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1 / 50#50. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 420 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Savannah
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 Savannah 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. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 800 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 1,170 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.46
- Total employment: 1,650 people (8.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $61,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 150 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $61,580
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 440 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 490 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 270 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 1,550 people (7.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 340 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $62,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 160 people (0.8 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: $63,290
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 1,310 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $63,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.44
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $64,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.08
- Total employment: 660 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $64,710
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 320 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 170 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $66,220
- Median hourly wage: $31.84
- Total employment: 410 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $67,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.66
- Total employment: 1,140 people (5.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $68,230
- Median hourly wage: $32.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $71,100
- Median hourly wage: $34.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $71,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 370 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $73,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.35
- Total employment: Not available
4 PM production // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $74,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.75
- Total employment: 1,150 people (5.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.43
- Total employment: 140 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $75,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 110 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $75,890
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 1,060 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $76,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.73
- Total employment: 230 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,610
- Median hourly wage: $37.31
- Total employment: 60 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $77,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 270 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,870
- Median hourly wage: $37.44
- Total employment: 1,440 people (7.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $78,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.91
- Total employment: 110 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $78,990
- Median hourly wage: $37.98
- Total employment: 320 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $80,180
- Median hourly wage: $38.55
- Total employment: 120 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $80,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,610
- Median hourly wage: $39.24
- Total employment: 130 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $81,750
- Median hourly wage: $39.30
- Total employment: 80 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $82,010
- Median hourly wage: $39.43
- Total employment: 1,090 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $82,300
- Median hourly wage: $39.57
- Total employment: 290 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $83,970
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 200 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $104,660
- Median hourly wage: $50.32
- Total employment: 260 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $116,830
- Median hourly wage: $56.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 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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