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

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 Champaign 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.

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $61,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 90 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 330 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,220
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 510 people (4.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 80 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 220 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.47
- Total employment: 180 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Socrates471 // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Audio and video technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 330 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $64,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 210 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 110 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,760
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 700 people (6.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bus drivers, transit and intercity

- Median annual wage: $65,160
- Median hourly wage: $31.33
- Total employment: 260 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $65,270
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 380 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 220 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $67,210
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 70 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 520 people (4.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $68,670
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,940
- Median hourly wage: $33.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $70,890
- Median hourly wage: $34.08
- Total employment: 230 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $71,400
- Median hourly wage: $34.33
- Total employment: 60 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $72,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $73,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,420
- Median hourly wage: $35.78
- Total employment: 240 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,730
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 330 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $76,470
- Median hourly wage: $36.77
- Total employment: 150 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 380 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 140 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $78,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.76
- Total employment: 150 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $78,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles

- Median annual wage: $79,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Painters, construction and maintenance

- Median annual wage: $79,960
- Median hourly wage: $38.44
- Total employment: 190 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $80,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.60
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $80,680
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 100 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,670
- Median hourly wage: $42.15
- Total employment: 350 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $91,390
- Median hourly wage: $43.94
- Total employment: 450 people (4.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $92,410
- Median hourly wage: $44.43
- Total employment: 160 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $92,470
- Median hourly wage: $44.46
- Total employment: 390 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $92,540
- Median hourly wage: $44.49
- Total employment: 90 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $95,180
- Median hourly wage: $45.76
- Total employment: 120 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,290
- Median hourly wage: $45.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SofikoS // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $97,460
- Median hourly wage: $46.86
- Total employment: 110 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

M2020 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $98,730
- Median hourly wage: $47.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $103,520
- Median hourly wage: $49.77
- Total employment: 60 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,200
- Median hourly wage: $50.10
- Total employment: 60 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $108,550
- Median hourly wage: $52.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.86 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.