Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Harrisburg

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

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 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#25. Preschool teachers, except special education

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $30,480
- #376 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760

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)

#24. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $36,350
- #177 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#23. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $44,450
- #91 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

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. Chemical technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $45,350
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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. Broadcast technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $50,490
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#20. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $51,640
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#19. Occupational therapy assistants

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $52,630
- #213 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)

#18. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $52,810
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#17. Physical therapist assistants

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $53,150
- #379 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

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)

#16. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $53,650
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

#15. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $54,360
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#14. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,160
- #284 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#13. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,760
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#12. Paralegals and legal assistants

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,850
- #80 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 990

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)

#11. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $57,730
- #117 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. Forest and conservation technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,000
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $42,780
- Employment: 30,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($68,370)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,570)
--- Corvallis, OR ($62,260)

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,310
- #233 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710

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)

#8. Medical equipment repairers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,590
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#7. Architectural and civil drafters

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,740
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#6. Mechanical drafters

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,820
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#5. Electrical and electronics drafters

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $61,270
- #64 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)

#4. Respiratory therapists

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $63,430
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#3. Dental hygienists

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $68,610
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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. Computer network support specialists

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $70,110
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460

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)

#1. Funeral home managers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
- Annual mean salary: $111,140
- #4 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

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