Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in New York City - Newark

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Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in New York City - Newark

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 York City metro area 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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#38. Dietetic technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $41,520
- Employment: 910

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

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#37. Veterinary technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $42,960
- Employment: 4,970

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650

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#36. Preschool teachers, except special education

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- Employment: 29,960

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

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#35. Forest and conservation technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $44,470
- Employment: data not available

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

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#34. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $47,960
- Employment: 10,510

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,620
- Employment: 117,340

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#33. Desktop publishers

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $51,950
- Employment: 780

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

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#32. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $55,260
- Employment: 1,890

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

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#31. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,530
- Employment: 480

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010

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#30. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,730
- Employment: 940

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

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#29. Chemical technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $57,930
- Employment: 4,460

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

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#28. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $58,090
- Employment: 1,410

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110

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#27. Physical therapist assistants

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $60,160
- Employment: 4,610

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

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#26. Broadcast technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $60,340
- Employment: 4,060

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650

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#25. Paralegals and legal assistants

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $60,430
- Employment: 29,030

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,020
- Employment: 329,870

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#24. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $61,090
- Employment: 1,820

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

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

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $62,000
- Employment: 1,030

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

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#22. Architectural and civil drafters

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- Employment: 6,860

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800

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#21. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $64,940
- Employment: 1,650

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

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#20. Mechanical drafters

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $66,160
- Employment: 1,940

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

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#19. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $66,770
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 11,540

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#18. Medical equipment repairers

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $67,620
- Employment: 2,170

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370

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#17. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $67,950
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,420
- Employment: 14,290

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#16. Avionics technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $69,630
- Employment: 470

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

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#15. Occupational therapy assistants

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $69,860
- Employment: 2,410

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990

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#14. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $71,160
- Employment: 2,860

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110

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#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $72,660
- Employment: 4,260

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550

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#12. Radiologic technologists and technicians

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $74,550
- Employment: 12,060

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360

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#11. Diagnostic medical sonographers

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $78,680
- Employment: 6,260

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

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#10. Electrical and electronics drafters

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $78,730
- Employment: 1,060

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

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#9. Respiratory therapists

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $79,150
- Employment: 6,650

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

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#8. Computer network support specialists

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $86,440
- Employment: 13,450

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

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#7. Dental hygienists

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $86,990
- Employment: 12,010

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

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#6. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $87,870
- Employment: 2,510

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

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#5. Web developers and digital interface designers

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Annual mean salary: $89,110
- Employment: 13,460

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