Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Waco

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

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

#18. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $31,630
- #358 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 130

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)

#17. Preschool teachers, except special education

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $34,590
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#16. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $40,160
- #248 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#15. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $42,430
- #293 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#14. Paralegals and legal assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $49,700
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170

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)

#13. Architectural and civil drafters

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $52,370
- #265 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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. Mechanical drafters

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,570
- #156 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#11. Computer network support specialists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $55,660
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#10. Medical equipment repairers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $56,300
- #79 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $59,040
- #238 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#8. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $62,830
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

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)

#7. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,040
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#6. Avionics technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,160
- #33 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#5. Occupational therapy assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $64,930
- #75 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#4. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $67,870
- #120 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#3. Physical therapist assistants

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $68,190
- #38 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $69,900
- #216 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#1. Dental hygienists

Waco, TX
- Annual mean salary: $74,070
- #219 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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