18 (Relatively) High-Paying Jobs That Only Require 2-Year Degrees. Some Pay $100k+
A four-year degree used to sound like the only path to a good job. What they didn’t mention was the student debt with no guarantees, the wasted time, and the jobs that barely cover rent. Turns out, there’s another way and it makes way more sense.
According to the latest data on Indeed, there are two-year degrees that lead to careers earning well above the median income, which sits around $48,000. Some even push into six figures without the cost or delay of a bachelor’s.
In this breakdown, we’ll walk through the highest-paying associate degrees, what each one actually teaches you, and the kind of work you’ll be doing after. If you’re thinking about ROI, these are the programs that actually deliver.
Not all of these hit $100K right away, but many do with experience and that’s the kind of payoff that matters.
(It’s important to point out that I define high paying as higher than the median income. Salary estimates also vary widely across the country.)
Table of Contents
Mortuary Science
It might not be glamorous, but mortuary science is steady, needed, and pays better than most people expect. This degree trains you for a career in the funeral industry, with courses in anatomy, embalming, funeral service law, ethics, and restorative art.
After graduating and meeting state licensing requirements, most people work as funeral directors, earning around $61,000 a year. It’s a job that requires both technical skill and emotional maturity, you’re helping families during their toughest days.
For those who can handle the weight of it, the income is stable, and the field isn’t going anywhere. People always need this service, which means recession resistance built right in. If you’re okay working behind the scenes and don’t mind the topic, this degree quietly delivers.
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Interior Design
An associate degree in interior design blends creativity with function, prepping students to create spaces that look good and work well. The coursework covers material selection, lighting design, sustainability, space planning, and building codes.
After graduation, you can land entry-level design roles that bring in an average salary of $63,832. Some interior designers go on to specialize in commercial spaces or high-end residential projects, where the income potential jumps.
You’ll need a solid portfolio and possibly a certification depending on your state, but you don’t need to blow $100K on a design school to make this work. It’s a good path for artistic thinkers who also have an eye for detail and structure.
In a world where aesthetics matter more than ever, this skillset has real market value.
Drafting
Drafting degrees train you to use CAD software to create blueprints, schematics, and design plans for everything from buildings to mechanical parts. It’s technical work with a creative edge, and it lands you in architecture firms, engineering offices, or manufacturing environments.
The program usually includes training in CAD, algebra, drawing, and cost estimation, and sets you up for roles earning around $64,138 a year. Some drafters specialize in civil or mechanical fields, while others branch into 3D modeling or aerospace.
What makes this career path smart is that it rewards precision and problem-solving over pedigree. You won’t need a fancy degree to do high-level work, you just need to know how to draw what others can build. And with the rise of virtual design, the demand is only growing.
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Electrical Engineering Technology
If you like working with your hands but still want to use your brain, this one hits both. An associate’s degree in electrical engineering teaches you how to repair, maintain, and install complex electrical systems.
You’ll learn circuits, appliance repair, power systems, and troubleshooting. Graduates often work as electronics technicians, making an average of $70,000 per year, usually alongside licensed engineers in industries like construction, manufacturing, or telecom.
This path is perfect for people who like figuring things out and fixing problems without sitting in front of a desk all day. And because these roles often require specialized knowledge, companies are willing to pay up for people who know what they’re doing.
Add a few certifications and this job can pay even more.
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Network Engineering
In a world that runs on internet connections, someone has to keep the networks alive, that’s where network engineers come in. With an associate degree in network engineering, you’ll learn to set up, secure, and maintain computer networks.
Topics include routers, cloud systems, LAN configurations, cybersecurity, and mobile connectivity. The average salary for a network administrator with this background is $71,577, and that number climbs with certifications like Cisco or CompTIA. This is a tech career where experience and skill matter more than degrees.
