Missouri’s Best
High Demand,
High Wage
Two Year Career & Technical Programs
Patricia Riely, M.Ed.
Director of Career and Placement Services
Moberly Area Community College
Questions to consider about recommending
post-secondary education to our students

Student’s interests, skills, aptitude, values, hopes and
dreams

The high cost of the “college experience”

Career ladder and two year versus four year programs of
study

Labor market realities

Recognizing our own biases
What does the research say?

A study published in 2013 revealed that students who started
postsecondary education at a community colleges had a better chance
of completing their degrees than students who began at that
institution. They completed Bachelors, Masters and PhD programs
at a higher rate than students who began at a four year
institution.

“The comparison of the eight-year completion rate of students who
began at a two-year institution and transferred to a four-year
institution to that of students who began at a four-year institution
revealed a higher completion rate for transfer students.”
Source: Baccalaureate Attainment: A National View of the Postsecondary Outcomes of
Students Who Transfer from Two-Year to Four-Year Institutions, National Student
Clearinghouse Research Center
http://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/SignatureReport5.pdf
What were the recommendations to
community colleges?
Recommendations from this study to community colleges
included:

Encouraging students to transfer immediately after
earning their associate degrees

Developing articulation agreements with four year schools

Competent advising so that students take the best
sequence of courses at the community college
Surprising findings

Average annual costs for tuition, fees, books,
room and board:
 Private
 Public
colleges and universities:
colleges and universities:
 Community
colleges:
$39,518
$17,860
$3,131
Source: Christina Couch, www.collegeview.com
How well do we promote the A+ program?

There is no evidence of any significant difference in
earnings over a lifetime between students who start at a
four year institution and those who transfer from a two
year program to complete a four year degree.

The current labor market shows a 60% increase in hiring
those with two year degrees.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
What types of jobs are most in demand in
Missouri that do not require a four year
degree?
Skilled trades
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Bricklayers and stone masons, carpenters, medical equipment
repairers, operating engineers, painters, plumbers & pipefitters,
Commercial drivers
Electrical and electronics engineering technicians
Environmental Engineering Technicians
Industrial machinery mechanics (Mechatronics)
Mechanics – automotive, communications equipment, heating/cooling
systems, utility technicians
Machinists
Surveying and mapping technicians
Source: www.missouriconnections.org
What types of jobs are most in demand?
Computer Information Technology
 Audio-visual
Specialists
 Computer
Networking Technicians
 Computer
User Support Specialists
 Information
 Sound
Security Analysts
engineering technicians
Source: www.missouriconnections.org
What types of jobs are most in demand?
Allied Health

Certified Nursing Assistants

Dental Hygienists

Emergency Medical Technicians

Licensed Practical Nurses

Medical Imaging Technology/MRI Technologists, Radiologic Technologists,
Sonographers, Ultrasound Technicians

Medical Laboratory Technicians

Occupational Therapy Assistants

Physical Therapy Assistants

Registered Nurses

Respiratory Therapists

Surgical Technologists
Source: www.missouriconnections.org
What types of jobs are most in demand?
Business Administration

Administrative Services Managers

Bill and Account Collectors

Bookkeeping and Accounting Clerks

Credit Counselors

Loan Officers

Office Managers

Paralegals

Tax preparers
Source: www.missouriconnections.org
What types of jobs are most in demand?
Services

Addictions Counselors

Adult and Career Education Teachers

Dispatchers

Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers

Skin care specialists

Transportation Security Screeners

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Source: www.missouriconnections.org, September 2015
Comparing careers that require varied
levels of postsecondary education

At entry level, approximately 85% of jobs that require an
associate degree level of education pay the same or more
than those that require a bachelor’s degree.

However, those with higher degrees will earn more
cumulatively over a lifetime.

Wages vary significantly depending on the type of degree.

Students who choose STEM careers have higher earnings
and less competition for jobs.
Which two year programs offer the
highest wages and are most in demand?
Job title/Program
Median wage
% growth
Annual
openings
Information Security Analysts/
AAS Computer Information Technology
$77,910
28%
653
Medical Sonographer/
AAS Medical Imaging Technology
$67,220
35.5%
556
Registered Nurse/
Associate Degree in Nursing
$56,670
12%
21,004
Occupational Therapy Assistant/
AAS in Occupational Therapy Assistant
$56,560
28.3%
428
Physical Therapy Assistant
AAS in Physical Therapy Assistant
$51,340
24%
863
Engineering Technician/
AAS in Industrial Technology
$43,480 - $62,940
2.9%
1,014
What about nationally?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts these five jobs not requiring a four
year degree will have the most increased growth and offer highest salaries
between now and 2018:
Job title
Years experience Median annual
% above average
salary
Associate degree
holder pay
Radiation
Therapist
2–4
10 or more
$59,800
$75,400
83%
65%
Ultrasound
Technician
2–4
10 or more
$53,500
$68,800
64%
51%
Wind Turbine
Technician
2–4
10 or more
$47,600
$52,700
46%
15%
Railroad
Conductor
2–4
10 or more
$45,000
$79,900
38%
75%
HVAC Controls
Technician
2–4
10 or more
$42,200
$56,600
29%
24%

An analysis of the economic returns to college since the
1970s demonstrates that the benefits of both a bachelor’s
degree and an associate’s degree still tend to outweigh
the costs, with both degrees earning a return of about 15
percent.
Source: current issues IN ECONOMICS AND FINANCE Volume 20, Number 3 ❖ 2014
❖ www.newyorkfed.org/research/current_issueser the past decade.
Internet Resources

2015 – 2016 PayScale College Salary Report

Highest paying associate degrees by salary potential
http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/majors-that-pay-youback/associate?page=10

Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Current Issues in Economics and Finance

Volume 20, Number 3, 2014
http://www.newyorkfed.org/research/current_issues/ci20-3.pdf

Nine High Paying Jobs You can Get With an Associate Degree
http://career-advice.monster.com/salary-benefits/salary-information/highpaying-jobs-associates-degree/article.aspx