Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Knoxville

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

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

#29. Preschool teachers, except special education

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $31,330
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 710

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)

#28. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $36,540
- #170 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#27. Forest and conservation technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $36,890
- #160 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#26. Broadcast technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $40,270
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#25. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $41,140
- #221 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $48,460
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#23. Paralegals and legal assistants

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $49,910
- #199 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730

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)

#22. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#21. Respiratory therapists

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $52,710
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 430

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)

#20. Chemical technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $52,760
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $53,520
- #399 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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)

#18. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $55,140
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#17. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $55,430
- #136 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)

#16. Computer network support specialists

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $55,640
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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)

#15. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $55,930
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#14. Electrical and electronics drafters

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $56,630
- #84 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#13. Architectural and civil drafters

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $57,130
- #134 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#12. Medical equipment repairers

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $57,960
- #60 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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. Occupational therapy assistants

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $58,230
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

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)

#10. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $58,550
- #117 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

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)

#9. Physical therapist assistants

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $58,670
- #201 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#8. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $59,500
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $60,890
- #176 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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. Mechanical drafters

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $61,200
- #93 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)

#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $69,840
- #218 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

#4. Nuclear medicine technologists

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $70,400
- #88 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)

#3. Dental hygienists

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $71,120
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

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)

#2. Radiation therapists

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $73,480
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#1. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Knoxville, TN
- Annual mean salary: $80,320
- #28 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680

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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