Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Sacramento

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

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 Sacramento 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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CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images

#33. Preschool teachers, except special education

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $33,470
- Employment: 3,430

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

#32. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $36,400
- Employment: 860

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,670
- Employment: 110,650
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Queryzo // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Forest and conservation technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $42,210
- Employment: 410

National
- Annual mean salary: $45,860
- Employment: 19,060
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#30. Dietetic technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $42,910
- Employment: 180

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

#29. Broadcast technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $44,250
- Employment: 230

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#28. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $46,030
- Employment: 780

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

#27. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $51,670
- Employment: 580

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

#26. Chemical technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $52,280
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,910
- Employment: 65,760
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#25. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $54,360
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- Employment: 18,010
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U.S. Geological Survey // Flickr

#24. Geological and hydrologic technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $55,110
- Employment: 120

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

#23. Mechanical drafters

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $56,290
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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#22. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- Employment: 70

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

#21. Paralegals and legal assistants

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 1,920

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

#20. Desktop publishers

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $62,090
- Employment: 70

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

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $65,150
- Employment: 650

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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#18. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $65,710
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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#17. Electrical and electronics drafters

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $65,840
- Employment: 180

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

#16. Architectural and civil drafters

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $67,020
- Employment: 720

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

#15. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $70,120
- Employment: 990

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

#14. Medical equipment repairers

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $71,250
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,130
- Employment: 46,370
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#13. Computer network support specialists

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $71,920
- Employment: 940

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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#12. Physical therapist assistants

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $75,470
- Employment: 400

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

#11. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $81,260
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,600
- Employment: 56,110
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#10. Occupational therapy assistants

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $92,580
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#9. Web developers and digital interface designers

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $94,040
- Employment: 630

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
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#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $96,750
- Employment: 290

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

#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $97,450
- Employment: 1,090

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,120
- Employment: 207,360
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

#6. Respiratory therapists

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $98,810
- Employment: 930

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,950
- Employment: 132,090
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#5. Dental hygienists

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $101,030
- Employment: 1,810

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

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $118,880
- Employment: 420

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- Employment: 72,790
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#3. Radiation therapists

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $124,720
- Employment: data not available

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

#2. Nuclear medicine technologists

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $127,930
- Employment: 110

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

#1. Air traffic controllers

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA
- Annual mean salary: $151,660
- Employment: 260

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

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