Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in St. Louis

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 St. Louis 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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1 / 50

#50. Athletes and sports competitors

- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $75,020
- Median hourly wage: $36.07
- Total employment: 240 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 6,080 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters

- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 160 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $75,570
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 1,380 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $75,950
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $75,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $76,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $76,280
- Median hourly wage: $36.67
- Total employment: 510 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,300
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 410 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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M2020 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $76,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.73
- Total employment: 590 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Radovan1 / Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Plasterers and stucco masons

- Median annual wage: $76,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: Not available

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,950
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: Not available

John Leung // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $77,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 1,070 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $77,360
- Median hourly wage: $37.19
- Total employment: 180 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 340 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 4,460 people (3.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 3,210 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $79,230
- Median hourly wage: $38.09
- Total employment: Not available

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20 / 50

#30. Media and communication equipment workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $79,250
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $79,250
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $79,280
- Median hourly wage: $38.11
- Total employment: 6,460 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 200 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Tapers

- Median annual wage: $80,530
- Median hourly wage: $38.72
- Total employment: 180 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $80,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 310 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $81,260
- Median hourly wage: $39.07
- Total employment: 3,690 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $81,510
- Median hourly wage: $39.19
- Total employment: 720 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $82,150
- Median hourly wage: $39.49
- Total employment: 1,520 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $85,700
- Median hourly wage: $41.20
- Total employment: 450 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.44
- Total employment: 600 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $86,250
- Median hourly wage: $41.47
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $86,450
- Median hourly wage: $41.56
- Total employment: 370 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $86,660
- Median hourly wage: $41.67
- Total employment: 1,550 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,230
- Median hourly wage: $41.94
- Total employment: 1,280 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $87,350
- Median hourly wage: $42.00
- Total employment: 640 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $87,430
- Median hourly wage: $42.03
- Total employment: 320 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $88,440
- Median hourly wage: $42.52
- Total employment: 300 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $88,520
- Median hourly wage: $42.56
- Total employment: 880 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $89,540
- Median hourly wage: $43.05
- Total employment: 60 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $90,280
- Median hourly wage: $43.40
- Total employment: 270 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $91,360
- Median hourly wage: $43.93
- Total employment: 5,640 people (4.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $94,620
- Median hourly wage: $45.49
- Total employment: 100 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $96,330
- Median hourly wage: $46.31
- Total employment: 220 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $97,440
- Median hourly wage: $46.85
- Total employment: 380 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $98,060
- Median hourly wage: $47.14
- Total employment: 150 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 370 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $100,410
- Median hourly wage: $48.27
- Total employment: 1,160 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $101,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.95
- Total employment: 1,450 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.01
- Total employment: 1,770 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Air traffic controllers

- Median annual wage: $123,920
- Median hourly wage: $59.58
- Total employment: 130 people (0.09 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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