Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Lakeland

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

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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#22. Preschool teachers, except special education

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $30,930
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

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. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $34,960
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#20. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $37,430
- #350 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#19. Medical equipment repairers

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $45,220
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#18. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $46,800
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#17. Paralegals and legal assistants

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $48,260
- #245 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

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)

#16. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $49,180
- #190 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#15. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $51,080
- #63 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)

#14. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $55,420
- #293 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#13. Mechanical drafters

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $55,600
- #154 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

#12. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $56,520
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#11. Chemical technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $57,210
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#10. Architectural and civil drafters

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $57,700
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $58,680
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

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)

#8. Physical therapist assistants

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $59,840
- #171 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#7. Respiratory therapists

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $60,720
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#6. Occupational therapy assistants

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $62,750
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#5. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $63,620
- #161 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)

#4. Computer network support specialists

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $64,600
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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. Dental hygienists

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $70,910
- #303 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $71,100
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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. Nuclear medicine technologists

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Annual mean salary: $75,000
- #71 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)

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