Full-time workers in the United States earn an estimated average of $20.90 an hour--which is just over $43,000 a year. What would you do to increase that salary by 50 percent? The good news is, you don't have to spend years in college just to make more than $30 an hour. Instead of going into debt with student loans to pay for a bachelor's or master's degree, you can spend less money on a two-year associate's degree and get paid just as much as the average chemist or accountant. Here are seven two-year degrees and the $30-plus-an-hour careers that go along with them.
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1. Finance
Career: Loan officer
Average hourly wage: $30.39
Loan officers help people navigate the process of borrowing money for houses, cars, education, and more. Though there are no formal education requirements for loan officers, an associate's degree in finance can help qualify you for these positions, particularly if you want to become a mortgage loan officer.
2. Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Career: Diagnostic medical sonographer
Average hourly wage: $30.60
Sonography is mostly associated with ultrasound technology used to see how babies are developing in utero. An associate's degree in diagnostic medical sonography can teach you how to use the medical equipment that directs high-frequency sound waves to diagnose many medical conditions in addition to pregnancy. Job opportunities are expected to grow by 18 percent between 2008 and 2018.
3. Nursing
Career: Registered nurse
Average hourly wage: $31.99
Registered nurses administer medications, monitor patients, assist doctors, provide medical care, and more. To prepare yourself for a career in nursing, you can complete an associate's degree in nursing, which will qualify to take a state licensing exam--a prerequisite to becoming a registered nurse. Between 2008 and 2018, the number of jobs for registered nurses is expected to grow by 22 percent. Many states are offering grant- and loan-repayment programs for nursing education, and hospitals are also offering signing bonuses to new nurses.
4. Applied Science
Career: Nuclear technician
Average hourly wage: $32.07
Nuclear technicians operate nuclear testing and research equipment and help with research initiatives, and around half of them work for utility companies. An associate's degree in applied science or in nuclear-science technology should qualify you for the job, which will also likely require on-the-job training. This industry is expected to see average growth as nuclear-energy technology develops.
5. Nuclear Medicine Technology
Career: Nuclear-medicine technologist
Average hourly wage: $32.91
Nuclear-medicine technologists use radioactive drugs and special cameras that detect those drugs to diagnose diseases. An associate's degree in nuclear-medicine technology teaches you radiation safety, imaging techniques, and how to use various diagnostic computer applications. Around two-thirds of nuclear-medicine technologists work in hospitals, and the rest work in diagnostic imaging centers, laboratories, and physicians' offices.
6. Fashion Design
Career: Fashion designer
Average hourly wage: $35.78
Fashion designers are responsible for the bad, the good, and the ugly trends. The job requires planning and research skills, as well as being able to make predictions based on the fashion market. Fashion designers are also responsible for envisioning and sketching designs, selecting fabrics and colors, and managing the production of clothing, purses, shoes, sunglasses, and more. An associate's degree in fashion design, artistic talent, and a good eye can qualify you for careers in fashion design.
7. Computer Programming
Career: Computer programmer
Average hourly wage: $35.91
Though computer-programming jobs don't necessarily require formal education, they do require you to know how to create code and have an understanding of programming languages--the specific languages depend on the job. If you need a refresher course or want to learn from scratch, an associate's degree in computer programming, computer science, information systems, or math can qualify you for some computer-programming positions.
Surprised? When it comes to funding your education, it makes sense to get the most bang for your buck. In this case, the bang is your buck. You could spend at least three times as much on a master's degree to qualify for a job with an average salary that's the same as the salary of one these seven surprising careers that require only a two-year degree.
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1 comment:
As medical technology advances and life expectancies rise, the role of the health care technician becomes more crucial - and a career in the health sciences becomes more compelling. Salary in this profession is also great as compare to other similar professions.
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