What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Tennessee
While pursuing higher education, you should consider your career potential and desired salary. As of May 2020, the highest paying jobs that require an associate degree in Tennessee were air traffic controllers, radio and cellular equipment installers, nuclear technicians, radiation therapists, and nuclear medicine technologists.
Job seekers with an associate degree should also review which careers typically have the most job openings. In the state of Tennessee, these occupations are preschool teachers (excluding special education), physical therapist assistants, paralegals and legal assistants, dental hygienists, and industrial engineering technicians.
In addition to reviewing jobs that have positive employment outlooks, job seekers should keep in mind which occupations are projected to see a decline. Careers expected to have the greatest decline for associate degree holders in Tennessee are avionics technicians, desktop publishers, forest and conservation technicians, human resource assistants (excluding payroll and timekeeping), and radio and cellular equipment installers.
What’s Next?
Every student should take into account the cost of higher education. To help with the process of finding financial aid opportunities, we’ve assembled a list of federal and state resources that connect associate degree students to scholarships and grants across Tennessee.
- Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission helps students obtain funding for their degrees by providing information about in-state tuition, loans, and financial aid.
- Federal Student Aid. The U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid supports students every year by offering $120 billion in scholarships, grants, and loans. You can determine your eligibility at the FAFSA4caster, and you can apply with the online FAFSA form.
- CareerOneStop. This site, sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, helps students find scholarships and grants available in their state. After filtering their search by degree level and location, students will receive a full list of scholarships, as well as their associated award amounts, qualification requirements, and deadlines.