Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Lafayette, Indiana

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 Lafayette 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.

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $57,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 130 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#48. Refuse and recyclable material collectors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $58,040
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $58,040
- Median hourly wage: $27.91
- Total employment: 1,340 people (13.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 150 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 200 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $58,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $59,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 120 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $59,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 350 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $59,420
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 310 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 190 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $59,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 90 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 310 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 150 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.88
- Total employment: 190 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,200
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $60,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.98
- Total employment: 320 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 210 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $61,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 280 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 140 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $62,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,120
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 220 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $63,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.59
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $63,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 320 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $64,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 70 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,690
- Median hourly wage: $31.58
- Total employment: 980 people (9.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Best restaurants for 6 cuisines in Lafayette, Indiana

welcomia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $65,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 200 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $67,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $68,070
- Median hourly wage: $32.73
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $68,310
- Median hourly wage: $32.84
- Total employment: 130 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,690
- Median hourly wage: $33.03
- Total employment: 680 people (6.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $71,860
- Median hourly wage: $34.55
- Total employment: 540 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $72,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.82
- Total employment: 70 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 690 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,200
- Median hourly wage: $36.15
- Total employment: 380 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.27
- Total employment: 170 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 770 people (7.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $77,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.14
- Total employment: 120 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 350 people (3.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,880
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $79,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 350 people (3.45 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: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 450 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $86,810
- Median hourly wage: $41.74
- Total employment: 280 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $93,860
- Median hourly wage: $45.13
- Total employment: 110 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $103,910
- Median hourly wage: $49.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 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.