If you love to get a big salary without spending a lot of time in school, you should consider a 2-year degree. When you specialize in jobs in sectors such as technology, healthcare and trades or head to the Police academy, you will be done with school faster and you are able to get a high paying job with a median salary of more than $45000 according to the Monster’s Salary Wizard.
However, before you go for an associate’s degree, keep in mind that such a degree may lock you into a specific job. This is according to the CCP, managing director of Salary.com Mark Szypko. Salary.com powers Salary Wizard.
Once you are in the programs, they might be limited and you will end up with a career that is inflexible. He added that there is nothing wrong with such a program if you will be enjoying what you are doing. The only problem comes in when you get tired of what you are doing because you will not have a lot of career options.
It is important that you are comfortable in the niche you are selecting before making a decision to invest two years and a lot of cash in tuition for a new career.
‘If you do not like going to the dentist, you probably won’t enjoy been a dental hygienist’ States Szypko.
You should test-drive such occupations by doing informational reviews as well as internships once you are eligible.
Some of the high paying jobs you can get with an associate’s degrees include:
Registered Nurse
As compared to other healthcare in the associate’s level, registered nurses have more flexibility, but there’s catch. According to Szypko, you can get into the nursing field with an associate’s degree, but the number of options is reducing because of the increase of the nurses with bachelor’s degree. It is recommended that you seek an employer who will make payments for additional education, and make plans to go for the nursing degree so that you earn job security.
Dental Hygienist
When you are a dental hygienist, you will carry out similar tasks over and over, just like other high paying jobs with an associate degree. You’ll be cleaning teeth, assisting the dentist and talking to the patients about dental hygiene such as brushing and flossing. Most dental hygienists work part time.
Respiratory Therapist
While you will spend two years with this degree, you will undertake tough courses including anatomy and chemistry in order to graduate. Respiratory therapists work in hospitals to help in testing and treating patients suffering from breathing problems. It also means they will have evening or weekend shifts.
Programmer
In the IT sector, you will find a large number of high-paying positions that require experience and certifications in the place of degrees. Programmers with knowledge on .Net, VisualBasic, C# and Java can get salaries of more than $50,000 after 2-3 years in their Field, according the vice president of Robert Half Technology- a professional placement firm based in Menlo Park, California, Ashley Waggoner.
Telecom Installer
While it sounds simple, this work requires a lot of technical knowledge and therefore you will either need the 2-year degree or a trade school certificate in electronics. You should join the Communication Workers of America or International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in order to increase your salary.
Industrial Engineering Technician
If you love math but cannot go to college foe the four-year degree, an associate degree in electrical, mechanical or industrial engineering from the ABET-accredited program. The industrial engineering technicians will earn more but the electrical engineering will not be far behind.
Police Officer
With a high school diploma and a pass in the agility test, you will be able to work in the local force, but if you are looking to be a Federal law enforcer, you will need a college degree. Police officers and sheriffs get good salaries and they have a chance of retiring after 20 or 25 years in different jurisdictions.
HVACs Mechanic
You have the option of getting HVAC training from a technical school or community college or getting your high school diploma and an apprenticeship in order to become a HVAC mechanic. Some of the jurisdictions require that you undergo an apprenticeship before sitting for the licensing exam. With this profession, you will need to get certifications for handling refrigerants. You will earn a sold salary when working at the local government.
Paralegal
You can get in this filed by earning a certificate or an associate’s degree. To work as a paralegal, you will need to enjoy reading and writing as well as organizing the attorney’s paperwork. As a paralegal, you have a chance of earning a high salary when working at large law firms in high-cost areas.