If you can keep a company’s systems online and secure, you’ll stay valuable. And since just about every business now needs reliable IT, you’re not locking yourself into one industry. You’re building a skillset that scales.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Occupational therapy assistants work hands-on with patients who’ve lost mobility, strength, or function. With just a two-year degree, you can step into a healthcare role that pays around $74,180 a year and actually feels meaningful.
The coursework focuses on physiology, ethics, and assistive technology, prepping you to work in hospitals, rehab centers, or long-term care facilities. After graduation, you’ll need to pass a certification exam, but once that’s done, jobs are everywhere.
It’s a role that combines clinical knowledge with personal connection, and it doesn’t involve twelve-hour shifts or years of med school. If you’re the kind of person who likes helping others get back on their feet, literally, this path pays off in more ways than one.
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Physical Therapy Assistant
Helping someone walk again after surgery or regain strength after an injury is a big deal, and physical therapy assistants do exactly that. This two-year program teaches anatomy, biomechanics, and kinesiology while giving you real-world clinical experience.
The average salary lands at $75,137, and once licensed, you’ll be working under a physical therapist in hospitals, sports clinics, or outpatient centers. There’s demand in almost every city, and with an aging population, it’s not slowing down.
You won’t be stuck behind a desk, and your work will actually matter to the person in front of you. It’s a rock-solid job for people who like movement, hands-on care, and real results.
Web Development
Web development proves you don’t need a fancy degree to build a high-income career, just the right skills and a decent portfolio. An associate degree in this field can land you a job earning about $76,125 a year, sometimes more if you know how to market yourself.
You’ll learn coding languages, design principles, and how to fix bugs without pulling your hair out. It’s a fast-paced world, but that means constant opportunity, especially for self-starters who can ship projects.
This is one of the few careers where results matter more than credentials, and companies know it. With remote work booming, this is a smart play if you want location freedom and income potential baked into one.
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Aviation Maintenance
Aircraft don’t stay in the sky without solid mechanics, and that’s where this degree takes off. With just two years of training, you could be earning $77,773 as an aviation maintenance technician working on commercial jets, military planes, or private aircraft.
The coursework includes powerplant systems, materials, and hands-on diagnostics, giving you everything you need to pass FAA certification and get hired. This isn’t a desk job, you’ll be using tools, solving problems, and making sure things don’t fall out of the sky.
The hours can be irregular, but the work is reliable and pays well. If you like machines, precision, and no office politics, this job checks the boxes.
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Nursing (ASN)
Registered nurses with an Associate of Science in Nursing are pulling in $92,607 a year on average, and they didn’t spend four years or six figures to get there. This program trains you in patient care, diagnostics, and clinical judgment while rotating you through real hospital settings.
After graduation, passing the NCLEX-RN opens the door to jobs in hospitals, private practices, or even travel nursing. The pay is strong, the work is respected, and there’s always a need for competent nurses who can handle pressure.
It’s not easy, but it’s straightforward: learn the skills, pass the exam, and get hired. For anyone who wants a healthcare career without med school debt, this path delivers.
Dental Hygiene
Dental hygienists make an average of $96,298 a year, and their careers start with a simple two-year degree that blends science with patient care. Programs include lab work, X-rays, oral anatomy, and hands-on practice, so you’re job-ready by the time you graduate.
You’ll help prevent oral disease, clean teeth, and support dentists during procedures, all while avoiding night shifts or weekend calls. Once licensed, you can work in dental offices, clinics, or even run your own mobile setup.
It’s clean, professional, and pays like a white-collar job without the burnout. For anyone looking for healthcare stability with more control over their schedule, this one’s tough to beat.
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Respiratory Therapy
Breathing isn’t optional, and that’s what makes respiratory therapists so valuable and well-paid. With just a two-year degree, you can enter this field earning an average of $98,681 a year, helping patients who struggle with asthma, COPD, trauma, or post-surgical recovery.
The program covers diagnostic testing, treatment planning, and hands-on use of respiratory equipment that keeps airways open and oxygen flowing. You’ll also learn how to read symptoms, administer therapies, and support doctors in critical care units.
