Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Appleton

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

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

#20. Preschool teachers, except special education

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $29,160
- #424 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350

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)

#19. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $37,860
- #130 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#18. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $39,340
- #278 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)

#17. Paralegals and legal assistants

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $50,560
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

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)

#16. Occupational therapy assistants

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $51,130
- #227 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#15. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $52,570
- #214 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

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)

#14. Physical therapist assistants

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $53,730
- #358 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#13. Chemical technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $54,250
- #82 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. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $58,250
- #274 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#11. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $58,450
- #112 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)

#10. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $59,850
- #244 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#9. Architectural and civil drafters

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $61,700
- #54 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#8. Mechanical drafters

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,130
- #83 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#7. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,500
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#6. Respiratory therapists

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $63,320
- #135 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70

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)

#5. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $63,920
- #64 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#4. Electrical and electronics drafters

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $68,910
- #30 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)

#3. Computer network support specialists

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $71,840
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#2. Dental hygienists

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $73,380
- #234 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Appleton, WI
- Annual mean salary: $87,750
- #57 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)

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