Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in San Francisco

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

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 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#36. Preschool teachers, except special education

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $44,290
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,660

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)

#35. Forest and conservation technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $49,540
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 30,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($68,370)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,570)
--- Corvallis, OR ($62,260)

#34. Veterinary technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $52,220
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,230

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)

#33. Broadcast technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $52,370
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410

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)

#32. Dietetic technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $52,700
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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)

#31. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $55,410
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,710

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)

#30. Desktop publishers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $56,630
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,600
- Employment: 7,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,880)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($68,860)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,400)

#29. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $57,330
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#28. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $58,510
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,800
- Employment: 13,160
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($99,720)
--- West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area ($99,380)
--- Midland, TX ($98,040)

#27. Embalmers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $60,640
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,220
- Employment: 3,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($86,140)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($72,090)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,000)

#26. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $61,570
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

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)

#25. Chemical technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $62,100
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180

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)

#24. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $70,320
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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)

#23. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $73,800
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,920

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)

#22. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $74,260
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,790
- Employment: 13,210
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($95,360)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($82,470)
--- Trenton, NJ ($80,110)

#21. Paralegals and legal assistants

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $75,640
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,660

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)

#20. Architectural and civil drafters

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $75,700
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,460

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)

#19. Mechanical drafters

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $78,080
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

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)

#18. Physical therapist assistants

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $78,740
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 800

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)

#17. Electrical and electronics drafters

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $79,460
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

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)

#16. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $79,750
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720

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)

#15. Medical equipment repairers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $81,660
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 560

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)

#14. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $82,240
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#13. Computer network support specialists

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $85,060
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,140

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)

#12. Occupational therapy assistants

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $85,570
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $89,600
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440

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)

#10. Funeral home managers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $91,560
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,530
- Employment: 10,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,760)
--- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ ($115,400)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($112,820)

#9. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $92,190
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590

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)

#8. Respiratory therapists

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $109,330
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840

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)

#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $118,100
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,490

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. Dental hygienists

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $119,320
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,270

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)

#5. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $127,930
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $131,080
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 940

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)

#3. Air traffic controllers

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $148,100
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420

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)

#2. Nuclear medicine technologists

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $148,240
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#1. Radiation therapists

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
- Annual mean salary: $159,660
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

National
- Annual mean salary: $94,300
- Employment: 17,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($169,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($159,660)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($131,960)

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