Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Akron

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

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 Akron, OH using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#27. Preschool teachers, except special education

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $30,300
- #388 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740

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. Dietetic technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $36,030
- #37 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)

#25. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $36,760
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

#24. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $41,480
- #205 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)

#23. Paralegals and legal assistants

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $46,510
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590

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)

#22. Chemical technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $49,480
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

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

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $51,520
- #49 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#20. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $51,920
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#19. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,340
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,420
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#17. Architectural and civil drafters

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,640
- #202 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 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)

#16. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $55,470
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#15. Medical equipment repairers

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,670
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $59,970
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610

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)

#13. Physical therapist assistants

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,130
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

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)

#12. Occupational therapy assistants

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $60,850
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#11. Respiratory therapists

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $61,480
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

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. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $62,740
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $62,910
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#8. Mechanical drafters

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $63,280
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#7. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $64,720
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#6. Computer network support specialists

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $67,730
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350

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. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $69,090
- #112 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)

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $70,620
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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. Dental hygienists

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $73,110
- #243 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

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. Nuclear medicine technologists

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $76,230
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#1. Radiation therapists

Akron, OH
- Annual mean salary: $85,090
- #47 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)

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