What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Massachusetts
When deciding which community college to attend, it’s important to take into account your earning potential. According to 2020 data, the highest-paying careers that require an associate degree in Massachusetts are nuclear technicians, air traffic controllers, radiation therapists, diagnostic medical sonographers, and web developers.
Associate degree holders looking for jobs in Massachusetts should consider which fields have the most job openings. Occupations expected to have the most availability between 2018 to 2028 are preschool teachers, paralegal and legal assistants, physical therapy assistants, electronic engineering technicians, and veterinary technologists.
While deciding between different career options, you should also consider which jobs have low employment rates. This offers guidance on what types of careers you may want to avoid. Occupations projected to have the largest drops in employment over the next 10 years for associate degree holders in Massachusetts include desktop publishers, mechanical drafters, dental hygienists, and human resource assistants.
What’s Next?
For those pursuing financial aid, we have assembled a list of federal and state resources that detail the grants, scholarships, and other opportunities for associate degree students in Massachusetts.
- Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education provides information about scholarships, grants, loans, and tuition waivers available to Massachusetts residents.
- Federal Student Aid. The US Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid awards over $120 billion every year to help students fund their education. To check your eligibility for FAFSA, visit the FAFSA4caster. Then, you can apply by filling out the online FAFSA form.
- CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CareerOneStop provides information about the scholarships and grants available in each state. To navigate this vast library of information, you can apply filters for degree level and state. You’ll then discover helpful information about award amounts, minimum qualifications, and application deadlines.