
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#4. Physical therapist assistants

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,530
- Employment: 1,470

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#3. Computer network support specialists

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $80,100
- Employment: 3,500

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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Canva

#2. Nuclear medicine technologists

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $80,650
- Employment: 470

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

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Annual mean salary: $89,980
- Employment: 620

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860

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