Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Wheeling

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

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 Wheeling, WV-OH using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#14. Preschool teachers, except special education

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $31,230
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#13. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $33,780
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#12. Paralegals and legal assistants

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $42,690
- #400 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $48,560
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#10. Architectural and civil drafters

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $49,960
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#9. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,000
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#8. Medical equipment repairers

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,410
- #92 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)

#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $54,700
- #372 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#6. Occupational therapy assistants

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $56,170
- #182 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)

#5. Physical therapist assistants

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $57,320
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#4. Respiratory therapists

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $58,900
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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. Computer network support specialists

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $58,960
- #302 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $59,520
- #45 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#1. Dental hygienists

Wheeling, WV-OH
- Annual mean salary: $62,930
- #459 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

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