Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Springfield, Massachusetts

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 Springfield 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.

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $68,080
- Median hourly wage: $32.73
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $69,420
- Median hourly wage: $33.37
- Total employment: 120 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GolF2532 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Security and fire alarm systems installers

- Median annual wage: $70,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.98
- Total employment: 110 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $71,040
- Median hourly wage: $34.16
- Total employment: Not available

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5 / 50

#46. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $72,280
- Median hourly wage: $34.75
- Total employment: 690 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Irene Miller // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $72,290
- Median hourly wage: $34.76
- Total employment: 680 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $72,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 1,050 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $72,850
- Median hourly wage: $35.02
- Total employment: 80 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $73,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 170 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $73,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.24
- Total employment: 190 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $73,790
- Median hourly wage: $35.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $73,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 1,190 people (5.98 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: $74,030
- Median hourly wage: $35.59
- Total employment: 1,360 people (6.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,630
- Median hourly wage: $35.88
- Total employment: 360 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $75,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.30
- Total employment: 180 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Socrates471 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Audio and video technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 180 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,070
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 260 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Roofers

- Median annual wage: $78,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 320 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $79,190
- Median hourly wage: $38.07
- Total employment: 1,300 people (6.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $79,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $80,380
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 180 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $80,560
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 870 people (4.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,950
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 90 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $81,070
- Median hourly wage: $38.98
- Total employment: 140 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $81,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.02
- Total employment: 170 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,360
- Median hourly wage: $39.12
- Total employment: 850 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $81,850
- Median hourly wage: $39.35
- Total employment: Not available

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30 / 50

#21. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $82,000
- Median hourly wage: $39.42
- Total employment: 190 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,320
- Median hourly wage: $40.06
- Total employment: Not available

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32 / 50

#19. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $83,850
- Median hourly wage: $40.31
- Total employment: 370 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,840
- Median hourly wage: $40.79
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $86,000
- Median hourly wage: $41.35
- Total employment: 890 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Glaziers

- Median annual wage: $86,800
- Median hourly wage: $41.73
- Total employment: 110 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $91,480
- Median hourly wage: $43.98
- Total employment: 220 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $91,570
- Median hourly wage: $44.02
- Total employment: 100 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $92,340
- Median hourly wage: $44.39
- Total employment: 210 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $92,750
- Median hourly wage: $44.59
- Total employment: 820 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $93,500
- Median hourly wage: $44.95
- Total employment: 290 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,210
- Median hourly wage: $45.77
- Total employment: 100 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $96,250
- Median hourly wage: $46.27
- Total employment: 420 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $99,480
- Median hourly wage: $47.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $99,630
- Median hourly wage: $47.90
- Total employment: 260 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.96
- Total employment: 140 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,190
- Median hourly wage: $50.09
- Total employment: 190 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,990
- Median hourly wage: $50.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $109,310
- Median hourly wage: $52.56
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $123,090
- Median hourly wage: $59.18
- Total employment: Not available

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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