- Many of the fastest-growing jobs in the US don't require an increasingly expensive four-year degree.
- Jobs in medicine including dental hygienists, MRI technologists, and licensed practical nurses were high on the list.
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15 fast-growing, high-paying jobs where you only need an associates degree
Student Loan Hero found 15 fast-growing, high-paying jobs you can get with just an associate's degree.
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You don't necessarily need an Ivy League degree to land a high-paying job.
As artificial intelligence gets smarter and more commonplace, a pricey STEM degree might not guarantee you a job. A recent Brookings report found white-collar jobs in science and finance were most at risk for getting replaced by AI (in addition to manufacturing jobs).
Many of the fastest-growing jobs in the US don't require a bachelor's degree. As tuition prices and student loan debt continue to swell, considering a job that requires just two years of school might not be a bad idea.
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Here are 15 relatively fast-growing, high-paying jobs that don't require an education beyond an associate's degree, according to Student Loan Hero . The ranking is based on 2018 median wage data and projections for the future number of job openings between 2018 and 2028 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
15. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists earn a median wage of $71,670 per year.
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NIH Image Gallery/flickr
Education required: Associate's degree
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Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 2,700
Training required: None
14. Nuclear medicine technologists earn a median wage of $76,820 per year.
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Associated Press
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Education required: Associate's degree
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 1,200
Training required: None
13. Diagnostic medical sonographers earn a median wage of $72,510 per year.
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Associated Press
Education required: Associate's degree
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 5,800
Training required: None
12. First-line supervisors of fire fighting and prevention workers earn a median wage of $76,330 per year.
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Associated Press
Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 4,800
Training required: Moderate-term on-the-job training
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11. Web developers earn a median wage of $69,430 per year.
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Reuters
Education required: Associate's degree
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 15,100
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Training required: None
10. Nuclear technicians earn a median wage of $79,140 per year.
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AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File
Education required: Associate's degree
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Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 900
Training required: Moderate-term on-the-job training
9. Funeral service managers earn a median wage of $79,180 per year.
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Scary Side of Earth/flickr
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Education required: Associate's degree
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 1,900
Training required: None
8. Electrical and electronic repairers earn a median wage of $80,200 per year.
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US Airforce/flickr
Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 2,100
Training required: Moderate-term on-the-job training
7. Radiation therapists earn a median wage of $82,330 per year.
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Associated Press
Education required: Associate's degree
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 1,100
Training required: None
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6. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earn a median wage of $46,240 per year.
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Getty Images
Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 66,300
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Training required: None
5. Dental hygienists earn a median wage of $74,820 per year.
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MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images
Education required: Associate's degree
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Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 17,900
Training required: None
4. Medical assistants earn a median wage of $33,610 per year.
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Getty Images
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Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 99,700
Training required: None
3. Nursing assistants earn a median wage of $28,540 per year.
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Theo Heimann/Getty Images
Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 190,700
Training required: None
2. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn a median wage of $43,680 per year.
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Scott Varley/Digital First Media/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images
Education required: Postsecondary nondegree award
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 238,400
Training required: Short-term on-the-job training
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1. Air traffic controllers earn a median wage of $124,540 per year.
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Associated Press
Education required: Associate's degree
Projected average annual job openings between 2018 and 2028: 2,300
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Training required: Long-term on-the-job training
See Also:
- SoulCycle's CEO stepped down this week. Here are the 31 most dramatic exits in a record-breaking year for CEO departures.
- A Cleveland millennial says a loan from Square helped power her cupcake shop to over $500,000 in sales. Here's how to secure the payment processor loans that business owners say are way easier than borrowing from traditional banks.
- Congress told 80,000 firefighters and teachers it would forgive their student loans. Over 10 years later, a tangle of mismanagement has kept them from receiving anything.
SEE ALSO: 20 countries with the highest teacher salaries compared to the cost of living
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