Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Madison

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

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

#28. Preschool teachers, except special education

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $32,170
- #297 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,470

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)

#27. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $39,680
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520

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)

#26. Forest and conservation technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $40,170
- #137 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#25. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $46,880
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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. Chemical technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $47,020
- #200 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 290

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)

#23. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $49,480
- #77 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)

#22. Occupational therapy assistants

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $51,520
- #225 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 230

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)

#21. Broadcast technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $52,330
- #22 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140

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)

#20. Paralegals and legal assistants

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $54,120
- #119 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720

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. Physical therapist assistants

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $54,400
- #337 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 240

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)

#18. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $55,930
- #72 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)

#17. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $56,670
- #155 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#16. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $56,880
- #127 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#15. Medical equipment repairers

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $57,760
- #62 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

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)

#14. Mechanical drafters

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $59,930
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

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)

#13. Architectural and civil drafters

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $61,410
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,130
- #220 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320

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)

#11. Electrical and electronics drafters

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,440
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#10. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,870
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $64,730
- #118 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)

#8. Respiratory therapists

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $69,060
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

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)

#7. Computer network support specialists

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $71,780
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,040

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)

#6. Dental hygienists

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $73,150
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 530

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)

#5. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $77,570
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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)

#4. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $77,950
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

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)

#3. Radiation therapists

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $81,940
- #55 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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)

#2. Nuclear medicine technologists

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $88,350
- #24 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#1. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Madison, WI
- Annual mean salary: $89,000
- #51 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

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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