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Highest paying jobs that require a 2 year degree in Lexington

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 Lexington-Fayette, KY using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by 2021 annual mean wage.

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#27. Veterinary technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $33,680
– #300 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 590

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

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $35,970
– #39 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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#25. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $39,070
– #163 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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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#24. Preschool teachers, except special education

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $39,440
– #87 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 330

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)

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#23. Broadcast technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $41,540
– #78 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)

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#22. Medical equipment repairers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,270
– #176 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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)

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#21. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $43,850
– #114 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 110

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)

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#20. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $46,030
– #81 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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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#19. Chemical technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $48,940
– #173 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 350

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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#18. Paralegals and legal assistants

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,020
– #225 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 570

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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#17. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $49,700
– #188 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 140

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)

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#16. Architectural and civil drafters

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $50,740
– #297 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 170

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)

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#15. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $51,250
– #210 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 260

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)

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#14. Mechanical drafters

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $53,310
– #187 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 90

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. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $54,520
– #303 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

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#12. Physical therapist assistants

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,430
– #302 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 220

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)

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#11. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $55,980
– #131 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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#10. Respiratory therapists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $56,010
– #312 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 490

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)

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#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $57,180
– #299 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 620

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. Electrical and electronics drafters

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $57,370
– #81 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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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#7. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $60,020
– #101 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 210

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)

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#6. Computer network support specialists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,150
– #224 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 490

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)

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#5. Dental hygienists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $62,830
– #460 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 450

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)

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#4. Occupational therapy assistants

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $64,690
– #83 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 60

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)

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#3. Funeral home managers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $66,420
– #47 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 40

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)

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#2. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $70,860
– #94 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 50

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)

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#1. Diagnostic medical sonographers

Lexington-Fayette, KY
– Annual mean salary: $72,170
– #188 highest pay among all metros
– Employment: 130

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)