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

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 Ames 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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1 / 50

#50. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $56,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#47. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Umomos // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $57,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $57,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 250 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 130 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $58,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 110 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 140 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Sergey Ryzhov // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 220 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 130 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 80 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 80 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 110 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 310 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 200 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 220 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 360 people (6.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 160 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 210 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $63,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 170 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 90 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 100 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 220 people (3.91 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: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 310 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $70,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 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: $72,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 430 people (7.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 120 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 150 people (2.59 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: $75,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 270 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#10. Respiratory therapists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 180 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 130 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $79,740
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $80,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 200 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $86,140
- Median hourly wage: $41.41
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,220
- Median hourly wage: $43.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $99,700
- Median hourly wage: $47.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 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: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 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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