ITisha // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Bailiffs
- Median annual wage: $72,180
- Median hourly wage: $34.70
- Total employment: 270 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Atlanta
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 Atlanta 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.
Neale Cousland // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Athletes and sports competitors
- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,860 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $72,950
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 6,080 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $73,100
- Median hourly wage: $35.14
- Total employment: 1,140 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $73,150
- Median hourly wage: $35.17
- Total employment: 3,870 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Hitdelight // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $73,330
- Median hourly wage: $35.26
- Total employment: 2,440 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $73,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.34
- Total employment: 8,610 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $74,160
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 680 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 1,300 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 1,900 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Flight attendants
- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 9,730 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 13,070 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 580 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $77,480
- Median hourly wage: $37.25
- Total employment: 280 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Median annual wage: $77,950
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 230 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $78,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 15,820 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles
- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: Not available
lenetstan // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $79,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: 3,690 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $79,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 6,490 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BearFotos // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,820
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 370 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $80,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 4,240 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,030
- Median hourly wage: $38.96
- Total employment: 1,880 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 2,140 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Linda Zupanc // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Costume attendants
- Median annual wage: $82,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gearstd // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $84,050
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: 260 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $85,010
- Median hourly wage: $40.87
- Total employment: 2,730 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $85,360
- Median hourly wage: $41.04
- Total employment: 160 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,850
- Median hourly wage: $41.76
- Total employment: 760 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $87,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.97
- Total employment: 1,360 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $88,870
- Median hourly wage: $42.73
- Total employment: 2,660 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $89,140
- Median hourly wage: $42.86
- Total employment: 120 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $90,550
- Median hourly wage: $43.53
- Total employment: 80 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: $45.67
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $95,090
- Median hourly wage: $45.72
- Total employment: 790 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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santi lumubol // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $95,920
- Median hourly wage: $46.12
- Total employment: 3,200 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $97,710
- Median hourly wage: $46.98
- Total employment: 4,760 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Funeral home managers
- Median annual wage: $97,980
- Median hourly wage: $47.11
- Total employment: 180 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $98,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.32
- Total employment: 310 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,610
- Median hourly wage: $47.41
- Total employment: 270 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $98,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.50
- Total employment: 290 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $116,330
- Median hourly wage: $55.93
- Total employment: 200 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kojala // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Artists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $116,560
- Median hourly wage: $56.04
- Total employment: 360 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $119,790
- Median hourly wage: $57.59
- Total employment: 4,430 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $120,990
- Median hourly wage: $58.17
- Total employment: 150 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Washburn HM // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $123,780
- Median hourly wage: $59.51
- Total employment: 370 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kokulina // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Makeup artists, theatrical and performance
- Median annual wage: $133,050
- Median hourly wage: $63.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $139,350
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 500 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $145,780
- Median hourly wage: $70.09
- Total employment: 100 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $182,310
- Median hourly wage: $87.65
- Total employment: 820 people (0.28 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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