Top Paying Jobs with an Associate Degree
Guide to jobs that pay the most for an Associate Degree
There's no doubt that going back to school is expensive these days. Between tuition, books, and the time you're investing in your studies, the investment is a large one. But, does it pay off? Is it really worth the time and effort it takes to go back to school? Can you bank on getting a high-paying job with just an associate degree?
The answers are unequivocally yes, yes, and yes. Studies show that people who have their associates degree earn, on average, $6,600 more per year than people without one, and have a 30% lower unemployment rate. And that's just the average. When you look at some fields specifically, like computers or dental hygiene, the earning potential goes through the roof.
Let's look at the top 5 top paying jobs with an associate degree.
- #5- Nuclear Medicine Technologist- $55,840- Sounds like a crazy career, right? In nuclear medicine, you're injecting radioactive material into patients to test organ function. You must have a 2-year degree to get into this field.
- #4- Radiation Therapist- $57,700- Another radioactive career! Radiation therapists help people through chemotherapy. You can help patients battle cancer in this career, and many people find it incredibly rewarding. You also make great money doing this!
- #3- Dental Hygienist- $58,350- If you're not crazy about being around all that radioactivity, then dental hygiene might be your cup of tea. Dental hygienists are the people who actually clean and prep your teeth before the dentist takes a look. Bet you didn't realize those people made so much money, right? If you can handle plaque and bad breath, then getting your associate degree in dental hygiene might be for you. In the spirit of full disclosure, however, there is a little bit of radioactivity in this career (when you take X-Rays of people's teeth).
- #2- Nuclear Technician- $59,200- Well, we can't seem to get too far away from radiation, can we? Nuclear technicians work at nuclear power plants (and many other places) monitoring radiation levels and testing equipment. They also sometimes assist nuclear physicists with their projects. What fun! Sure, it's challenging and sometimes stressful work, but the upside is that you're well compensated for the risks you're taking.
- #1- Computer Specialists- $59, 480- Finally, one career that doesn't involve potentially glowing in the dark! It doesn't take much imagination to see why computer specialist is at the top of the list here. Computers are used by just about everyone these days, and knowing how they work (and how to manage the information they contain) is a red-hot field that is growing faster every day.
As you can see, you can earn a great living with an associate degree, depending on what field you go into. Spend some time researching other high paying fields and see if you can't picture yourself doing some of these jobs. For many, you'll be well rewarded!
