Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Athens

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 Athens 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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1 / 50

#50. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $50,940
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 150 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lighthunter // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $51,030
- Median hourly wage: $24.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 140 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $52,190
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Akarawut // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers

- Median annual wage: $52,220
- Median hourly wage: $25.11
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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6 / 50

#45. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $52,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 610 people (6.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#43. Postal service mail carriers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $53,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 210 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Machinists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $53,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 110 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $53,230
- Median hourly wage: $25.59
- Total employment: 190 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $54,630
- Median hourly wage: $26.26
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $54,820
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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12 / 50

#39. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $54,870
- Median hourly wage: $26.38
- Total employment: 340 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,860
- Median hourly wage: $26.85
- Total employment: 60 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

- Median annual wage: $55,890
- Median hourly wage: $26.87
- Total employment: 90 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,230
- Median hourly wage: $27.03
- Total employment: 220 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $56,400
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 130 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $56,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.36
- Total employment: 500 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.48
- Total employment: 530 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $57,520
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $58,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 380 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 760 people (7.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $60,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $60,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 100 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 150 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 190 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $61,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 520 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 440 people (4.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $64,190
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 570 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

#17. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $65,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 90 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.72
- Total employment: 190 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $66,230
- Median hourly wage: $31.84
- Total employment: 350 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $66,370
- Median hourly wage: $31.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,650
- Median hourly wage: $32.04
- Total employment: 70 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,500
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 260 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $68,970
- Median hourly wage: $33.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,000
- Median hourly wage: $33.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

- Median annual wage: $71,180
- Median hourly wage: $34.22
- Total employment: 120 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $75,640
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 110 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $78,920
- Median hourly wage: $37.94
- Total employment: 110 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Korotkov // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Crossing guards and flaggers

- Median annual wage: $82,400
- Median hourly wage: $39.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $84,390
- Median hourly wage: $40.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $98,590
- Median hourly wage: $47.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)