Six-figure careers aren’t just for college graduates anymore. As we progress into 2025 and beyond, more industries and employers now highly value skills and experiences over degrees.
This means that even with just an associate degree or a professional certification, you can secure a high-paying remote job.
Now, of course, while there are instances where having a bachelor’s or master’s degree or other postgraduate certification will work to your advantage or might be mandatory depending on the specific career you’re pursuing, in many other cases, simply having a certification or completing a two-year associate’s degree will work just as fine.
Employers are moving towards a skills-first economy, as is demonstrated by the U.S. government’s paper released in November 2024 which highlighted an action plan and recommendations for employers considering a skills-first hiring strategy.
Associate degrees help you as a professional, specifically if you’re entering into a new industry, would like to make a career pivot, re-enter the workforce quickly, or are simply looking to upskill. One of the other great things about associate degrees is that they provide you with practical, technical, hands-on knowledge which you can immediately apply into the workforce.
In contrast, undertaking a three- or four-year bachelor’s degree is often not a good choice for many professionals who end up being swallowed in student debt, only to discover that the years they spent studying were a waste of time because they still feel ill-equipped for the workforce.
Wouldn’t it be better to try a lower-risk option, one that propels you into your dream career faster and enables you to start reaping the financial and career benefits earlier, especially in this unstable economy?
3 High-Paying Associate Degrees For 2025
Check out these three associate degrees to help you land a high-paying remote job. Some roles that you can get with these degrees start at $42,000, while others go as high as $100,000 and above. Salaries are taken from Indeed and Salary.com:
1. Associate Degree In Health Information Management/Healthcare Administration
An associate of science in health information management, or in healthcare administration, is a great first step towards a rewarding career in healthcare informatics. This degree allows you to pursue entry-level roles that support the delivery of care to patients:
- Medical coder and biller–average salary $42,209
- Healthcare data analyst–average salary $102,190
- Health information technician–average salary $48,316
2. Associate Degree In Accounting
Finance and accounting jobs not only provide the highest paying careers–even at entry level–but they also in the top two industries leading the way in remote work opportunities, according to data from the World Economic Forum. Additionally, the BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) projects that demand for accounting jobs will be at 6% up to at least 2033, which is higher than the average job growth rate.
As you gain more experience and add recognized certifications like CPA (Certified Public Accountant) to your resume, you will be able to increase your earnings and you can even maximize your skills by becoming a freelancer and taking on multiple clients.
Some of the well-paid remote jobs you can get with this associate degree include:
- Accounts receivable clerk–average salary $61,545 a year
- Purchasing agent–average salary $63,218 a year
- Staff accountant–average salary $63,523
- Audit associate–average salary $73,595
- Financial analyst–average salary $77,347
3. Associate Degree In Information Technology/Computer Science
One of the industries that benefited the most from the post-pandemic remote work boom was the tech sector. Even now, although companies have started enforcing return-to-office policies, the technology industry is still highly regarded as the go-to for finding remote jobs.
Tech still holds a dominant spot in having a large share of work-from-home opportunities, which is especially popular due to the nature of the work involved. The information technology industry also offers some of the most lucrative salaries, and you can start with an associate degree then work towards gaining more certifications for specific disciplines and technical skills as you progress.
Some of the highest paying roles you can get with an associate degree in computer science or information technology include:
- Web developer–average salary $93,790
- Database administrator–average salary $102,263
- UX designer–average salary $117,045
- Systems analyst–average salary $113,995
Indeed.com also lists more jobs that you can get with your associate degree in information technology.
Bear in mind that the roles listed here are only representative of what you can get without a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Therefore, you should never be content with just an associate degree, although employers may be favorable to it. In most cases you’ll need to top up your training with certifications and licences; for example, as a healthcare data analyst, getting an associate degree in healthcare is the first step; you’ll then need to consider studying a data analytics course so you develop technical skills like Python, SQL, etc.
Start building your career pathway today by researching one of your selected associate degree programs, and see where it takes you.