Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Birmingham
For many, a two-year associate degree can be the ticket to higher earning power at an affordable price. Though some types of associate degrees can be a stepping stone to a bachelor's, others are geared toward middle-skilled careers that require specialized knowledge, such as criminal justice, cybersecurity, hospitality management, and more.
Across all fields of study, someone with a two-year degree can earn a median annual salary of $49,500 as of May 2024, around 18% more than that of a high school graduate. By comparison, bachelor's degree holders can earn a median salary of $66,600 but have to invest much more time—and money—into their degree.
According to March 2025 data from the Education Data Initiative, the total cost for a degree from a two-year in-district public college averages about $35,000, compared to nearly $109,000 for a bachelor's degree. And lower costs mean fewer student loans. Just 2 in 5 associate degree recipients took on student loan debt in the 2019-2020 school year (the most recent year with available data), compared to 64% of bachelor's degree students. The two-year degree holders who did use loans borrowed less money, incurring lower interest payments.
Despite the benefits of earning a two-year degree, the number of these credentials produced across the United States is lagging. A September 2024 study from Georgetown University forecasts a nationwide shortage of nearly 361,000 credentials to fill middle-skilled jobs through 2032. However, this could be good news for anyone holding one of these versatile degrees, since the number of available jobs may soon outnumber the employees qualified to work them.
In the meantime, Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the highest-paying jobs in Birmingham for people with a two-year associate degree. The analysis also included jobs that listed a high school diploma, some college but no degree, a postsecondary nondegree award, or had no formal education requirement. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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lenetstan // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.96
- Total employment: 1,190 people (2.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
prochasson frederic // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Boilermakers
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 3,000 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $62,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 240 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 260 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.27
- Total employment: 270 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $62,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 90 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 80 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
O.PASH // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Animal trainers
- Median annual wage: $63,330
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $63,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 130 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 6,230 people (12.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 1,020 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
14 / 50#36. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)
- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 5,900 people (11.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Earth drillers, except oil and gas (tie)
- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $64,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 320 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $65,130
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 740 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.71
- Total employment: Not available
Jat306 // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $66,360
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 450 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $68,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 3,910 people (7.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Funeral home managers
- Median annual wage: $68,880
- Median hourly wage: $33.11
- Total employment: 90 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,450
- Median hourly wage: $33.87
- Total employment: 3,130 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 360 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $71,700
- Median hourly wage: $34.47
- Total employment: Not available
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 940 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $74,050
- Median hourly wage: $35.60
- Total employment: 3,010 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ITisha // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $74,660
- Median hourly wage: $35.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 3,160 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 610 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,580
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 230 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 150 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $80,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 100 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $81,520
- Median hourly wage: $39.19
- Total employment: 70 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $81,980
- Median hourly wage: $39.41
- Total employment: 110 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $82,210
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 350 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Gas plant operators
- Median annual wage: $82,620
- Median hourly wage: $39.72
- Total employment: 70 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 180 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $83,460
- Median hourly wage: $40.12
- Total employment: 1,760 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $90,200
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 470 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $92,580
- Median hourly wage: $44.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $92,850
- Median hourly wage: $44.64
- Total employment: 100 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,140
- Median hourly wage: $45.74
- Total employment: 590 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $95,960
- Median hourly wage: $46.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $97,690
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Washburn HM // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $101,250
- Median hourly wage: $48.68
- Total employment: 260 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $103,640
- Median hourly wage: $49.83
- Total employment: 270 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $120,040
- Median hourly wage: $57.71
- Total employment: Not available
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $134,020
- Median hourly wage: $64.43
- Total employment: 110 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 363 metros.
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