These 5 Two-Year Colleges Offer Salaries to Rival Bachelor’s Degrees

Don’t have the time, funds, or inclination to get a four-year degree? Some associate’s degree programs offer high salary potential for less time. Just keep in mind that choice of school matters. For the first time, this year’s College Salary Report highlights the schools whose two-year degrees offer you the best shot at raking in the big bucks.

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1. Fashion Institute of Technology – New York, NY

Type: Public

Early Career Salary: $42,300

Mid-Career Salary: $71,000

High Meaning: 26 percent

STEM Degrees: N/A

Popular Degrees: Bachelor’s Degree, Associate’s Degree

Gender: 87 percent female; 13 percent male

Popular Job Titles for All Degrees Offered: Fashion Designer, Assistant Fashion Designer, Technical Designer, Apparel

2. San Diego City College

Type: Public

Early Career Salary: $42,200

Mid-Career Salary: $70,900

High Meaning: 68 percent

STEM Degrees: 11 percent

Popular Degrees: Associate’s Degree, Associate of Arts (AA), Communication

Gender: 53 percent female; 47 percent

Popular Job Titles for All Degrees Offered: Registered Nurse, Administrative Assistant, Legal Assistant

3. De Anza College

Type: Public

Early Career Salary: $46,200

Mid-Career Salary: $70,000

High Meaning: 55 percent

STEM Degrees: 3 percent

Popular Degrees: Associate’s Degree, some coursework with no degree

Gender: 59 percent female; 41 percent male

Popular Job Titles for All Degrees Offered: Office Manager

4. Lee College

Type: Public

Early Career Salary: $39,900

Mid-Career Salary: $69,000

High Meaning: 74 percent

STEM Degrees: 28 percent

Popular Degrees: Associate’s Degree, Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Business Administration

Gender: 61 percent female, 39 percent male

Popular Job Titles for All Degrees Offered: Instrument Technician, Elementary School Teacher, Licensed Vocational Nurse

5. NHTI-Concord’s Community College

Type: Public

Early Career Salary: $40,200

Mid-Career Salary: $68,700

High Meaning: 69 percent

STEM Degrees: 19 percent

Popular Degrees: Associate’s Degree, Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Hospitality & Tourism

Gender: 63 percent female; 38 percent male

Popular Job Titles: Registered Nurse, Dental Hygienist, Dental Assistant

For more top two-year schools, ranked by salary potential, look at PayScale’s full list.

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