Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Dallas

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

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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#37. Dietetic technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $32,730
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#36. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $34,360
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,890

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)

#35. Preschool teachers, except special education

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $35,100
- #195 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 9,160

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)

#34. Forest and conservation technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $39,430
- #147 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

#33. Embalmers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,610
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,220
- Employment: 3,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($86,140)
--- St. Louis, MO-IL ($72,090)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,000)

#32. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $45,780
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,450

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)

#31. Broadcast technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $46,040
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

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)

#30. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,830
- #126 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#29. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $52,490
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

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)

#28. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $52,990
- #53 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350

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)

#27. Chemical technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,420
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 660

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)

#26. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,430
- #129 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820

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)

#25. Medical equipment repairers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,660
- #74 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,340

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)

#24. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $57,010
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,550

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)

#23. Architectural and civil drafters

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $60,210
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,760

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)

#22. Mechanical drafters

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $60,590
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,030

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)

#21. Electrical and electronics drafters

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $60,650
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 740

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)

#20. Paralegals and legal assistants

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $61,280
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 7,480

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)

#19. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $61,830
- #81 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,220

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)

#18. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,930
- #48 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,360

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)

#17. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $65,100
- #162 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,700

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)

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $65,970
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,110

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. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $67,320
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 730

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)

#14. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,930
- #13 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

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)

#13. Respiratory therapists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $69,140
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,800

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)

#12. Funeral home managers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $70,100
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350

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)

#11. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $72,360
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#10. Avionics technicians

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $72,450
- #17 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

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)

#9. Physical therapist assistants

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $73,130
- #9 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840

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. Occupational therapy assistants

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $74,590
- #8 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,180

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)

#7. Dental hygienists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $75,660
- #186 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 4,440

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)

#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $78,420
- #109 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,040

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)

#5. Computer network support specialists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $79,590
- #21 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 5,330

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. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $83,450
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 790

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)

#3. Nuclear medicine technologists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $90,900
- #18 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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. Radiation therapists

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $100,460
- #15 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 760

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. Air traffic controllers

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Annual mean salary: $154,180
- #2 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

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)

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