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1. Registered Nurse: Start with an Associate's Degree
This ultimate in feel-good jobs puts you in the position to help your patients at their time of need. Take the challenge of working in an emergency room, or spend your days caring for children and adults in clinics and nursing homes. An associate's degree in nursing starts you on the path to become a registered nurse.
- Salary Statistics: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses saw mean annual earnings of $65,130 in 2008
2. Computer Support Specialist: Feel Good about Information Technology
Take daily satisfaction in your tech support skills as a computer support specialist. Trained specialists may work in phone-based tech support, in retail centers, or internally in large companies. Earn your associate's degree in information technology and enter the support field with confidence.
- Salary Statistics: Computer support specialists earned mean annual wages of $46,370 in 2008, the BLS reports
3. Day Care Provider: College Degrees in Caring for Children
Work with children as a daycare provider and you'll feel younger than your years. As a daycare provider, you may even be able to work from home. An associate's degree in early childhood education gives you the training clients and hiring managers look for. Your earnings vary based on how many children you care for, your location, and other factors.
- Salary Statistics: The BLS reports that all child care workers earned mean annual wages of $20,350 in 2008
4. Spa Manager: Mixing Business and Pleasure
Choose this career to make a living out of helping men and women look and feel their best. This feel-good job has fringe benefits in the form of discounts on spa services. An associate's degree in hospitality management combines a business education with specialized hospitality training.
- Salary Statistics: Lodging managers, which includes many different managers employed by hotels and establishments, saw mean annual earnings of $52,550 in 2008, according to the BLS
5. Human Resources Assistant: An Associate's Degree in Being Friendly at Work
Surprised? You shouldn't be. As the human face of a large corporation, you get the chance to reach out to employees. Improve everyone's day at work as you earn a healthy salary by training to work in the HR department. Earn an associate's degree in human resources to get specialized training and an edge over your competition.
- Salary Statistics: Human resources assistants earned mean annual wages of $36,810 in 2008, the BLS reports
Earning Your College Degree Online
Take the back-to-school plunge with an online degree program that lets you set your own schedule. Training for the feel-good careers above is possible with a two-year associate's degree. Most of the above degrees can be earned online, which means you can keep a full-time job and your existing responsibilities.
Hiring managers in the above fields often prefer to see formal education, especially during tough economic times. By earning your associate's degree, you're giving yourself a leg up on the competition, keeping your skills current, and preparing for a feel-good career with benefits for years to come.
About the Author
Amelia Gray is a teacher and freelance writer in San Marcos, TX. Amelia earned a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Arizona State University.
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