Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $49,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.63
- Total employment: 680 people (15.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Decatur, Illinois
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 Decatur 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Decatur, Illinois
Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Community health workers
- Median annual wage: $49,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $49,390
- Median hourly wage: $23.75
- Total employment: 70 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $49,610
- Median hourly wage: $23.85
- Total employment: 50 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $50,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.15
- Total employment: 60 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Decatur, Illinois by diners
4 PM production // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $50,570
- Median hourly wage: $24.31
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $50,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.41
- Total employment: 170 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $51,710
- Median hourly wage: $24.86
- Total employment: 100 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.93
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,090
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The most expensive homes sold in Decatur, Illinois this year
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $52,170
- Median hourly wage: $25.08
- Total employment: 120 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $53,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 140 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $54,740
- Median hourly wage: $26.32
- Total employment: 140 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,920
- Median hourly wage: $26.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: The highest-value homes in Decatur, Illinois
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $56,760
- Median hourly wage: $27.29
- Total employment: 450 people (10.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $57,620
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 900 people (19.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 700 people (15.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $58,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 50 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $59,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 210 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Decatur, Illinois
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 80 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $61,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 80 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $61,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $62,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 210 people (4.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Decatur, Illinois metro area
David Spates // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $62,660
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 70 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
27 / 50#23. Cement masons and concrete finishers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 60 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 170 people (3.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 100 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $63,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 70 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated breakfast restaurants in the Decatur, Illinois area by diners
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $64,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 220 people (4.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $65,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 470 people (10.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $66,460
- Median hourly wage: $31.95
- Total employment: 80 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $66,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $69,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in the Decatur, Illinois area by diners
Kot500 // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $70,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.97
- Total employment: 190 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $72,080
- Median hourly wage: $34.65
- Total employment: 100 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $72,610
- Median hourly wage: $34.91
- Total employment: 1,090 people (24.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $72,750
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $73,220
- Median hourly wage: $35.20
- Total employment: 410 people (9.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Decatur, Illinois?
SritanaN // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $76,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.56
- Total employment: 150 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $78,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 60 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $78,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 160 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $80,770
- Median hourly wage: $38.83
- Total employment: 200 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 180 people (3.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Decatur, Illinois
pio3 // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $82,770
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 200 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $83,750
- Median hourly wage: $40.26
- Total employment: 250 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $96,700
- Median hourly wage: $46.49
- Total employment: 80 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $102,960
- Median hourly wage: $49.50
- Total employment: 440 people (9.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $132,320
- Median hourly wage: $63.61
- Total employment: 120 people (2.66 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.
You may also like: Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Decatur, Illinois area by diners
