Associate degree jobs that pay well

News of computer support jobs getting outsourced to distant foreign lands makes the headlines, but according to Shatkin, the field is still growing at home, too.

"There are a lot of things that have to be done on site," he says. "If you have to change a disk drive for instance, someone has to be there to do that. There's still a need for (support personnel) in the office."

Shatkin adds that you can break in with a two-year degree (though the BLS notes that some jobs in the field require a four-year degree). Statistics show that investing in information technology education pays off in the end. Computer support specialists bring in a median salary of $44,300 per year and a full benefits package, which may include free tuition reimbursement. Computer support specialists also shouldn't spend too long in the job hunt since the field is growing by 14 percent each year, according to the BLS.