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1 / 50#50. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $49,700
- Median hourly wage: $23.89
- Total employment: 130 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Columbus, Georgia
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 Columbus 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. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $50,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 760 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $50,580
- Median hourly wage: $24.32
- Total employment: 150 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
photodiem // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
- Median annual wage: $50,860
- Median hourly wage: $24.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $51,000
- Median hourly wage: $24.52
- Total employment: 140 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $51,040
- Median hourly wage: $24.54
- Total employment: 790 people (6.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $51,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 350 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Procurement clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 130 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,220
- Median hourly wage: $25.59
- Total employment: 490 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $53,520
- Median hourly wage: $25.73
- Total employment: 170 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,650
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 110 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $53,780
- Median hourly wage: $25.86
- Total employment: 590 people (5.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $54,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $54,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.24
- Total employment: 430 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $54,840
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $55,230
- Median hourly wage: $26.55
- Total employment: 700 people (5.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stokkete // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Information and record clerks, all other
- Median annual wage: $55,240
- Median hourly wage: $26.56
- Total employment: 180 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 70 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 260 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $58,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 250 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 1,130 people (9.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $58,470
- Median hourly wage: $28.11
- Total employment: 240 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $58,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 180 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $60,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.99
- Total employment: 60 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $60,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 580 people (4.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
29 / 50#21. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment (tie)
- Median annual wage: $60,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $60,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 100 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 380 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 220 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 230 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $63,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 590 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 30 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $64,690
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 640 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $66,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 190 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $66,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 560 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $67,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 90 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $67,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.48
- Total employment: 280 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $67,630
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 70 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $68,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.75
- Total employment: 200 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 80 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $69,310
- Median hourly wage: $33.32
- Total employment: 110 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $74,210
- Median hourly wage: $35.68
- Total employment: 150 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $100,100
- Median hourly wage: $48.13
- Total employment: 80 people (0.67 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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