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

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 Baltimore 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. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $78,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.53
- Total employment: 130 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $78,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 720 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,540
- Median hourly wage: $37.76
- Total employment: 2,300 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 1,380 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,630
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 1,780 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Syda Productions // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $79,990
- Median hourly wage: $38.46
- Total employment: 30 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,710
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 4,730 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.84
- Total employment: 540 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wonderlustpicstravel // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Subway and streetcar operators

- Median annual wage: $81,290
- Median hourly wage: $39.08
- Total employment: 160 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $81,410
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: Not available

Gearstd // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 270 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $82,320
- Median hourly wage: $39.58
- Total employment: 580 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mrak.hr // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $82,910
- Median hourly wage: $39.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Guiderom // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Rail car repairers

- Median annual wage: $84,840
- Median hourly wage: $40.79
- Total employment: 190 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $84,870
- Median hourly wage: $40.80
- Total employment: 960 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,780
- Median hourly wage: $41.24
- Total employment: 1,560 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $86,980
- Median hourly wage: $41.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $88,920
- Median hourly wage: $42.75
- Total employment: 120 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

motodan // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Hoist and winch operators

- Median annual wage: $90,200
- Median hourly wage: $43.36
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $90,610
- Median hourly wage: $43.56
- Total employment: 220 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $91,690
- Median hourly wage: $44.08
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

JL IMAGES // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Transit and railroad police

- Median annual wage: $91,930
- Median hourly wage: $44.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $92,860
- Median hourly wage: $44.64
- Total employment: 1,360 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

industryviews // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $93,010
- Median hourly wage: $44.72
- Total employment: 160 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#25. Nuclear medicine technologists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $93,420
- Median hourly wage: $44.91
- Total employment: 220 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SpeedKingz // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Personal service managers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $93,420
- Median hourly wage: $44.92
- Total employment: 230 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $94,450
- Median hourly wage: $45.41
- Total employment: 810 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $94,740
- Median hourly wage: $45.55
- Total employment: 320 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#21. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians (tie)

- Median annual wage: $94,850
- Median hourly wage: $45.60
- Total employment: 810 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Diagnostic medical sonographers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $94,850
- Median hourly wage: $45.60
- Total employment: 770 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $95,650
- Median hourly wage: $45.98
- Total employment: 3,360 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $97,310
- Median hourly wage: $46.78
- Total employment: 710 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $100,380
- Median hourly wage: $48.26
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $101,530
- Median hourly wage: $48.81
- Total employment: 310 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $101,640
- Median hourly wage: $48.86
- Total employment: 90 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Artists and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $102,070
- Median hourly wage: $49.07
- Total employment: 140 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $102,550
- Median hourly wage: $49.30
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $104,080
- Median hourly wage: $50.04
- Total employment: 2,140 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $104,130
- Median hourly wage: $50.06
- Total employment: 4,720 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $105,580
- Median hourly wage: $50.76
- Total employment: 1,980 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $106,190
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 130 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $107,580
- Median hourly wage: $51.72
- Total employment: 1,070 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $113,990
- Median hourly wage: $54.80
- Total employment: Not available

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $119,290
- Median hourly wage: $57.35
- Total employment: 4,280 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $119,300
- Median hourly wage: $57.36
- Total employment: 550 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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curraheeshutter // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Ship engineers

- Median annual wage: $123,840
- Median hourly wage: $59.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $125,630
- Median hourly wage: $60.40
- Total employment: 490 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $132,030
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

socrates471 // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Media and communication equipment workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $133,680
- Median hourly wage: $64.27
- Total employment: 240 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Burben // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Air traffic controllers

- Median annual wage: $156,870
- Median hourly wage: $75.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 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.