Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Grand Rapids

Written by:
July 15, 2022
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Grand Rapids

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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#28. Dietetic technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $29,650
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700

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)

#27. Preschool teachers, except special education

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $33,230
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,020

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

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $37,860
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

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. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $40,960
- #229 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#24. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $48,250
- #90 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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. Chemical technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $49,740
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#22. Physical therapist assistants

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $51,740
- #406 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520

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)

#21. Occupational therapy assistants

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,060
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

#20. Architectural and civil drafters

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $53,460
- #242 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)

#19. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $55,280
- #76 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $56,300
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

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. Computer network support specialists

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $56,400
- #353 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

#16. Electrical and electronics drafters

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,100
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#15. Medical equipment repairers

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $57,890
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $58,510
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440

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)

#13. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $58,740
- #251 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770

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)

#12. Respiratory therapists

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,220
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700

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)

#11. Mechanical drafters

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $59,660
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#10. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $61,170
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#9. Paralegals and legal assistants

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $61,260
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 690

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)

#8. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $62,640
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#7. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $63,430
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#6. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $63,580
- #189 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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)

#5. Dental hygienists

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $66,020
- #422 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090

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)

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $66,720
- #272 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370

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. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $69,150
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#2. Radiation therapists

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $75,400
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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. Nuclear medicine technologists

Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
- Annual mean salary: $75,780
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

Trending Now