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 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.
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CHRISTOF STACHE // Getty Images
#28. Preschool teachers, except special education
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $36,270
– #170 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,820
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)
Maria Sbytova // Shutterstock
#27. Veterinary technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $38,660
– #105 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 510
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)
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#26. Dietetic technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $40,220
– #18 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 70
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)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
#25. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $45,050
– #76 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 480
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)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
#24. Chemical technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $49,230
– #167 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240
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)
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#23. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $53,970
– #174 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 240
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)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
#22. Broadcast technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $55,890
– #15 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50
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)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
#21. Paralegals and legal assistants
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $59,430
– #56 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,580
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)
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#20. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $59,900
– #103 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280
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)
photodiem // Shutterstock
#19. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $60,450
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40
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)
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#18. Occupational therapy assistants
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $62,470
– #106 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260
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)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
#17. Architectural and civil drafters
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $64,050
– #32 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 290
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)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
#16. Respiratory therapists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $67,440
– #92 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 440
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)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
#15. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $68,170
– #116 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 430
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)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
#14. Mechanical drafters
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $68,300
– #29 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140
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)
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#13. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $69,150
– #21 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30
National
– Annual mean salary: $70,680
– Employment: 11,900
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($106,970)
— Oklahoma City, OK ($93,540)
— Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL ($92,190)
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#11 (tie). Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $69,630
– #6 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)
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#11 (tie). Electrical and electronics drafters
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $69,630
– #27 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 30
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)
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#10. Physical therapist assistants
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $70,150
– #25 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 320
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)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $76,910
– #44 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 970
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)
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#8. Dental hygienists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $78,180
– #149 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 1,260
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)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
#7. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $81,940
– #12 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220
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)
NKM999 // Shutterstock
#6. Embalmers
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $86,140
– #1 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: data not available
National
– Annual mean salary: $50,220
– Employment: 3,860
– Metros with highest average pay:
— Providence-Warwick, RI-MA ($86,140)
— St. Louis, MO-IL ($72,090)
— New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($70,000)
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#5. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $88,350
– #21 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220
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)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $91,070
– #35 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280
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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#3. Radiation therapists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $93,860
– #25 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 280
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)
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#2. Nuclear medicine technologists
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $104,710
– #11 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60
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)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
#1. Funeral home managers
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
– Annual mean salary: $111,110
– #5 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 160
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)
This story was written by Stacker and has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.