Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Palm Bay

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

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 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#27. Preschool teachers, except special education

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $28,380
- #446 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820

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)

#26. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $34,640
- #259 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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. Chemical technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $42,980
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $44,010
- #133 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)

#23. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $44,020
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#22. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $45,360
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#21. Paralegals and legal assistants

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $46,900
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 420

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. Medical equipment repairers

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $50,280
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $56,660
- #156 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)

#18. Architectural and civil drafters

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $56,730
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $56,980
- #136 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)

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $59,010
- #239 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#15. Avionics technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $61,400
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#14. Respiratory therapists

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $62,140
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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. Computer network support specialists

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $62,680
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 470

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. Physical therapist assistants

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $65,060
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#11. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $65,400
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#10. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $65,910
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#9. Electrical and electronics drafters

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $66,100
- #39 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#8. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $67,930
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720

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)

#7. Mechanical drafters

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $68,280
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#6. Air traffic controllers

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $68,910
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#5. Occupational therapy assistants

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $69,250
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $70,840
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $72,800
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020

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)

#2. Dental hygienists

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $74,390
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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. Nuclear medicine technologists

Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
- Annual mean salary: $79,370
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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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