Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Scranton

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

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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#26. Preschool teachers, except special education

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $29,920
- #398 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520

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)

#25. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $35,800
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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. Paralegals and legal assistants

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $39,920
- #454 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500

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. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $41,160
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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. Broadcast technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $41,790
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#21. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $52,370
- #158 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#20. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $53,490
- #205 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)

#19. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $53,500
- #88 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)

#18. Medical equipment repairers

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $53,870
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#17. Physical therapist assistants

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $54,150
- #343 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. Chemical technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $54,500
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#15. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $54,610
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#14. Mechanical drafters

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $55,610
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#13. Occupational therapy assistants

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,270
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#12. Dental hygienists

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,370
- #486 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

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)

#11. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $56,480
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#10. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $57,390
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $60,260
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460

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. Respiratory therapists

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $60,730
- #192 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#7. Architectural and civil drafters

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $64,620
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $65,220
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#5. Computer network support specialists

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $66,830
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $68,580
- #235 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $69,460
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#2. Electrical and electronics drafters

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $69,660
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#1. Funeral home managers

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA
- Annual mean salary: $84,780
- #22 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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