Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 310 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Davenport
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 Davenport 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: Cities with the most expensive homes in the Davenport metro area
manine99 // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $63,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 300 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 240 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 140 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Davenport that require a bachelor's degree
goodluz // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $64,980
- Median hourly wage: $31.24
- Total employment: 860 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 160 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $65,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.73
- Total employment: 1,660 people (9.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 540 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How much house $1 million buys you in Davenport
welcomia // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $66,470
- Median hourly wage: $31.96
- Total employment: 290 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $66,830
- Median hourly wage: $32.13
- Total employment: 200 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $66,900
- Median hourly wage: $32.17
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $67,760
- Median hourly wage: $32.58
- Total employment: 140 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $68,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 350 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Most common languages spoken at home in Greater Davenport and surrounding regions
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $69,130
- Median hourly wage: $33.24
- Total employment: 130 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Bridge and lock tenders
- Median annual wage: $69,530
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,410
- Median hourly wage: $33.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $71,610
- Median hourly wage: $34.43
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 90 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Davenport
pio3 // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $72,490
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 730 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $74,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.69
- Total employment: 820 people (4.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $74,500
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 250 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $75,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 230 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.61
- Total employment: 140 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Davenport
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $76,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.64
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 1,210 people (6.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $76,770
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 120 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,920
- Median hourly wage: $37.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Davenport in the last week
4 PM production // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 710 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $78,270
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $78,410
- Median hourly wage: $37.70
- Total employment: 1,350 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Metal workers and plastic workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $79,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.13
- Total employment: 290 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in the Davenport metro area
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $79,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.21
- Total employment: 150 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $79,920
- Median hourly wage: $38.42
- Total employment: 230 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $80,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.50
- Total employment: 720 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.97
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.97
- Total employment: 150 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Davenport that require a bachelor's degree
sculpies // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $81,880
- Median hourly wage: $39.37
- Total employment: 1,110 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $81,910
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $82,590
- Median hourly wage: $39.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $83,250
- Median hourly wage: $40.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $89,500
- Median hourly wage: $43.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Davenport
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,270
- Median hourly wage: $45.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $99,350
- Median hourly wage: $47.77
- Total employment: 210 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $105,060
- Median hourly wage: $50.51
- Total employment: 270 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $107,440
- Median hourly wage: $51.66
- Total employment: 130 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $119,770
- Median hourly wage: $57.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 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-paying jobs in Davenport for high school graduates
