Occupations needing an associate degree or a certificate with the most open jobs
Key facts
- #1 Paralegals and legal assistants, Associate degree: 1,728 jobs
- #2 Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks, Some college, no degree: 817 jobs
- #3 Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, Associate degree: 592 jobs
- 11 occupations ranked across all occupations
- Data as of November 2026
- 1Paralegals and legal assistants Associate degree1,728 jobs
- 2Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks Some college, no degree817 jobs
- 3Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other Associate degree592 jobs
- 4Computer user support specialists Some college, no degree559 jobs
- 5Computer network support specialists Associate degree291 jobs
- 6Electrical and electronics drafters Associate degree161 jobs
- 7Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping Associate degree136 jobs
- 8Architectural and civil drafters Associate degree125 jobs
- 9Medical records specialists Postsecondary nondegree award113 jobs
- 10Funeral home managers Associate degree111 jobs
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Paralegals and legal assistants (1,728 jobs) is well clear of Funeral home managers at #10 (111 jobs).
- Funeral home managers reaches #10 on a sample of 111 open jobs, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- Paralegals and legal assistants is the largest market in the top ten, with 1,728 open jobs behind its figure.
- Occupations with fewer than 100 open jobs are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Behind every education level is a list of specific jobs. Ranking occupations by open jobs shows which ones the employers we track are hiring for most at a given level of schooling.
How to use it
If you are planning a move into a new occupation, start with the ones near the top: more openings means more employers to approach. Check the pay and growth beside each before you commit.
The top 25
- 1
Paralegals and legal assistants Associate degree
1,728 jobs
- Open jobs
- 1,728
- Median posted pay
- $81k
- Projected growth to 2035
- −0.3%
- Workers in the occupation
- 404,900
Based on 1,728 openings.
- 2
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks Some college, no degree
817 jobs
- Open jobs
- 817
- Median posted pay
- $65k
- Projected growth to 2035
- −5.6%
- Workers in the occupation
- 1,532,400
Based on 817 openings.
- 3
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other Associate degree
592 jobs
- Open jobs
- 592
- Median posted pay
- $79k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +4.4%
- Workers in the occupation
- 89,500
Based on 592 openings.
- 4
Computer user support specialists Some college, no degree
559 jobs
- Open jobs
- 559
- Median posted pay
- $116k
- Projected growth to 2035
- −3.5%
- Workers in the occupation
- 750,600
Based on 559 openings.
- 5
Computer network support specialists Associate degree
291 jobs
- Open jobs
- 291
- Median posted pay
- $158k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +1.2%
- Workers in the occupation
- 152,500
Based on 291 openings.
- 6
Electrical and electronics drafters Associate degree
161 jobs
- Open jobs
- 161
- Median posted pay
- Not enough pay data
- Projected growth to 2035
- −3.4%
- Workers in the occupation
- 18,900
Based on 161 openings.
- 7
Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping Associate degree
136 jobs
- Open jobs
- 136
- Median posted pay
- Not enough pay data
- Projected growth to 2035
- −6.2%
- Workers in the occupation
- 96,500
Based on 136 openings.
- 8
Architectural and civil drafters Associate degree
125 jobs
- Open jobs
- 125
- Median posted pay
- Not enough pay data
- Projected growth to 2035
- +5.2%
- Workers in the occupation
- 104,100
Based on 125 openings.
- 9
Medical records specialists Postsecondary nondegree award
113 jobs
- Open jobs
- 113
- Median posted pay
- $271k
- Projected growth to 2035
- +7.8%
- Workers in the occupation
- 200,700
Based on 113 openings.
- 10
Funeral home managers Associate degree
111 jobs
- Open jobs
- 111
- Median posted pay
- Not enough pay data
- Projected growth to 2035
- +4.1%
- Workers in the occupation
- 34,800
Based on 111 openings.
- 11
Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians Associate degree
110 jobs
- Open jobs
- 110
- Median posted pay
- Not enough pay data
- Projected growth to 2035
- +1.3%
- Workers in the occupation
- 36,900
Based on 110 openings.
Full ranking
All 11 occupations that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
| Rank | Occupation | Score | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paralegals and legal assistants Associate degree | 1,728 jobs | 1,728 |
| 2 | Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks Some college, no degree | 817 jobs | 817 |
| 3 | Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other Associate degree | 592 jobs | 592 |
| 4 | Computer user support specialists Some college, no degree | 559 jobs | 559 |
| 5 | Computer network support specialists Associate degree | 291 jobs | 291 |
| 6 | Electrical and electronics drafters Associate degree | 161 jobs | 161 |
| 7 | Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping Associate degree | 136 jobs | 136 |
| 8 | Architectural and civil drafters Associate degree | 125 jobs | 125 |
| 9 | Medical records specialists Postsecondary nondegree award | 113 jobs | 113 |
| 10 | Funeral home managers Associate degree | 111 jobs | 111 |
| 11 | Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians Associate degree | 110 jobs | 110 |
How this ranking works
An occupation is a standard occupation (SOC) code, and the group is the typical entry-level education the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for it: here, an associate degree, some college or a postsecondary certificate. An occupation's score is the number of its open professional roles.
A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Only occupations with at least 100 open jobs are ranked.
Sample bar: occupations with fewer than 100 openings are not ranked.
Sources: NextChapter job data: open professional roles, matched to standard occupation (SOC) codes; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-35: typical entry-level education and projected employment change by occupation. Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which occupation ranks first: occupations needing an associate degree or a certificate with the most open jobs?
- Paralegals and legal assistants has the most open jobs of the occupations that typically need an associate degree, some college or a postsecondary certificate: 1,728 jobs in our data.
- How many occupations are ranked?
- 11 occupations have at least 100 open jobs, so the list has 11 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- An occupation is a standard occupation (SOC) code, and the group is the typical entry-level education the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists for it: here, an associate degree, some college or a postsecondary certificate. An occupation's score is the number of its open professional roles. A posting does not state a degree. Each is matched to its standard occupation, and the education shown is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists as typical for entering that occupation. Some employers ask for more or less, and about one posting in a hundred has an occupation we could not match, which is left out. Only occupations with at least 100 open jobs are ranked.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Occupations needing an associate degree or a certificate with the most open jobs,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/occupations-needing-an-associate-degree-or-certificate-with-the-most-open-jobs
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/occupations-needing-an-associate-degree-or-certificate-with-the-most-open-jobs">Occupations needing an associate degree or a certificate with the most open jobs (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
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