Most states require certification, but once you’re licensed, jobs in hospitals and respiratory clinics are wide open. If you’re steady under pressure and want a job that makes a direct impact without needing a decade of school, this one pays both financially and emotionally.
Robotics Technology
Robotics is one of those fields that sounds futuristic but pays now. With a two-year degree in robotics tech, you can land jobs in manufacturing, aerospace, or automation and earn about $101,599 a year.
You’ll learn how to program machines, troubleshoot systems, and work with tools that most people can’t even name. The training usually includes languages like C++, electronics, and systems integration, basically, the stuff that keeps machines moving and businesses scaling.
Employers want people who can think mechanically and code logically, and this degree builds both. If you’re curious, technical, and tired of hearing “go get a four-year degree,” this route gives you leverage fast.
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Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Sonographers don’t just snap baby pictures, they use ultrasound tech to help diagnose everything from heart issues to organ damage. The associate degree takes about two years, includes clinical practice, and sets you up for jobs paying around $105,465 a year.
You’ll be trained in patient care, equipment use, and how to collect imaging data that helps doctors make real decisions. This is a role that’s in high demand and not just in big cities.
Hospitals, imaging centers, and private clinics are always on the lookout for qualified sonographers with sharp skills and clean certs. If you want a healthcare job that combines tech, hands-on work, and strong pay, this one’s a solid pick.
Software Engineering
Software engineers don’t always start at Stanford. Plenty build their careers through associate degrees, picking up skills in operating systems, databases, and modern programming languages.
With just two years of schooling, you can get into the industry and earn an average of $109,117 a year, sometimes a lot more, depending on what you build and who you work for. This isn’t theory-based learning, you’ll be writing real code, debugging real issues, and figuring out how to build apps that actually work.
Once you’ve got a few projects under your belt, your work starts speaking for you. No dress code, no office politics, just results. For people who want flexibility and earning power baked into their skill set, this one delivers hard.
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Nuclear Science
Nuclear science isn’t something most people think about unless they’re watching a documentary, but there’s serious money in it. You can take this degree in two directions: nuclear technician at $83,954 or nuclear medicine technologist at $112,616.
Either way, the training focuses on safety, radiation use, and how nuclear systems interact with energy or healthcare. This career puts you in specialized settings, power plants, hospitals, or research labs, and expects precision every step of the way.
If you’re detail-oriented and don’t mind handling complex equipment, this can be a rare but rewarding path. It’s niche, but that’s exactly why the pay is strong.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapists earn some of the highest paychecks on this list, averaging $121,591 a year, and they get there without a four-year degree. These programs teach you how to operate treatment machines, plan cancer treatments, and support patients through therapy sessions.
You’ll study radiation physics, oncology, and clinical procedures, then complete hands-on training in actual treatment centers. Once you’re licensed, you’re not just pushing buttons, you’re part of a team helping people fight real medical battles.
It’s focused, technical work with a clear purpose. If you’re good under pressure and want a healthcare job that pays well and means something, this one checks both boxes.
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Vascular Technology
Vascular technologists are behind the screens, using diagnostic imaging to assess blood flow and detect circulatory issues before they become life-threatening. This two-year applied science degree trains you in anatomy, physics, and the technology used to scan and evaluate veins and arteries.
With an average salary of $124,028, this is the highest-paying option on the list and one of the most specialized. Most grads work in hospitals, cardiology clinics, or surgical support units, and certification helps you stand out even more.
You’re not just clicking buttons on a machine; you’re helping doctors make time-sensitive decisions with real consequences. For the payoff and the precision, this degree punches way above its weight.
Two-Year Degrees That Pay Off
You don’t need four years, a mountain of debt, or a degree with fluff to make serious money. The right two-year program can lead to a job that actually pays what you’re worth.
Some of them hit six figures right out the gate, others get there with time, but all of them put you on solid ground fast. Skills matter more than status, and the job market is finally catching on.
Pick the right path, get in, and start cashing real checks.
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