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Monday, October 4, 2010

Top 25 Jobs with an Associates Degree

I recently read an article that listed the top 25 jobs that you can have with an associates degree.  The following jobs were listed with the national median wage average for 2009.  I thought I would expand on that list for this blog and share some additional information.

Illinois workNet has a component that explains about the 5 Key Sectors in which employment will be in a high-demand high-growth situation.  They include Agriculture (AG), Healthcare, Information Technology (IT), Manufacturing (Man), and Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL).  Green jobs are included on the list but are found in all of the key sectors. Find out more here.

Additionally, there is a great deal of information on jobs and career paths on O*NET.  You can find Standard Occupation Codes (SOC) to describe or associate with any job or career path.   All of this information is especially helpful if you are trying to determine what career path you want to follow if you are in the midst of a career change.

Also listed is the wage - hourly and annually for our more localized area.  LWIA stands for Local Workforce Investment Area which, for our definition is bounded by Kane, DeKalb and Kendall counties in Illinois.  EDR is for the Economic Development Region that is the Northeast quadrant of Illinois.  Some of the occupations could not be found within a reasonable geographic area so I included the State wages.  I can't imagine commercial divers in the middle of an agricultural zone.

And if you notice as  you look over the numbers, there are only a couple of the jobs that are rapidly growing on this list that are not high paying or included in one of our other Key Sectors. But sometimes you just need to go with your passion.  If you love your job, is it really considered work?


#
Occupation
Illinois Key Sector
SOC Code
Median Wage Illinois or Local 2009

Median Wages National 2009
SECTOR
CODE
Hourly
Annual
Area
Hourly
Annual
1
Computer Specialists, All Other
IT
151099
$35.53
$73,915
LWIA
$37.02
$77,600
2
Radiation Therapists
Health
291124
$34.13
$72,668
EDR
$35.66
$74,200
3
Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Health
292033
$34.94
$72,668
EDR
$32.65
$67,900
4
Dental Hygienists
Health
292021
$34.61
$72,000
LWIA
$32.38
$67,400
5
Nuclear Technicians
Green
194051
$41.32
$85,947
EDR
$32.37
$67,300
6
Commercial Pilots
TDL
532012
N/A
$76,179
LWIA
N/A
$65,800
7
Fashion Designers

271022
$8.03
$16,704
LWIA
$30.90
$64,300
8
Registered Nurses
IT
291111
$30.03
$62,446
LWIA
$30.65
$63,800
9
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
IT
292032
$38.49
$80,074
LWIA
$30.30
$63,000
10
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

492095
$21.13
$43,952
LWIA
$29.94
$62,300
11
Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other
Green
173029
$30.26
$62,952
LWIA
$27.66
$57,500
12
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians
TDL
173021
$20.20
$42,012
state
$27.39
$57,000
13
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Man
492022
$28.90
$60,100
LWIA
$26.71
$55,600
14
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

131032
$23.43
$48,722
LWIA
$26.63
$55,400
15
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians
Green
173023
$25.78
$53,619
LWIA
$26.36
$54,800
16
Funeral Directors

119061
$31.09
$64,680
EDR
$26.14
$54,400
17
Respiratory Therapists
IT
291126
$24.85
$51,676
LWIA
$25.64
$53,300
18
Geological and Petroleum Technicians
AG/Green
194041
$30.98
$64,430
EDR
$25.60
$53,200
19
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
Health
292034
$30.81
$64,092
LWIA
$25.59
$53,200
20
Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
TDL
493011
$25.14
$52,295
LWIA
$25.39
$52,800
21
Commercial Divers
AG
499092
$14.48
$30,108
state
$25.26
$52,100
22
Electrical and Electronics Drafters

173012
$28.91
$60,139
LWIA
$25.04
$52,100
23
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
Man/Green
492094
$18.69
$38,881
LWIA
$24.39
$50,700
24
Avionics Technicians
TDL
492091
$30.07
$62,540
LWIA
$24.31
$50,600
25
Occupational Therapist Technicians
Health
291122
$37.71
$78,453
LWIA
$24.16
$50,300

Let me know what you think.