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

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 Boston 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. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $84,560
- Median hourly wage: $40.65
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $84,680
- Median hourly wage: $40.71
- Total employment: 330 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mrak.hr // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $84,800
- Median hourly wage: $40.77
- Total employment: 200 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Radovan1 / Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Plasterers and stucco masons

- Median annual wage: $85,810
- Median hourly wage: $41.26
- Total employment: 110 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,030
- Median hourly wage: $41.36
- Total employment: 3,200 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $86,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.49
- Total employment: 1,860 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $86,840
- Median hourly wage: $41.75
- Total employment: 3,000 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $87,820
- Median hourly wage: $42.22
- Total employment: 100 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $88,090
- Median hourly wage: $42.35
- Total employment: 9,160 people (3.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $88,130
- Median hourly wage: $42.37
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $88,620
- Median hourly wage: $42.60
- Total employment: 390 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $91,290
- Median hourly wage: $43.89
- Total employment: Not available

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13 / 50

#38. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $91,880
- Median hourly wage: $44.17
- Total employment: 730 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $92,530
- Median hourly wage: $44.49
- Total employment: 160 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $92,870
- Median hourly wage: $44.65
- Total employment: 410 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,490
- Median hourly wage: $44.95
- Total employment: 4,970 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $93,550
- Median hourly wage: $44.98
- Total employment: 350 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,730
- Median hourly wage: $45.06
- Total employment: 1,080 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $95,690
- Median hourly wage: $46.00
- Total employment: 1,410 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

motodan // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Hoist and winch operators

- Median annual wage: $96,030
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: Not available

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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $96,450
- Median hourly wage: $46.37
- Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $97,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 2,390 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $98,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.38
- Total employment: 180 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $99,430
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 14,540 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $99,780
- Median hourly wage: $47.97
- Total employment: 1,450 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 3,740 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $102,060
- Median hourly wage: $49.07
- Total employment: 5,080 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $103,150
- Median hourly wage: $49.59
- Total employment: 230 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $103,360
- Median hourly wage: $49.69
- Total employment: 830 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.85
- Total employment: 1,780 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $104,370
- Median hourly wage: $50.18
- Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $104,590
- Median hourly wage: $50.28
- Total employment: 1,540 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $105,080
- Median hourly wage: $50.52
- Total employment: 1,170 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $105,720
- Median hourly wage: $50.83
- Total employment: 1,200 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $106,210
- Median hourly wage: $51.06
- Total employment: 210 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $107,100
- Median hourly wage: $51.49
- Total employment: 3,570 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $107,650
- Median hourly wage: $51.76
- Total employment: 690 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Tapers

- Median annual wage: $107,680
- Median hourly wage: $51.77
- Total employment: 240 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $108,910
- Median hourly wage: $52.36
- Total employment: Not available

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40 / 50

#11. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $110,730
- Median hourly wage: $53.24
- Total employment: 260 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $111,460
- Median hourly wage: $53.59
- Total employment: 1,050 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $115,240
- Median hourly wage: $55.41
- Total employment: 5,060 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $115,430
- Median hourly wage: $55.50
- Total employment: 1,420 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $115,760
- Median hourly wage: $55.66
- Total employment: 3,160 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $116,900
- Median hourly wage: $56.20
- Total employment: 1,450 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $118,550
- Median hourly wage: $56.99
- Total employment: 220 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. Pile driver operators

- Median annual wage: $118,960
- Median hourly wage: $57.19
- Total employment: 170 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. Air traffic controllers

- Median annual wage: $131,360
- Median hourly wage: $63.16
- Total employment: 90 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $143,180
- Median hourly wage: $68.84
- Total employment: Not available

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50 / 50

#1. Ship engineers

- Median annual wage: $147,760
- Median hourly wage: $71.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.02 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.