Syda Productions // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Dental assistants
- Median annual wage: $47,080
- Median hourly wage: $22.63
- Total employment: 70 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Michigan City
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 Michigan City 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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Philip Lange // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $47,300
- Median hourly wage: $22.74
- Total employment: 180 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nordroden // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $47,350
- Median hourly wage: $22.77
- Total employment: 90 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $47,500
- Median hourly wage: $22.84
- Total employment: 230 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $47,790
- Median hourly wage: $22.98
- Total employment: 200 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DC Studio // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $48,240
- Median hourly wage: $23.19
- Total employment: 40 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of personal service workers
- Median annual wage: $48,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $48,730
- Median hourly wage: $23.43
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $49,070
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $49,800
- Median hourly wage: $23.94
- Total employment: 90 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $49,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 190 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $50,300
- Median hourly wage: $24.18
- Total employment: 50 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $51,080
- Median hourly wage: $24.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $52,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.01
- Total employment: 50 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $56,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.27
- Total employment: 80 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.32
- Total employment: 50 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Painters, construction and maintenance
- Median annual wage: $57,350
- Median hourly wage: $27.57
- Total employment: 50 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $57,880
- Median hourly wage: $27.83
- Total employment: 260 people (6.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,930
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 110 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $58,020
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 160 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $58,200
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 40 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $58,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $58,660
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 170 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $58,790
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 490 people (11.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.66
- Total employment: 100 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $59,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 170 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 90 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $60,170
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 100 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 290 people (7.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $60,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 170 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $61,100
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 160 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $61,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 480 people (11.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 60 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 670 people (16.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 110 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $62,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 100 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $63,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 190 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $64,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $64,740
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 200 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $71,450
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 490 people (11.8 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: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $74,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 50 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $75,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 70 people (1.79 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: $75,360
- Median hourly wage: $36.23
- Total employment: 190 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 50 people (1.23 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: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 240 people (5.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $79,660
- Median hourly wage: $38.30
- Total employment: 220 people (5.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $86,600
- Median hourly wage: $41.63
- Total employment: 50 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,460
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.85 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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