Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in New Orleans

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

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 New Orleans 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

#32. Veterinary technologists and technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $27,260
- Employment: 660

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
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CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#31. Preschool teachers, except special education

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $29,390
- Employment: 780

National
- Annual mean salary: $34,650
- Employment: 431,350
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#30. Dietetic technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $29,990
- Employment: 60

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

#29. Medical equipment repairers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $41,640
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#28. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340
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#27. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $46,820
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290
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Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

#26. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $47,950
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,360
- Employment: 25,440
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GOLFX // Shutterstock

#25. Desktop publishers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $48,500
- Employment: 40

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

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $49,210
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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NKM999 // Shutterstock

#23. Embalmers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $50,500
- Employment: 40

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

#22. Architectural and civil drafters

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $51,280
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
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Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

#21. Avionics technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $54,070
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,970
- Employment: 21,750
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photodiem // Shutterstock

#20. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $54,580
- Employment: 150

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

#19. Respiratory therapists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $55,250
- Employment: 810

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
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#18. Physical therapist assistants

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- Employment: 290

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

#17. Radiologic technologists and technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $56,250
- Employment: 980

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#16. Web developers and digital interface designers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,320
- Employment: 210

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

#15. Paralegals and legal assistants

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $57,570
- Employment: 2,200

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870
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U.S. Geological Survey // Flickr

#14. Geological and hydrologic technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $58,710
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,800
- Employment: 17,110
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#13. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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#12. Occupational therapy assistants

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $62,420
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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#11. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $64,400
- Employment: 270

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

#10. Mechanical drafters

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $65,500
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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#9. Dental hygienists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $65,790
- Employment: 490

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

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $65,910
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
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anyaivanova // Shutterstock

#7. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,290
- Employment: 390

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#6. Computer network support specialists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $66,620
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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#5. Nuclear medicine technologists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $80,240
- Employment: 18,110
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

#4. Funeral home managers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $69,820
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $95,220
- Employment: 9,400
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#3. Radiation therapists

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $73,760
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,620
- Employment: 17,860
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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

#2. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $80,270
- Employment: 110

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

#1. Air traffic controllers

New Orleans-Metairie, LA
- Annual mean salary: $90,980
- Employment: 80

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

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