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1 / 50#50. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $78,920
- Median hourly wage: $37.94
- Total employment: 560 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Bridgeport
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 Bridgeport 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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2 / 50#49. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $80,020
- Median hourly wage: $38.47
- Total employment: 130 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $80,570
- Median hourly wage: $38.74
- Total employment: 560 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $80,630
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 1,520 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $80,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 390 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $80,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.84
- Total employment: 790 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $82,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.70
- Total employment: 870 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $83,040
- Median hourly wage: $39.92
- Total employment: 150 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $83,440
- Median hourly wage: $40.12
- Total employment: 3,180 people (7.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $83,940
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 1,620 people (4.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $83,950
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 290 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $84,830
- Median hourly wage: $40.78
- Total employment: 1,250 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $84,990
- Median hourly wage: $40.86
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $85,540
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 330 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $85,730
- Median hourly wage: $41.22
- Total employment: 100 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $86,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.44
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,560
- Median hourly wage: $41.62
- Total employment: 170 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $86,640
- Median hourly wage: $41.66
- Total employment: 140 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $87,820
- Median hourly wage: $42.22
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $87,850
- Median hourly wage: $42.24
- Total employment: 1,450 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $88,130
- Median hourly wage: $42.37
- Total employment: 180 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,930
- Median hourly wage: $42.75
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $89,120
- Median hourly wage: $42.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $89,750
- Median hourly wage: $43.15
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $90,190
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 370 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $90,230
- Median hourly wage: $43.38
- Total employment: 240 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $90,610
- Median hourly wage: $43.56
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $93,220
- Median hourly wage: $44.82
- Total employment: 120 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $96,220
- Median hourly wage: $46.26
- Total employment: 510 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $96,760
- Median hourly wage: $46.52
- Total employment: 70 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $97,130
- Median hourly wage: $46.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $97,340
- Median hourly wage: $46.80
- Total employment: 1,640 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $97,530
- Median hourly wage: $46.89
- Total employment: 220 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $98,370
- Median hourly wage: $47.29
- Total employment: 880 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $98,690
- Median hourly wage: $47.45
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $100,980
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 270 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $102,730
- Median hourly wage: $49.39
- Total employment: 400 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $104,480
- Median hourly wage: $50.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $105,650
- Median hourly wage: $50.79
- Total employment: 130 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $106,970
- Median hourly wage: $51.43
- Total employment: 240 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $109,350
- Median hourly wage: $52.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $110,140
- Median hourly wage: $52.95
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $110,390
- Median hourly wage: $53.07
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $111,660
- Median hourly wage: $53.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $111,980
- Median hourly wage: $53.84
- Total employment: 530 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $112,040
- Median hourly wage: $53.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $112,970
- Median hourly wage: $54.31
- Total employment: 550 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $117,570
- Median hourly wage: $56.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $132,860
- Median hourly wage: $63.88
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 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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