Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in El Paso

Written by:
July 15, 2022
Natee K Jindakum // Shutterstock

Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in El Paso

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

#27. Dietetic technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $25,280
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#26. Veterinary technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $29,160
- #409 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

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. Broadcast technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $37,990
- #95 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)

#24. Preschool teachers, except special education

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $38,000
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 930

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)

#23. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $38,200
- #328 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

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)

#22. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $40,010
- #157 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#21. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $41,140
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#20. Medical equipment repairers

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $41,970
- #179 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)

#19. Paralegals and legal assistants

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $42,340
- #408 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 820

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)

#18. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $42,850
- #291 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

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)

#17. Architectural and civil drafters

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $42,970
- #362 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#16. Mechanical drafters

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $44,520
- #252 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#15. Electrical and electronics drafters

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $47,420
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#14. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $48,110
- #260 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#13. Chemical technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,870
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#12. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $50,020
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#11. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $50,970
- #173 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#10. Computer network support specialists

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $53,570
- #396 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#9. Respiratory therapists

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,060
- #309 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

#8. Physical therapist assistants

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,000
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $58,490
- #263 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 490

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

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $61,190
- #122 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $65,030
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#4. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $66,530
- #138 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)

#3. Diagnostic medical sonographers

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $67,120
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#2. Dental hygienists

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,980
- #353 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#1. Air traffic controllers

El Paso, TX
- Annual mean salary: $93,610
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

Trending Now