Learn About the 10 Highest Paying Trade School Degrees

#9 Petroleum Technology A.S. Degree (Median Annual Salary – $53,300)

backlit clouds dawn 162568While the demand for alternative energy is growing, fossil fuel-based systems still dominate the world’s industrial landscape. The oil sector needs skilled persons to help find and extract oil, gas, and mineral deposits to fuel the world’s cars, ships, and aircraft. An associate degree in petroleum technology will get you started on this career path. During a petroleum technology degree program, you’ll take courses in petroleum geology, geophysics, and petroleum and natural gas chemistry. Your program will also cover topics such as environmental safety, oil drilling, and principles of well control. When deciding on a petroleum technology degree program, choose one that has lots of industry partners. Some schools have built-in networks and affiliations that make finding jobs easier for their graduates than for graduates of other schools.

 

#10 Paralegal Studies A.A. Degree (Median Annual Salary – $50,940)

blur close up court 531970Legal codes are meant to protect the innocent, punish guilty people, and bring remedies for injustices. Law offices that handle large case loads often rely on paralegals to help lawyers with legal research, court document preparation, and other administrative duties. While there isn’t a national standard for paralegal work, industry organizations such as the National Association of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations have set worth de facto career success criteria for paralegals over the years. While you can learn the legal concepts for paralegal work in a job setting, most law offices only hire a paralegal who has completed at least a two-year, associate degree in paralegal studies. They often prefer candidates who also have paralegal certifications, and most paralegal degree programs offer classes that prepare you to take certification exams. In these degree programs, you’ll learn about court proceedings, trial exhibit preparation, and case research. Some specific courses that you can expect to take in a paralegal studies program include contract law, civil litigation, and ethics. Most paralegal degree programs also cover these common legal specialties: – Real estate law – Corporate law – Labor law – Education law – Intellectual property law While job growth rates for paralegals are expected to be much faster than average when compared to other occupations in the United States, just having a paralegal degree isn’t always enough to get a job in the legal field. Good paralegal degree programs include internships. Besides offering valuable experience, these internships provide you with networking opportunities at local law offices.

Final Words

While no one can predict economic conditions with exact accuracy, you can position yourself to take advantage of opportunities if you have the right training and credentials. The described degree, certification, and apprenticeship programs allow you to gain marketable, ready-to-use skills for the current and future job market. They deliver high returns on time and financial investments that are hard to get from traditional four-year, university degree programs.