Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Tucson

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

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 Tucson, AZ using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#28. Preschool teachers, except special education

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $32,170
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,150

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)

#27. Dietetic technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $32,270
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

National
- Annual mean salary: $32,920
- Employment: 26,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($55,550)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,700)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,370)

#26. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $34,460
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

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)

#25. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $40,300
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#24. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $42,320
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#23. Broadcast technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $46,380
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#22. Paralegals and legal assistants

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $48,120
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230

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. Chemical technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $50,310
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#20. Medical equipment repairers

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $50,390
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#19. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $51,400
- #114 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#18. Architectural and civil drafters

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $54,020
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

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)

#17. Computer network support specialists

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $54,660
- #383 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

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)

#16. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $57,130
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#15. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $58,660
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#14. Respiratory therapists

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $59,770
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560

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)

#13. Physical therapist assistants

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $59,840
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

#12. Occupational therapy assistants

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $60,730
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#11. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $62,960
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#10. Electrical and electronics drafters

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $64,680
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#9. Avionics technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $65,450
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $69,180
- Employment: 21,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,470)
--- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX ($87,670)
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($83,930)

#8. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $65,470
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $65,630
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

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)

#6. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $66,250
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#5. Mechanical drafters

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $66,520
- #43 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)

#4. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $72,080
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#3. Nuclear medicine technologists

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $79,650
- #41 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#2. Dental hygienists

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $80,450
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

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)

#1. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Tucson, AZ
- Annual mean salary: $82,870
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

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