Stokkete // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. File clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,840
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Muskegon
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 Muskegon 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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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $49,050
- Median hourly wage: $23.58
- Total employment: 960 people (15.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $49,130
- Median hourly wage: $23.62
- Total employment: 220 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $49,380
- Median hourly wage: $23.74
- Total employment: 50 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $50,260
- Median hourly wage: $24.16
- Total employment: 120 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Joey Chung // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $50,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 250 people (3.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Studio 72 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $50,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.30
- Total employment: 80 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Steve Hamann // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
- Median annual wage: $50,890
- Median hourly wage: $24.46
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $50,930
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,590
- Median hourly wage: $24.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vitpho // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $52,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 690 people (11.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $53,650
- Median hourly wage: $25.79
- Total employment: 620 people (9.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $54,830
- Median hourly wage: $26.36
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $55,390
- Median hourly wage: $26.63
- Total employment: 170 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $55,640
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $56,010
- Median hourly wage: $26.93
- Total employment: 170 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $56,290
- Median hourly wage: $27.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 190 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $56,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.31
- Total employment: 80 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,840
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 170 people (2.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Mirnes // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $56,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.34
- Total employment: 50 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $57,400
- Median hourly wage: $27.60
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $57,770
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $57,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $58,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.99
- Total employment: 100 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $58,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 80 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $58,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 160 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $59,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 130 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $59,910
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 180 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,240
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 310 people (4.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $60,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 120 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 70 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $62,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 410 people (6.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $62,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $63,560
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 90 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $63,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.68
- Total employment: 430 people (6.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $64,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 640 people (10.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $65,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $66,080
- Median hourly wage: $31.77
- Total employment: 510 people (8.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $67,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: 200 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $73,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.24
- Total employment: 270 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $73,860
- Median hourly wage: $35.51
- Total employment: 60 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $74,460
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 160 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $74,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.93
- Total employment: 240 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $78,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 110 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $78,830
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 150 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $93,790
- Median hourly wage: $45.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.84 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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