Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Reading

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

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

#18. Preschool teachers, except special education

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $31,940
- #308 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 400

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)

#17. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $36,150
- #193 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#16. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $43,950
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#15. Chemical technicians

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $52,960
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#14. Paralegals and legal assistants

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $54,740
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $55,550
- #289 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)

#12. Medical equipment repairers

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $57,440
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#11. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $57,500
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#10. Physical therapist assistants

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#9. Mechanical drafters

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,730
- #105 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)

#8. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $59,990
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#7. Occupational therapy assistants

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $60,520
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#6. Respiratory therapists

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $61,930
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#5. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $62,960
- #57 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)

#4. Architectural and civil drafters

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $66,520
- #17 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)

#3. Computer network support specialists

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $67,040
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#2. Dental hygienists

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $68,050
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

#1. Electrical and electronics drafters

Reading, PA
- Annual mean salary: $73,530
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

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