The 10 Highest Paying Jobs You Can Land With a 2–Year Degree

Not cut out for a four-year degree program and eager to get out and earn some decent money? Don’t sweat it. There are some surprisingly well-paid positions that don’t require a bachelor’s degree, and surprisingly affordable two-year programs that tend to spring graduates into those positions, according to new data from PayScale, an online salary, benefits and compensation information company:

These are the top 10 highest paying associate degrees by salary potential, according to PayScale:

1. Management information systems: $45,100 early career pay, $72,100 midcareer pay
2. Construction management: $43,900 early career pay, $71,200 midcareer pay
3. Economics: $36,800 early career pay, $71,100 midcareer pay
4. Electronics and communications engineering: $45,100 early career pay, $69,600 midcareer pay
5. Mechanical engineering technology: $40,600 early career pay, $69,600 midcareer pay
6. Dental hygiene: $61,300 early career pay, $68,700 midcareer pay
7. Occupational health and safety: $50,300 early career pay, $68,200 midcareer pay
8. Computer science: $40,900 early career pay, $67,400 midcareer pay
9. Diagnostic medical sonography: $50,200 early career pay, $66,800 midcareer pay
10. Networks and telecommunications: $41,600 early career pay, $66,400 midcareer pay

If you’re looking for a good value for your education dollars, you may want to look into enrolling at a community college, PayScale noted.

In general, public community colleges produce the highest earners. If you are looking for an affordable education, that’s a good thing — community colleges are usually the most affordable way to get a college education whether you want an AA or want to transfer to a four-year school.

PayScale said these two-year public schools produce the highest paid graduates:

1. CUNY – New York City College of Technology: $40,600 early career pay, $72,700 midcareer pay
2. Fashion Institute of Technology – New York, New York: $41,500 early career pay, $72,100 midcareer pay
3. De Anza College — Cupertino, California: $49,800 early career pay, $69,800 midcareer pay
4. Bakersfield College — Bakersfield, California: $41,900 early career pay, $68,700 midcareer pay
5. Alvin Community College — Alvin, Texas: $43,000 early career pay, $68,400 midcareer pay
6. Lamar University — Beaumont, Texas: $40,300 early career pay, $67,000 midcareer pay

Click here to access PayScale’s new college salary report in its entirety. The report includes rankings for more than 1,000 colleges by salary potential.

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