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

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 Lansing 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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Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $62,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 680 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 130 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 170 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $63,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.29
- Total employment: 1,220 people (5.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 1,130 people (5.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

mahc // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Tile and stone setters

- Median annual wage: $63,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $63,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.54
- Total employment: 1,250 people (5.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $63,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 350 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $63,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 110 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $63,860
- Median hourly wage: $30.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $63,970
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $64,140
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 330 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 700 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 840 people (3.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 250 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,230
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 130 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $67,500
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 2,000 people (9.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $68,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 650 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,080
- Median hourly wage: $33.21
- Total employment: 200 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $69,320
- Median hourly wage: $33.33
- Total employment: 130 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $69,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 160 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.14
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $71,120
- Median hourly wage: $34.19
- Total employment: 100 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,170
- Median hourly wage: $34.22
- Total employment: 120 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $73,960
- Median hourly wage: $35.56
- Total employment: 190 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,460
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $75,080
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 730 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 690 people (3.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 90 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.57
- Total employment: 880 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $77,050
- Median hourly wage: $37.05
- Total employment: 1,230 people (5.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $77,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 170 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $77,360
- Median hourly wage: $37.19
- Total employment: 110 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $78,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.71
- Total employment: 520 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 900 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $80,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $82,290
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 430 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $82,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $84,660
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 180 people (0.83 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: $85,390
- Median hourly wage: $41.05
- Total employment: 110 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $86,600
- Median hourly wage: $41.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,530
- Median hourly wage: $44.97
- Total employment: 300 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $95,270
- Median hourly wage: $45.80
- Total employment: 200 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $99,360
- Median hourly wage: $47.77
- Total employment: 90 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $99,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.07
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $104,930
- Median hourly wage: $50.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

50 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $108,960
- Median hourly wage: $52.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 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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