As the rising price of gasoline puts a strain on everyone's wallet, you may find that you can't make ends meet with your current salary. If you're looking for a nearly foolproof way to give your paycheck a boost, consider adding an associate degree to your resume. Associate degrees can offer the perfect combination of high-quality career-training with affordable and flexible academic programming. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that median annual earnings of associate degree holders were over $7000 higher than those of workers with only a high school diploma. Better still, the following eight associate degrees can prepare you for some of the fastest-growing professions in the country, according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
1. Nursing
By now everyone's heard about the rapidly growing demand for Registered Nurses (RNs). What you might not know is that with just two years of study you could be qualified to fill one of the 587,000 anticipated job openings for RNs. Still unsure? It's worth mentioning that median incomes of RNs in 2007 topped $60,000.
2. Early Childhood Education
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Are you a kid magnet? Make the most of your child-friendly skills working as a preschool teacher. Over 100,000 educators will be needed in the next eight years to work with our youngest pupils and a two-year degree can prepare you to be one of them. While the salaries of preschool teachers aren't the highest in the education field, this career could be a good way to supplement another income in the family.
3. Automotive Technology
Between now and 2016, 110,000 new automotive technicians are expected to be hired. Even if you know your way around an engine, most employers are looking for candidates with an associate degree in automotive technology. Start now and in two years you might be working in a garage or dealership, pulling in close to $17 an hour (median earnings of technologists in 2007).
4. Information Technology
Spend a couple years wrapping your brain around the inner workings of computers and you could find yourself filling one of the projected 71,000 new computer support specialist positions. In 2007 the median salary of computer support specialists was $42,400 -- not bad after just two years of school.
5. Paralegal Studies
Between preparing legal documents such as contracts and mortgages and assisting attorneys in researching the facts of cases, paralegals must be well-versed in the language and practice of law. If you'd like to be one of the 53,000 new paralegals joining the workforce through 2016, prepare yourself by earning an associate degree in paralegal studies -- and prepare to earn a median salary of $44,990.
6. Dental Hygiene
The statistics on this position are good enough to make you open up and say "Aaaaaah-ll right!" BLS predicts that 50,000 new dental hygienists will be needed in the next 8 years, and median earnings were nearly $65,000 as of May 2007.
7. Radiologic Technology
Learn how to administer MRIs, CT scans and X-rays in an associate degree program focused on radiologic technology. Master these skills and you could be eligible for one of the 30,000 job openings expected in the field. Need a little more inspiration? How about a median salary just over $50,000?
8. Massage Therapy
Combine your interest in healing with an associate degree in massage therapy and you could be one of the growing number of massage therapists using their skills to promote well-being and health nationwide. In the next eight years more than 20,000 new job openings are projected in this field where the median yearly earnings were nearly $35,000.
Associate degrees: the last word
Whether you're 18 or 80, an associate degree is a fast way to educate yourself for a new career. Once considered a stepping stone to a bachelor's degree, these days many associate degree programs are specifically designed to prepare students for a profession upon graduation. If you're on the fence about earning an associate degree, consider a few of the perks:
- All you need is a computer and an Internet connection to get your associate degree online so you can go to class without leaving the house, whenever you have time.
- Need help funding your dream? Financial aid (in the form of scholarships and low-interest loans) is available from many schools and from the federal government.
- Associate degrees are available from community colleges, vocational schools, private and public institutions - with this much variety you're sure to find a program that meets your needs and interests.
- In contrast to traditional four-year degrees, associate degree programs tend to focus on hands-on learning to prepare you for the workplace.
- Take your pick from associate degree programs in subjects ranging from accounting to zoology - and everything in between.
- Not ready to stop studying after two years? Many schools will let you use your associate degree credits towards a bachelor's degree.
If getting a job is your priority, an associate degree program could be the right place to start. It's a guarantee that two years will pass. At the end of that time you could have an associate degree and a new career.
