Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Charleston, South Carolina

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July 15, 2022
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Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Charleston, South Carolina

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 Charleston-North Charleston, SC using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#28. Dietetic technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $27,250
- #102 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#27. Preschool teachers, except special education

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $31,080
- #350 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 970

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. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $40,210
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460

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)

#25. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $43,590
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#24. Forest and conservation technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $45,500
- #61 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)

#23. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $47,040
- #257 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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)

#22. Paralegals and legal assistants

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $47,150
- #277 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,380

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)

#21. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $51,350
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#20. Chemical technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $53,360
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#19. Physical therapist assistants

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $56,440
- #275 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#18. Medical equipment repairers

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $57,970
- #59 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)

#17. Mechanical drafters

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $60,050
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $60,270
- #200 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)

#15. Architectural and civil drafters

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $60,380
- #71 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#14. Occupational therapy assistants

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $61,910
- #114 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)

#13. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $63,260
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#12. Respiratory therapists

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $65,140
- #107 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 410

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)

#11. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $65,690
- #14 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#10. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $66,890
- #36 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#9. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $67,380
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

#8. Avionics technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $69,000
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $69,910
- #107 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)

#6. Dental hygienists

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $70,770
- #306 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600

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)

#5. Computer network support specialists

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $71,630
- #70 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $77,130
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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. Nuclear medicine technologists

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $79,640
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#2. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $81,480
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

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)

#1. Radiation therapists

Charleston-North Charleston, SC
- Annual mean salary: $88,120
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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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