What You Should Know About Graduating From Community College in Utah
As you review different community colleges, keep in mind your career and salary goals. As of May 2021, the highest-paying careers that require an associate degree in Utah are air traffic controllers, radiation therapists, diagnostic medical sonographers, nuclear medicine technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists.
The job market in Utah can be competitive, especially for new graduates. Associate degree holders should consider which fields have high employment rates. The top five occupations expected to have the most job openings over the next 10 years are paralegals and legal assistants, preschool teachers (excluding special education), architectural and civil drafters, dental hygienists, and life, physical, and social science technicians.
As they enter the workforce, students should also consider which fields tend to have low employment rates. The college-level occupations that are generally expected to decline in Utah are electrical and electronics repairers (powerhouse, substation, and relay) and prepress technicians.
What’s Next?
An important part of preparing for community college is considering which financial aid opportunities you should pursue. To help associate degree students fund their education, we’ve put together a list of federal and state resources that connect you to grants, scholarships, and other aid opportunities.
- Utah System of Higher Education. The Utah System of Higher Education helps students fund their education by facilitating access to state aid and scholarship programs.
- Federal Student Aid. Every year, the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid offers $120 billion worth of scholarships, grants, and loans to students across the country. You can determine your eligibility at the FAFSA4caster and apply with the online FAFSA form.
- CareerOneStop. Sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this resource connects students to the different scholarships and grants available in their state. Users can filter searches by degree level and gain access to helpful details about award amounts, application requirements, and deadlines.