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

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 Macon 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. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $50,560
- Median hourly wage: $24.31
- Total employment: 210 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,360
- Median hourly wage: $24.69
- Total employment: 330 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $51,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.75
- Total employment: 490 people (5.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $51,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $51,610
- Median hourly wage: $24.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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welcomia // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $51,970
- Median hourly wage: $24.98
- Total employment: 220 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 290 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $52,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 160 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $52,940
- Median hourly wage: $25.45
- Total employment: 130 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $53,080
- Median hourly wage: $25.52
- Total employment: 190 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $53,160
- Median hourly wage: $25.56
- Total employment: 180 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,490
- Median hourly wage: $25.72
- Total employment: 120 people (1.3 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: $53,590
- Median hourly wage: $25.77
- Total employment: 390 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $53,660
- Median hourly wage: $25.80
- Total employment: 120 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $53,910
- Median hourly wage: $25.92
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Halfpoint // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $54,230
- Median hourly wage: $26.07
- Total employment: 150 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $54,550
- Median hourly wage: $26.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $55,960
- Median hourly wage: $26.90
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 790 people (8.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 190 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 90 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $58,330
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 480 people (5.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $59,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.72
- Total employment: 200 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 210 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $60,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.30
- Total employment: 320 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 620 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 860 people (9.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $62,120
- Median hourly wage: $29.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 470 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,580
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 280 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $64,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.00
- Total employment: 100 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 520 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 220 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,850
- Median hourly wage: $31.66
- Total employment: 450 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $68,720
- Median hourly wage: $33.04
- Total employment: 90 people (0.91 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: $68,880
- Median hourly wage: $33.12
- Total employment: 190 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $71,340
- Median hourly wage: $34.30
- Total employment: 1,440 people (15.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $75,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 110 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $77,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.22
- Total employment: 110 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $79,820
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 130 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $80,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 120 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $105,540
- Median hourly wage: $50.74
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 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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