Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Worcester
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Worcester
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 Worcester 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.
#50. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $75,630
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 310 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $75,840
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 2,200 people (6.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Calibration technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $77,310
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 2,640 people (7.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Glaziers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $78,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 120 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Food service managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $78,000
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 410 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $78,030
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 350 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 140 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $78,270
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 1,460 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $78,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 820 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#40. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $78,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: Not available
#39. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $79,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.20
- Total employment: 1,490 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $79,710
- Median hourly wage: $38.32
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 2,080 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $80,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.84
- Total employment: 450 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Medical equipment repairers
- Median annual wage: $81,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.01
- Total employment: 80 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 730 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $81,430
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Layout workers, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $81,530
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $83,140
- Median hourly wage: $39.97
- Total employment: 350 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Median annual wage: $84,080
- Median hourly wage: $40.42
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $84,690
- Median hourly wage: $40.71
- Total employment: 720 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $85,110
- Median hourly wage: $40.92
- Total employment: 70 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $85,730
- Median hourly wage: $41.22
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $85,920
- Median hourly wage: $41.31
- Total employment: 300 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $86,060
- Median hourly wage: $41.37
- Total employment: 420 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $86,590
- Median hourly wage: $41.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $88,620
- Median hourly wage: $42.61
- Total employment: 550 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $88,700
- Median hourly wage: $42.65
- Total employment: 1,290 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $89,430
- Median hourly wage: $42.99
- Total employment: 260 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $92,470
- Median hourly wage: $44.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $94,360
- Median hourly wage: $45.37
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#17. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $95,960
- Median hourly wage: $46.14
- Total employment: 1,860 people (5.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $96,240
- Median hourly wage: $46.27
- Total employment: 390 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $97,430
- Median hourly wage: $46.84
- Total employment: 350 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $97,450
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 480 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $98,720
- Median hourly wage: $47.46
- Total employment: 180 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $99,380
- Median hourly wage: $47.78
- Total employment: 130 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 290 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $99,440
- Median hourly wage: $47.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $99,460
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 260 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $99,890
- Median hourly wage: $48.02
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $100,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.18
- Total employment: 720 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 180 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $106,180
- Median hourly wage: $51.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $112,610
- Median hourly wage: $54.14
- Total employment: 660 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $124,030
- Median hourly wage: $59.63
- Total employment: 90 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $124,100
- Median hourly wage: $59.67
- Total employment: 110 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $133,820
- Median hourly wage: $64.34
- 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.
