What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Maryland
When deciding where to attend community college, you should consider your career and earning potential. In 2020, the top five highest paying careers for associate degree holders in Maryland were air traffic controllers, funeral home managers, calibration technologists, dental hygienists, and radiation therapists.
Maryland job-seekers with an associate degree should examine fields that tend to have high employment rates. Occupations expected to have the most job openings in the next decade are preschool teachers, paralegal and legal assistants, computer network support specialists, human resource assistants, and electrical and electronics engineering techs.
When reviewing potential career paths, associate degree holders should also take into account which fields are expected to see a decline in the employment rate. In Maryland, the jobs that are projected to undergo a decline include desktop publishers, industrial engineering technicians, mechanical drafters, nuclear techs, and broadcast technicians.
What’s Next?
While researching community colleges, you should consider which financial aid opportunities are available to you. This list describes some of the federal and state resources that can connect associate degree students with grants, scholarships, loans, and financial aid opportunities in Maryland.
- Maryland Higher Education Commission. The Maryland Higher Education Commission facilitates access to a wide range of financial aid programs, including grants, scholarships, state loans, and work-study opportunities.
- Federal Student Aid. The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid offers over $120 billion in financial aid every year. To see if you are eligible for a FAFSA scholarship or grant, visit the FAFSA4caster. You can also apply through the online FAFSA form.
- CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CareerOneStop provides extensive information about the different scholarships available in each state, including details about award amounts, qualifications, and deadlines.