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 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
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#32. Dietetic technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $32,650
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
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#31. Veterinary technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $38,760
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450
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)
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#30. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $41,690
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 580
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)
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#29. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $45,000
- #124 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
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#28. Paralegals and legal assistants
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $45,720
- #313 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,990
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)
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#27. Chemical technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $48,640
- #180 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
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)
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#26. Electrical and electronics drafters
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $48,900
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
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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#25. Architectural and civil drafters
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $52,860
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
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)
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#24. Medical equipment repairers
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $53,050
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
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#23. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $53,100
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
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#22. Physical therapist assistants
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $54,640
- #331 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 700
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)
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#21. Broadcast technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- #11 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210
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)
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#20. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $57,590
- #121 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270
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)
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#19. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $58,230
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300
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)
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#18. Computer network support specialists
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $58,820
- #307 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 940
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)
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#17. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $59,110
- #34 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $62,800
- Employment: 13,160
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($99,720)
--- West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area ($99,380)
--- Midland, TX ($98,040)
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#16. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $60,520
- #92 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
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#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $61,160
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,320
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)
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#14. Avionics technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $61,570
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
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#13. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $61,750
- #25 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $60,790
- Employment: 13,210
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($95,360)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($82,470)
--- Trenton, NJ ($80,110)
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#12. Respiratory therapists
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $63,500
- #133 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500
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)
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#11. Occupational therapy assistants
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $64,900
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
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)
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#10. Mechanical drafters
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $67,000
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
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)
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#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $70,730
- #205 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330
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)
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#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $73,430
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230
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)
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#7. Nuclear medicine technologists
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $74,080
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
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)
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#6. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $78,400
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)
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#5. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $79,240
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $70,680
- Employment: 11,900
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($106,970)
--- Oklahoma City, OK ($93,540)
--- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($92,190)
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#4. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $79,770
- #32 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,510
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)
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#3. Dental hygienists
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $80,130
- #115 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
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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#2. Radiation therapists
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $93,790
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130
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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#1. Air traffic controllers
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
- Annual mean salary: $98,690
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $127,440
- Employment: 22,190
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($158,210)
--- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX ($154,180)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($153,770)
