10 Careers You Can Land with a Two-Year Degree

by Nina Silberstein

The belief that you need a four-year or advanced degree to get a well-paying job in a growing industry is a myth. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, there are plenty of careers you can break into with a two-year degree. Let’s explore the salary averages, growth expectations, and some specifics you’ll need to land a job in some of the hottest fields.

Computer Support Specialists
Related occupations in this category include technical support specialists, help-desk technicians, network administrators, computer systems administrators, programmers,  software engineers, systems analysts, computer scientists, and database administrators. Some of these jobs require only a computer-related associate degree. Robert Half International reported that starting salaries in 2005 ranged from $26,250 to $53,750 for help-desk and technical support staff. For systems administrators, starting salaries ranged from $47,250 to $79,500. “There’s a huge range depending on how much experience someone has, the kind of specialist, and where you are in the country,” notes Ed Weinberg, a Red Hat Certified Engineer and a member of the Association of Computer Support Specialists.

Small and large firms across all industries are expanding or developing computer systems, which, in turn, are creating an immediate need for computer support specialists. “As far as the outlook, people are using computers more and more every day,” Weinberg says, “and every place you have a computer, you need someone to fix it or run it.” The ACSS gives classes and hosts speakers who talk about the latest technology, what the trends are, or even how to market yourself as a computer support specialist.

Job prospects are best for college graduates who are up-to-date with the latest skills and technologies, namely the ability to maintain and monitor computer systems and/or be involved in designing the system or network. You’ll need strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills because troubleshooting and helping others are vital parts of the job.

Nuclear Technicians/Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Many employers prefer applicants who have at least two years of specialized training or an associate degree. Among the many technical and community colleges that offer associate’s degrees in a specific technology, or a more general education in science and math, technical institutes also offer technician training.

As laboratory instrumentation and procedures have become more complex, the role of science technicians has expanded. They are particularly in high demand, especially with the advent of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanning, a nuclear medicine medical imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image or map of functional processes in the body. “It’s a very wide field and growing,” says Mark Wallenmeyer, clinical coordinator and instructor in the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences' nuclear medicine program  and president-elect of the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section. “You can do a two-year program at a technical college or go to a four-year university. Both of our certification boards will accept [either] education,” he explains.

Hospitals, both research and university-based, as well as clinics, outpatient centers, doctor’s offices, and free-standing facilities are where most job opportunities fall. Right now, according to Wallenmeyer, an average starting salary ranges from $21 to $23 per hour.

Dental Hygienists
Median hourly earnings of dental hygienists were $28.05 in 2004, however, earnings vary by geographic location, employment setting, and whether you’re employed full- or part-time. Employment of dental hygienists is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Population growth and greater retention of natural teeth will stimulate demand for dental hygienists, as will the retirement of older dentists and their replacement by recent graduates who are more likely to employ one or two hygienists. In addition, as dentists’ workloads increase, they are expected to hire more hygienists to perform preventive dental care so that they may devote their own time to more profitable procedures. “Hygienists that work in alternative settings like schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and state and government public health facilities are in especially high demand,” says Andrea Bennett, who has been a registered dental hygienist for 10 years and taught dental hygiene at Shoreline Community College in Washington State.

Most accredited dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree after you pass a written and clinical examination. Dental hygienists must be licensed by the state in which they practice.

Radiation Therapists & Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
The median annual earnings of radiation therapists in May 2004, per the BLS, were $57,700. Good job opportunities are expected for applicants who are certified and possess an associate’s degree or a certificate in radiation therapy. “Coursework includes math, physics, anatomy, and physiology, plus radiobiology (effects of radiation on tissues) and the types of cancers and how they are treated with radiation,” explains Dawn Fucillo, a radiation therapist and former American Society of Radiologic Technologists board member.

As the U.S. population grows and ages, demand will increase for radiation treatment. As radiation technology advances, radiation treatment will be prescribed for an increasing proportion of cancer patients.

Diagnostic medical sonography, on the other hand, is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to radiologic procedures (patients are seeking safer treatment methods), making job opportunities favorable. Sonography is the use of sound waves to generate an image for the assessment and diagnosis of various medical conditions and has many other applications.

Two-year programs are most prevalent. No state requires licensure in diagnostic medical sonography, but organizations such as the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography certify the competency of sonographers who have passed a general physical principles and instrumentation examination in addition to passing an exam in a specialty. Average salaries were about $52,490 in May 2004, says the BLS.

Fashion Designers
“I’ve found that the competition is growing,” says Susan Bonde, director of the apparel program at the Art Institute of Portland in Oregon. Employers seek designers who are knowledgeable about textiles, fabrics, ornamentation, fashion trends, and computer programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator. Demand is increasing for stylish clothing that is affordable for the middle income consumer, thus adding to the growth in this field. Median annual earnings for fashion designers were $55,840 in 2004, but can vary widely based on the employer and your background. Bonde says that, just starting out, their two-year graduates can expect to earn in the mid-20s. “However, our associate candidates who have other degrees and then get an associate’s in apparel do very well,” she adds.

Depending on where you work–a design firm, apparel wholesaler, or manufacturer - and your level of experience, you may be involved in a variety of different aspects of design and production. You should be able to sketch designs of clothing and accessories, select colors and fabrics, know how garments should be constructed, and oversee the final production. “You can still be connected with the apparel world without being able to know how to sew,” Bonde says. “There’s the marketing and merchandising aspect.” But there’s no doubt that the portfolio gets you the job.

Engineering Technicians/Aerospace Engineers & Operations Technicians
This category covers several occupations such as aerospace engineers; operations and engineering technicians; electrical, electronics, and electromechanical engineering technicians; and industrial and mechanical engineering technicians. Opportunities will be best for individuals with an associate degree or extensive job training in engineering technology, according to the BLS. As technology becomes more sophisticated, employers will continue to look for technicians who are skilled in new technology and require a minimum of additional job training. Jobs related to public health and safety should create more opportunities. Competitive pressures will force companies to improve and update manufacturing facilities and product designs, resulting in more jobs for engineering technicians. Median annual earnings in 2004 of engineering technicians by specialty range from about $38,480 to $52,500.

There are specialized skills you can develop depending on the discipline chosen.

“The Association Board for Engineering and Technology is an accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology and is a federation of 28 professional and technical societies representing these fields,” says spokesperson Liz Glazer. It currently accredits some 2,700 programs at over 550 colleges and universities nationwide. Glazer recommends visiting http://www.abet.org to find information on ABET-accredited engineering technology programs.

Registered Nurses
Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation, with some 2.4 million jobs. And an associate degree (ADN) can get you there. Thousands of job openings will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the occupation, increasing numbers of older people needing nursing care, and technological advances in patient care. “It’s about $45,000 per year to start,” says Dorothy McCabe, RN, director of nursing, Massachusetts Nurses Association, although the BLS reports the median annual earnings of RNs to be in the $52,330 range.

McCabe stresses that there are many options open for nurses, from working in a physician’s office, clinics, and hospitals, to conducting research, teaching, becoming a clinical specialist, or working in a health department, home-health care, and long-term rehabilitation and acute care.

Article Courtesy of ClassesUSA