This content was published: June 27, 2006. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Studies confirm associate's degree key to future earning power
Photos and story by James Hill
According to CareerBuilder.com, getting an associate’s degree or beginning post-secondary education at a community college means that a good-paying job could be waiting for you.
Studies have shown that high school graduates had a nationwide unemployment rate of 4.6 percent. That rate plummets to 3.9 percent for associate degree holders. There’s also a strong correlation between more education and lower unemployment, according to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Investing in higher education can also have a strong impact on salary. High school graduates with no post-secondary schooling earn an average weekly salary of $583, according to Current Population Survey data. That figure rises by nearly 15 percent to $670 for an associate’s degree holder.
About 44 percent of all students say they enroll at two-year colleges for their cheaper costs, according to the College Board. It also estimates this year’s average public two-year college tuition will be $2,191 while public four-year schools charge nearly $5,500 for tuition and private four-year universities more than $21,200.
According to the BLS, these are the highest-paying jobs for people with associate’s degrees: 1) Computer specialist ($59,480); 2) Nuclear technician ($59,200); 3) Dental hygienist ($58,350); 4) Radiation therapist ($57,700); 5) Nuclear medicine technologist ($55,840); 6) Fashion designer ($55,840); 7) Aerospace engineering and operations technician ($52,500); 8) Diagnostic medical sonographer ($52,490); 9) Registered nurse ($52,330); 10) Engineering technician ($49,440).
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »