Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Huntsville

Written by:
July 15, 2022
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Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Huntsville

Although it all depends on what you make of it, choosing to further your education may lead to higher paying job opportunities. An associate's degree takes just two years and offers more affordable tuition rates than a four-year school. As of April 2022, the average yearly salary for an individual with an associate's degree comes out to $45,989.

Students have a plethora of specialties to choose from when obtaining a 2-year degree, from industry-specific roles in health care or IT or a more generalized education path. Salaries differ between areas of study, job type, experience, and, of course, location. A Georgetown University study that looked at job growth and education requirements through 2020 stated that 30% of job openings required "at least some college or an associate's degree." Students can choose to head right into the workforce after earning an associate's, or continue their education toward earning a bachelor's degree.

The unemployment rate for associate's degree holders is only 2%, according to research from the Education Data Initiative. Having an associate's degree under your belt is proven to increase one's chance of holding a professional or management position in any number of industries, among them education and health, wholesale retail and trade, and professional and business services.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest and lowest paying jobs that require a 2-year degree in Huntsville, AL using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#29. Preschool teachers, except special education

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $24,450
- #498 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

National
- Annual mean salary: $36,550
- Employment: 370,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($49,990)
--- Ocean City, NJ ($49,720)
--- Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ ($49,560)

#28. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $30,730
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $37,860
- Employment: 109,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($57,990)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,220)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($51,340)

#27. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $38,080
- #330 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- Employment: 108,470
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,410)
--- Napa, CA ($54,120)

#26. Broadcast technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $40,510
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $49,250
- Employment: 25,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($75,430)
--- Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY ($70,990)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($69,950)

#25. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $44,170
- #165 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,000
- Employment: 24,560
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area ($82,420)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($79,240)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($73,940)

#24. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $46,780
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,570
- Employment: 17,070
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($82,240)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($81,340)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($74,280)

#23. Chemical technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $47,780
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,700
- Employment: 63,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Billings, MT ($86,340)
--- Alaska nonmetropolitan area ($79,390)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($78,000)

#22. Paralegals and legal assistants

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $47,940
- #255 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,610
- Employment: 332,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($90,640)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($76,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,640)

#21. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $48,430
- #464 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,840
- Employment: 206,720
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($127,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($118,480)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($118,100)

#20. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $49,940
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,940
- Employment: 55,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($99,130)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($94,400)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,140)

#19. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $51,090
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,590
- Employment: 67,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,190)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($83,250)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($81,340)

#18. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $51,570
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,880
- Employment: 39,880
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($112,580)
--- North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area ($91,580)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($91,550)

#17. Dental hygienists

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $53,270
- #495 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

National
- Annual mean salary: $78,050
- Employment: 194,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($125,750)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($122,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($119,320)

#16. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $55,340
- #175 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,920
- Employment: 62,980
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS ($94,360)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($90,460)
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($86,020)

#15. Mechanical drafters

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $57,450
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,490
- Employment: 51,620
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,540)
--- Corpus Christi, TX ($90,720)
--- New Orleans-Metairie, LA ($82,590)

#14. Respiratory therapists

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $58,210
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,640
- Employment: 131,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($113,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,330)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($101,690)

#12 (tie). Medical equipment repairers

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $58,830
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $55,090
- Employment: 48,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($84,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($84,030)
--- Reno, NV ($83,450)

#12 (tie). Architectural and civil drafters

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $58,830
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,120
- Employment: 99,180
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC ($76,060)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,700)
--- Anchorage, AK ($75,650)

#11. Nuclear medicine technologists

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $61,950
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $82,080
- Employment: 17,510
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($149,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($148,240)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($135,080)

#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $63,200
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $77,790
- Employment: 73,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($138,110)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($137,140)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($131,080)

#9. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $63,460
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,310
- Employment: 115,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Northeast Virginia nonmetropolitan area ($99,890)
--- Fort Collins, CO ($91,980)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($90,780)

#8. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $64,060
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,680
- Employment: 11,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($106,970)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($93,540)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($92,190)

#7. Physical therapist assistants

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $64,580
- #73 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $59,440
- Employment: 92,740
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($85,960)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($76,390)

#6. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $65,500
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,960
- Employment: 39,270
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($133,590)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($127,930)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($120,550)

#5. Electrical and electronics drafters

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $65,800
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,720
- Employment: 23,020
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($98,380)
--- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX ($86,920)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($83,760)

#4. Computer network support specialists

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $67,390
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,040
- Employment: 184,220
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($94,120)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($93,670)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($92,190)

#3. Occupational therapy assistants

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $70,930
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,420
- Employment: 42,750
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($85,570)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($77,720)
--- San Diego-Carlsbad, CA ($77,650)

#2. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $78,320
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,960
- Employment: 31,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($79,780)
--- Huntsville, AL ($78,320)
--- Birmingham-Hoover, AL ($76,970)

#1. Air traffic controllers

Huntsville, AL
- Annual mean salary: $92,230
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $127,440
- Employment: 22,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($158,210)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($154,180)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($153,770)

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