Kot500 // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $65,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 190 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Ann Arbor
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 Ann Arbor 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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2 / 50#49. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $65,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.37
- Total employment: 480 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $65,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.39
- Total employment: 170 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,440
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 70 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $65,610
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 540 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $66,870
- Median hourly wage: $32.15
- Total employment: 80 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $67,830
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $67,950
- Median hourly wage: $32.67
- Total employment: 1,210 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $68,190
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $68,940
- Median hourly wage: $33.14
- Total employment: 150 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Psychiatric technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,010
- Median hourly wage: $33.66
- Total employment: 350 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,270
- Median hourly wage: $33.78
- Total employment: 680 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,290
- Median hourly wage: $33.79
- Total employment: 150 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.82
- Total employment: 410 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $70,870
- Median hourly wage: $34.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,780
- Median hourly wage: $34.99
- Total employment: 450 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $73,240
- Median hourly wage: $35.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,350
- Median hourly wage: $35.75
- Total employment: 260 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $75,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $76,440
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 330 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $77,310
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 1,180 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $77,500
- Median hourly wage: $37.26
- Total employment: 150 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $77,740
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 500 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $78,600
- Median hourly wage: $37.79
- Total employment: 80 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lighthunter // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Medical equipment repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,180
- Median hourly wage: $38.55
- Total employment: 130 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $80,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.57
- Total employment: 400 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $81,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $81,260
- Median hourly wage: $39.07
- Total employment: 540 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $81,380
- Median hourly wage: $39.12
- Total employment: Not available
lenetstan // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $81,460
- Median hourly wage: $39.16
- Total employment: 730 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $81,690
- Median hourly wage: $39.27
- Total employment: 260 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $81,720
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 390 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $81,840
- Median hourly wage: $39.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $82,020
- Median hourly wage: $39.44
- Total employment: 650 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $82,230
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 340 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,660
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,620
- Median hourly wage: $40.20
- Total employment: 260 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $83,700
- Median hourly wage: $40.24
- Total employment: 150 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $84,810
- Median hourly wage: $40.78
- Total employment: 50 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $85,240
- Median hourly wage: $40.98
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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fizkes // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,420
- Median hourly wage: $42.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $96,390
- Median hourly wage: $46.34
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $97,760
- Median hourly wage: $47.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $100,630
- Median hourly wage: $48.38
- Total employment: 70 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $104,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 610 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $105,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $106,220
- Median hourly wage: $51.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $106,910
- Median hourly wage: $51.40
- Total employment: 260 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $109,560
- Median hourly wage: $52.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $122,960
- Median hourly wage: $59.11
- Total employment: 80 people (0.36 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.
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