Educational attainment is a major determinant for how much Americans can expect to earn. In general, the more education and skills a job requires, the higher it tends to pay.

Many Americans choose to end their education with a high school diploma, while others go on to achieve a four-year bachelor’s degree. Some seek to gain a greater degree of specialization without committing to the time and cost of four years of college.

In that regard, associate degrees can lead to the acquisition of in-demand skills for specialized occupations – air traffic control and web development, for example – in just two years. While these jobs may not require a bachelor’s degree, they tend to pay significantly more than the typical job across all education levels.

The median annual wage for all occupations in the United States is $37,040. The annual wage of those with only a high school diploma is similar, at $37,110. Those with a two-year associate degree earn $51,050 a year. In fact, there are a number of occupations which typically do not require more than an associate degree that pay over $60,000.

Click here to see the highest paying jobs you can get with an associate degree.
Click here to see the detailed findings.
Click here to see the methodology.

39. Camera and photographic equipment repairers
> Median annual wage: $41,060
> Total employment: 3,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 4.7%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 46.0%

[in-text-ad]

38. Desktop publishers
> Median annual wage: $41,090
> Total employment: 14,800
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -21.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 48.3%

37. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
> Median annual wage: $44,190
> Total employment:36,200
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 9.5%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 61.2%

36. Chemical technicians
> Median annual wage: $45,840
> Total employment: 66,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 1.9%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 47.3%

[in-text-ad-2]

35. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
> Median annual wage: $46,040
> Total employment: 78,200
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 6.8%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 61.2%

34. Medical equipment repairers
> Median annual wage: $48,070
> Total employment: 48,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 6.1%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 46.0%

[in-text-ad]

33. Environmental engineering technicians
> Median annual wage: $49,170
> Total employment: 18,600
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 10.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

32. Paralegals and legal assistants
> Median annual wage: $49,500
> Total employment: 279,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 7.6%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 64.8%

31. Respiratory therapy technicians
> Median annual wage: $49,780
> Total employment: 10,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -19.2%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 44.9%

[in-text-ad-2]

30. Civil engineering technicians
> Median annual wage: $49,980
> Total employment: 74,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 4.8%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

29. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors
> Median annual wage: $50,090
> Total employment: 31,100
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 6.7%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 69.2%

[in-text-ad]

28. Drafters, all other
> Median annual wage: $50,470
> Total employment: 14,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -3.4%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 60.8%

27. Architectural and civil drafters
> Median annual wage: $51,640
> Total employment: 94,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -3.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 60.8%

26. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairs
> Median annual wage: $52,480
> Total employment: 13,600
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 6.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 33.8%

[in-text-ad-2]

Industrial engineer writing on notepad in factory
25. Industrial engineering technicians
> Median annual wage: $53,330
> Total employment: 66,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -4.5%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

24. Mechanical drafters
> Median annual wage: $54,480
> Total employment: 65,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -6.8%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 60.8%

[in-text-ad]

23. Mechanical engineering technicians
> Median annual wage: $54,480
> Total employment: 48,400
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 2.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

22. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
> Median annual wage: $55,570
> Total employment: 52,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 22.2%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 74.4%

21. Electro-mechanical technicians
> Median annual wage: $55,610
> Total employment: 14,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 0.7%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

[in-text-ad-2]

20. Geological and petroleum technicians
> Median annual wage: $56,470
> Total employment: 16,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 11.8%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 48.2%

19. Physical therapist assistants
> Median annual wage: $56,610
> Total employment: 78,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 40.6%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 77.2%

[in-text-ad]

18. Radiologic technologists
> Median annual wage: $57,450
> Total employment: 197,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 8.7%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 74.4%

17. Respiratory therapists
> Median annual wage: $58,670
> Total employment: 120,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 12.3%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 85.4%

16. Occupational therapy assistants
> Median annual wage: $59,010
> Total employment: 33,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 42.7%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 90.5%

[in-text-ad-2]

15. Electrical and electronics drafters
> Median annual wage: $59,970
> Total employment: 30,100
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 5.4%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 60.8%

14. Avionics technicians
> Median annual wage: $60,760
> Total employment: 17,400
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 0.4%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 42.9%

[in-text-ad]

13. Electrical and electronics engineering technicians
> Median annual wage: $62,190
> Total employment: 139,400
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -2.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

12. Engineering technicians, except drafters, all other
> Median annual wage: $62,330
> Total employment: 70,100
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -0.2%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

11. Computer network support specialists
> Median annual wage: $62,670
> Total employment: 181,000
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 7.5%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 63.0%

[in-text-ad-2]

10. Web developers
> Median annual wage: $66,130
> Total employment: 148,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 26.6%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 78.5%

9. Aerospace engineering and operations technicians
> Median annual wage: $68,020
> Total employment: 11,400
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 3.6%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 41.8%

[in-text-ad]

8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
> Median annual wage: $68,420
> Total employment: 33,600
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 10.3%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 74.4%

7. Diagnostic medical sonographers
> Median annual wage: $69,650
> Total employment: 60,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 26.4%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 74.4%

6. Dental hygienists
> Median annual wage: $72,910
> Total employment: 200,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 18.6%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 89.7%

[in-text-ad-2]

5. Funeral service managers
> Median annual wage: $73,830
> Total employment: 29,300
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 3.3%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 64.2%

4. Nuclear medicine technologists
> Median annual wage: $74,350
> Total employment: 20,700
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 1.5%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 74.4%

[in-text-ad]

3. Nuclear technicians
> Median annual wage: $79,140
> Total employment: 6,800
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -5.1%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 48.2%

2. Radiation therapists
> Median annual wage: $80,160
> Total employment: 16,600
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): 14.0%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 89.4%

1. Air traffic controllers
> Median annual wage: $122,410
> Total employment: 24,500
> Employment growth projection (2014-2024): -8.6%
> Pct. workers w/ associate degree or more 55.0%

In addition to offering the prospects of a better salary, jobs made available by an associate degree tend to be in growing fields. Employment in occupations requiring a high school diploma or equivalent is expected to grow only 3.9% between 2014 and 2024. Over the same period, the number of jobs requiring an associate degree is expected to grow by 8.7%.

In fact, most occupations that require an associate degree are growing. National employment is projected to increase in 29 of the 39 jobs listed here – just under 75%. With the exception of respiratory therapy technicians, all of the occupations that are projected to decline in employment are expected to decrease by less than 10%. Comparatively, just over 60% of jobs requiring less than an associate degree are expected to grow. A large share of these are projected to decrease by more than 10%.

Methodology:

To identify the highest paying jobs that typically require an associate degree, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed annual median wage estimates for all occupations from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage data are from the May 2016 survey. Data concerning the typical education needed for each occupation came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2014 Employment Projections report. The percentages of workers 25 and older in each of these occupations who have less than a high school diploma, high school diploma or equivalent, some college, no degree, an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctoral or professional degree also came from the BLS’ 2014 Employment Projections report. Total and projected employment for each occupation also came from this source. Full- and part-time occupations are included across all employment types, including federal, state, and local governments, as well as all private establishments. The Employment Projections report includes self-employed workers, while the OES excludes such workers.  

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.