Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Santa Maria

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

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 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#23. Dietetic technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $39,500
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#22. Preschool teachers, except special education

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $40,060
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

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)

#21. Chemical technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $43,160
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $43,670
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#19. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $45,310
- #160 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. Forest and conservation technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $47,060
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#17. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $49,250
- #22 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)

#16. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $49,760
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#15. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $62,900
- #58 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#14. Architectural and civil drafters

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $64,370
- #26 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)

#13. Paralegals and legal assistants

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $65,030
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#12. Mechanical drafters

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $66,160
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#11. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $70,070
- #27 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#10. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $70,150
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#9. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $72,810
- #66 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)

#8. Medical equipment repairers

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $73,470
- #8 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)

#7. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $73,820
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#6. Physical therapist assistants

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $76,390
- #3 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#5. Computer network support specialists

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $76,560
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#4. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $88,990
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#3. Respiratory therapists

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $93,470
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $104,420
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#1. Dental hygienists

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Annual mean salary: $125,750
- #1 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

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