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

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 Wichita 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.

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 1,580 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 220 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 70 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 230 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 400 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 110 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 630 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,780
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 430 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#40. Occupational therapy assistants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 170 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 370 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.97
- Total employment: 1,380 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 310 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,340
- Median hourly wage: $31.41
- Total employment: 2,540 people (8.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $66,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 150 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $67,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 240 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $67,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 300 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 3,360 people (10.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 160 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $72,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.89
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,580
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 540 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

#28. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $72,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $72,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $74,790
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.10
- Total employment: 620 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Christian Lagerek // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $75,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,550
- Median hourly wage: $36.32
- Total employment: 1,890 people (6.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 1,970 people (6.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

industryviews // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 550 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Indypendenz // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $76,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.84
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,660
- Median hourly wage: $36.86
- Total employment: 1,320 people (4.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 300 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Glen Jones // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Layout workers, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $76,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 570 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,510
- Median hourly wage: $37.26
- Total employment: 130 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $78,230
- Median hourly wage: $37.61
- Total employment: 510 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $78,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 210 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $78,520
- Median hourly wage: $37.75
- Total employment: 180 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $80,520
- Median hourly wage: $38.71
- Total employment: 170 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

#11. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $81,230
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 510 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 2,420 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $83,370
- Median hourly wage: $40.08
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $87,410
- Median hourly wage: $42.02
- Total employment: 260 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $89,230
- Median hourly wage: $42.90
- Total employment: 380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $90,970
- Median hourly wage: $43.74
- Total employment: 380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $92,140
- Median hourly wage: $44.30
- Total employment: 390 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,600
- Median hourly wage: $46.44
- Total employment: 200 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 220 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $103,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 410 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $120,640
- Median hourly wage: $58.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 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.