Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Waco

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

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 Waco 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

#19. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $30,960
- Employment: 140

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

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $37,510
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- Employment: 28,650
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#17. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $38,420
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,480
- Employment: 68,870
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Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock

#16. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $39,080
- Employment: 90

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

#15. Architectural and civil drafters

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,710
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- Employment: 98,800
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#14. Paralegals and legal assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,310
- Employment: 170

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

#13. Respiratory therapists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,940
- Employment: data not available

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

#12. Mechanical drafters

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,700
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,500
- Employment: 55,210
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#11. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,850
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,400
- Employment: 67,110
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

#10. Computer network support specialists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,090
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,860
- Employment: 185,430
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#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,550
- Employment: 150

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

#8. Web developers and digital interface designers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $59,790
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,370
- Employment: 148,340
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#7. Avionics technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $63,100
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,970
- Employment: 21,750
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#6. Physical therapist assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $69,660
- Employment: 70

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,520
- Employment: 96,840
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#5. Occupational therapy assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $70,510
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,880
- Employment: 44,990
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#4. Dental hygienists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $70,800
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,230
- Employment: 221,560
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#3. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $71,610
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,240
- Employment: 122,550
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#2. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $72,610
- Employment: 140

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,340
- Employment: 11,540
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#1. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $77,030
- Employment: 50

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

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