Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Milwaukee

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

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 Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

#34. Dietetic technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $32,520
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#33. Preschool teachers, except special education

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $32,970
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 3,380

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)

#32. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $38,520
- #110 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 610

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)

#31. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $44,510
- #87 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 630

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)

#30. Avionics technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $49,820
- #54 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)

#29. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $51,410
- #113 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#28. Chemical technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $51,550
- #123 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

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)

#27. Broadcast technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $51,680
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

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)

#26. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $51,960
- #57 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

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)

#25. Occupational therapy assistants

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $52,040
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

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)

#24. Paralegals and legal assistants

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $53,820
- #125 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,880

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)

#23. Forest and conservation technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $55,260
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

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)

#22. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $56,340
- #44 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

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)

#21. Mechanical drafters

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $56,990
- #140 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890

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)

#20. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $57,160
- #273 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590

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)

#19. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $57,230
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 500

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)

#18. Physical therapist assistants

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $58,030
- #223 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 450

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)

#17. Architectural and civil drafters

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $58,470
- #104 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 600

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 engineering technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $60,210
- #88 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

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. Electrical and electronics drafters

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $60,950
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160

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. Medical equipment repairers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,550
- #30 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 480

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)

#13. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,630
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 380

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)

#12. Desktop publishers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $62,930
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,600
- Employment: 7,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,880)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($68,860)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($66,400)

#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $66,060
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,350

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)

#10. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $67,820
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

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)

#9. Computer network support specialists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $67,910
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 720

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)

#8. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $68,930
- #47 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280

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)

#7. Respiratory therapists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $69,930
- #72 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670

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)

#6. Dental hygienists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $73,700
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270

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. Radiation therapists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $80,770
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

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)

#4. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $81,860
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260

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

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $85,810
- #29 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

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. Funeral home managers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $86,250
- #19 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

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)

#1. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
- Annual mean salary: $90,010
- #42 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 520

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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