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

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.

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $57,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 250 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $57,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $57,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 220 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $57,390
- Median hourly wage: $27.59
- Total employment: 980 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 230 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $57,760
- Median hourly wage: $27.77
- Total employment: 670 people (3.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $57,800
- Median hourly wage: $27.79
- Total employment: 1,240 people (5.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.81
- Total employment: 150 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $58,110
- Median hourly wage: $27.94
- Total employment: 250 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $58,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 900 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 90 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $58,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.20
- Total employment: 100 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 870 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.27
- Total employment: 1,800 people (8.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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15 / 50

#36. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $59,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 890 people (4.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 190 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $59,530
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 80 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $59,830
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 180 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitreel // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Food batchmakers

- Median annual wage: $60,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 290 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $60,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 230 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 320 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 120 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 90 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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manine99 // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $60,770
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 120 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 230 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 490 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 100 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 160 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 270 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,570
- Median hourly wage: $30.56
- Total employment: 940 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $64,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 130 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,060
- Median hourly wage: $31.76
- Total employment: 400 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $67,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.62
- Total employment: 240 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $68,270
- Median hourly wage: $32.82
- Total employment: 410 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,780
- Median hourly wage: $33.55
- Total employment: 780 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $71,540
- Median hourly wage: $34.40
- Total employment: 130 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $74,430
- Median hourly wage: $35.79
- Total employment: 70 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,550
- Median hourly wage: $35.84
- Total employment: 200 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 730 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $77,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 70 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,950
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 100 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $82,640
- Median hourly wage: $39.73
- Total employment: 230 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $94,320
- Median hourly wage: $45.35
- Total employment: 210 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $98,590
- Median hourly wage: $47.40
- Total employment: 170 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $102,170
- Median hourly wage: $49.12
- Total employment: 290 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $111,980
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $125,530
- Median hourly wage: $60.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 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.