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• Plenty of high-paying, secure careers can be started with just an associate degree and limited experience in a related field. 
• Professions such as dental hygienists, respiratory therapists, and paralegals all earn a higher median annual salary than the median for all U.S. occupations.
• Many of the most lucrative careers for associate degree holders are in the medical field, but other fields include law and mortuary services.

Funeral service workers provide an important service, helping manage details of funeral ceremonies and provide comfortable and respectful experiences for grieving families. This could be a great option if you’re looking for a service-oriented career.

The mortuary science industry boasts lucrative career paths. According to the BLS, funeral service workers earn a median salary of . Job growth is projected at about 3% for the next ten years, which is equal to the average U.S. job growth. You can score an entry-level job with just an associate degree, though on-the-job training under a licensed funeral director or manager may be required.

A career as a respiratory therapist could be a good fit for STEM-minded, detail-oriented individuals. Respiratory therapists work one-on-one with patients in environments that are often high-stress, but it can be a rewarding profession. 

With a median annual salary of , a career as a respiratory therapist can certainly be a profitable one. Not only can you launch your career with just an associate degree, but job growth for respiratory therapists is much faster than average, and the BLS projects a 13% increase in job availability over the next decade. Licensure may be required, though specific certification requirements vary by state.

Paralegals and legal assistants provide supportive, administrative services to lawyers and other employees in law offices. These careers are a great choice for organized and detail-oriented people.

You can start a career as a paralegal with an associate degree. Some workplaces may request additional certification, but it is not a universal requirement. The median pay for paralegals and legal assistants is , and job outlook over the next decade is projected to grow by 4%.

If you’re interested in work in the healthcare field but don’t want to get a four-year or advanced degree, a job as a dental hygienist might be the right fit. Dental hygiene associate degrees can typically be completed in about three years, and no further experience is required for an entry-level position. 

Dental hygienists earn competitive salaries too- the median pay is over . The field has solid job security as well, with a projected ten-year job growth of 7%. 

Sonography is another medical field you can enter with an associate degree. Sonographers need to be comfortable operating specialty equipment and interacting with patients. Communication is also a crucial skill, as technologists will need to effectively summarize findings to physicians. 

Diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians earn a median salary of . The Job growth in this field, projected at 10% over the next decade, is much higher than the national average.

Occupational therapy is another high-earning, secure career for associate degree holders. Working as an occupational therapy assistant or aide requires an associate degree and a state-issued license. You should also make sure to choose an accredited program for your education. You can opt for additional certifications and licenses in order to further your career. 

This is the fastest growing profession on our list. The BLS projects a 23% job growth rate for occupational therapy assistants and aides over the next 10 years- eight times higher than the national average. Plus, occupational therapy assistants earn a median wage of per year. 

Radiation therapy might be a great career path if you like working directly with people and can communicate effectively and compassionately. You’ll also need to be comfortable operating medical equipment and keeping track of treatment plans. You can get a job as a radiation therapist with an associate degree, or in some cases, a certificate program.

Radiation therapists boast the highest median salary of careers on our list — over per year. With a 2% projected job growth over the next ten years, it is not the fastest growing industry, but job availability is still nearly average among all U.S. occupations.

A career as an aerospace engineering and operations technologist might be a good choice if you like to work with your hands. In addition to working directly with air and spacecraft, it often requires working with test equipment.

With a median annual pay of per year, aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians earn a great living with a higher-than-average salary. The BLS predicts a job growth of 8% over the next ten years, making the profession a secure choice as well. 

Avionics technicians help perform critical updates and maintenance to aircraft, ensuring the safety of passengers. You'll need to have a strong attention to detail and be comfortable working with different types of equipment to be successful in this field, as you'll work directly on aircraft.

This career pays a much higher-than-average salary as well, with a median annual salary. Job outlook is fair, with a 4% projected job growth over the next ten years. 

Health information technologists and medical registrars are another high-paying job in the medical field that only requires an associate degree. As an office desk job, this career is best for those who are comfortable working with computer software and analyzing data. You’ll need to be comfortable working with various systems, recognizing patterns in patient information, and communicating your findings to other medical professionals. 

The median annual pay for this profession is per year. It seems the industry is fast growing as well, as the BLS predicts five times the average job growth of 16% over the next decade.