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

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 Lawrence 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.

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $47,940
- Median hourly wage: $23.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,200
- Median hourly wage: $23.17
- Total employment: 160 people (3.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Industrial truck and tractor operators

- Median annual wage: $48,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.18
- Total employment: 170 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $48,300
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 70 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Milton Rodriguez // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Prepress technicians and workers

- Median annual wage: $48,660
- Median hourly wage: $23.39
- Total employment: 120 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 200 people (3.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers

- Median annual wage: $48,950
- Median hourly wage: $23.53
- Total employment: 70 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Loan interviewers and clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 80 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $50,420
- Median hourly wage: $24.24
- Total employment: 100 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $50,820
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $50,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.47
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,210
- Median hourly wage: $24.62
- Total employment: 220 people (4.36 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: $51,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.95
- Total employment: 70 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

XiXinXing // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $52,120
- Median hourly wage: $25.06
- Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $53,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 220 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Vitpho // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $54,190
- Median hourly wage: $26.05
- Total employment: 440 people (8.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $54,930
- Median hourly wage: $26.41
- Total employment: 150 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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19 / 50

#32. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,680
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 90 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $56,060
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,780
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 140 people (2.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,500
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 130 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 150 people (2.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 120 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $59,470
- Median hourly wage: $28.59
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $59,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 110 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 100 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,640
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 400 people (7.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 310 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 190 people (3.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 160 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.98
- Total employment: 130 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $64,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 100 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,170
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 50 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $69,420
- Median hourly wage: $33.37
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.34
- Total employment: 330 people (6.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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4 PM production // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.01
- Total employment: 180 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,620
- Median hourly wage: $35.40
- Total employment: 300 people (5.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.64
- Total employment: 230 people (4.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

- Median annual wage: $77,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 220 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $83,690
- Median hourly wage: $40.23
- Total employment: 120 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $90,410
- Median hourly wage: $43.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $96,470
- Median hourly wage: $46.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,480
- Median hourly wage: $48.31
- Total employment: 80 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $105,350
- Median hourly wage: $50.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 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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