Inspired by the “Most useful 4 year degree” thread.
I’m thinking a diploma from an auto mechanic’s school might lead to the highest income, given the current shortage of mechanics. Or maybe a 2-year nursing or med tech degree?
If the nursing AA leads you down the path to being an RN, it would be highly valuable. Equally as valuable is an associate’s in X-ray work; anything radiology or X-ray related tends to be highly paid and important.
One thing about technical degrees to become a mechanic, engineer, computer programmer, etc. is that the person will have to have a certain amount of aptitude for that kind of work. While anyone can get good grades and graduate if they are dedicated, they may not excel in the field if they aren’t inherently passionate about it.
A good generic degree is something like Physical Therapist Assistant. Graduates can make in the $50-70k range and won’t have much trouble finding work. Pretty much anyone can do it. It’s basically helping people with physical therapy programs. You can work in an office or do in-home sessions.
Fire Science? The highest paid city workers in my town are the fire fighters.
You can become an air traffic controller with an associate’s degree in air traffic management. The 2023 median salary was $137,000.
You can make good money as a welder, especially if you get certified in the more challenging and exacting welding disciplines. Nuclear welders, pipeline and rig welders, and underwater welders are very well paid.
Yep, medical science in all its forms- nursing , technician. etc. When you graduate there is often a room full of people trying to hire you, That doesnt happen in other jobs much.
I’ve been telling young people to look into jobs in the trades (electrician, plumber, carpenter, etc.) because there seem to be a lot of employers eager to hire them. Heck, they’ll hire them after the first year of their 2-year program, work them that summer, and then offer tuition aid when they go back in the fall for the 2nd year.
And those jobs seem to pay well – have you paid a plumber or electrician for a job lately?
I wouldn’t bother with any of the two year technology degrees; IMO you’re better off going the industry certification route, or the four-year degree route. The two year degrees are essentially neither fish nor fowl, in that you don’t get the benefits and career paths a four year degree afford you, and you don’t get any technical skill you wouldn’t already get from technology/language specific training courses and certifications.
Almost by definition the most useful degree is one that trains/educates you in a job that you want to do in a field in which you can support yourself/family/
Every few years the pendulum seems to swing back and forth between “every student should be on track for a bachelor’s degree” and “a four-year degree is a waste of money, get a two-year degree in the trades.” The answer, of course, is that there’s opportunity to be successful with any level credential, however one defines success for themselves. And society needs both.
It is what you have a knack for. I think everyone should go to a free or low cost two year college- try out the BA courses- but if higher college just isnt for you, try medical tech, law enforcement, or a trade. Too many kids go to a big expensive 4 year university take out a big whopping student loan, and find out this just isnt for them, and drop out- still owing all that moola. Try a community college first, then transfer to the expensive university for your last two years if that is where you like to be.
That depends - some of those two year degrees are needed for licenses in some states. For example, veterinary technicians in NY are licensed and a diploma or degree from a 2 year program is needed for the license. And the electrician’s union apprentice program here requires apprentices to earn an associate’s degree.
Absolutely. I’m just saying that in the IT/technology field, the two year degree is kind of in a sort of limbo- it’s somewhat more than a vendor-specific certification or a programming language course, but it’s not a bachelor’s degree either. So I wouldn’t recommend it- it doesn’t buy you much beyond the specific technical education that the certification route does, and it’s lacking compared to a real college degree.