Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Oklahoma City

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July 15, 2022
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Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Oklahoma City

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

#36. Dietetic technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $29,880
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#35. Preschool teachers, except special education

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $33,000
- #269 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840

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. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $33,160
- #318 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 440

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)

#33. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $41,570
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

#32. Broadcast technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $43,660
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#31. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $43,760
- #168 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)

#30. Chemical technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $44,430
- #230 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

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

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $46,480
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#28. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $47,440
- #251 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#27. Embalmers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $47,730
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,220
- Employment: 3,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($86,140)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($72,090)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,000)

#26. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $48,650
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $48,670
- #193 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)

#24. Paralegals and legal assistants

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $49,160
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,210

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)

#23. Physical therapist assistants

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $50,400
- #421 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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)

#22. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $50,660
- #66 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)

#21. Medical equipment repairers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $51,810
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#20. Desktop publishers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $54,690
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#19. Avionics technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $57,130
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#18. Architectural and civil drafters

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $57,760
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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. Mechanical drafters

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $58,320
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#16. Occupational therapy assistants

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $58,460
- #159 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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)

#15. Electrical and electronics drafters

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $60,620
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $60,780
- #81 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)

#13. Funeral home managers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $61,030
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $91,530
- Employment: 10,010
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($116,760)
--- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ ($115,400)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($112,820)

#12. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $63,230
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,250

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)

#11. Respiratory therapists

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $64,750
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 860

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. Computer network support specialists

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $65,950
- #146 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000

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)

#9. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $66,840
- #37 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490

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)

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $72,000
- #189 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)

#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $72,400
- #84 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)

#6. Nuclear medicine technologists

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $76,630
- #62 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)

#5. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $77,060
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

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)

#4. Dental hygienists

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $79,980
- #118 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,000

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. Radiation therapists

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $86,680
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#2. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $93,540
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#1. Air traffic controllers

Oklahoma City, OK
- Annual mean salary: $126,940
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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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