Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Tampa

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

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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#35. Preschool teachers, except special education

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $30,650
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,150

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)

#34. Dietetic technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $31,020
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#33. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $36,000
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,480

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)

#32. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $39,190
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770

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)

#31. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $42,660
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760

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. Broadcast technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $46,550
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#29. Medical equipment repairers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $47,650
- #152 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640

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)

#28. Chemical technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $49,960
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

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)

#27. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $50,820
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

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)

#26. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $51,330
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#25. Paralegals and legal assistants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $54,290
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,140

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)

#24. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $54,490
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $54,580
- #301 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,080

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. Desktop publishers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $54,900
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#21. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#20. Avionics technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $55,650
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#19. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $57,540
- #128 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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)

#18. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $58,870
- #103 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)

#17. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $59,180
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#16. Architectural and civil drafters

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $59,790
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,140

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)

#15. Electrical and electronics drafters

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $62,090
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#14. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

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

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $63,030
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#12. Mechanical drafters

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $63,350
- #65 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390

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. Respiratory therapists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $63,900
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,370

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)

#10. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $63,940
- #131 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,130

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)

#9. Occupational therapy assistants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $64,040
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490

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)

#8. Physical therapist assistants

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $68,710
- #35 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,120

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. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $68,780
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580

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)

#6. Computer network support specialists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $72,240
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,530

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)

#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $74,420
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020

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)

#4. Dental hygienists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $74,530
- #208 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,910

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)

#3. Nuclear medicine technologists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $77,270
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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. Radiation therapists

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $92,780
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#1. Air traffic controllers

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Annual mean salary: $119,810
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

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