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

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 Manchester 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. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,560
- Median hourly wage: $32.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,660
- Median hourly wage: $32.05
- Total employment: 1,360 people (6.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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3 / 50

#48. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,690
- Median hourly wage: $32.06
- Total employment: 190 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,300
- Median hourly wage: $32.35
- Total employment: 190 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $67,390
- Median hourly wage: $32.40
- Total employment: 900 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $67,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 200 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $67,450
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

- Median annual wage: $67,630
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 30 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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9 / 50

#42. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $68,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 120 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $69,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 140 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $69,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.58
- Total employment: 400 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Xmentoys // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Calibration technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,250
- Median hourly wage: $33.77
- Total employment: 140 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $71,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.34
- Total employment: 230 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $71,500
- Median hourly wage: $34.37
- Total employment: 740 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $71,940
- Median hourly wage: $34.59
- Total employment: 230 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 90 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 1,340 people (6.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $73,460
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 480 people (2.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,480
- Median hourly wage: $35.81
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $74,850
- Median hourly wage: $35.98
- Total employment: 190 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $75,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.12
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,440
- Median hourly wage: $36.27
- Total employment: 250 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

#28. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,460
- Median hourly wage: $36.28
- Total employment: 740 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 2,330 people (11.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $79,300
- Median hourly wage: $38.13
- Total employment: 240 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.21
- Total employment: 940 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $79,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $80,640
- Median hourly wage: $38.77
- Total employment: 100 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $81,860
- Median hourly wage: $39.36
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $82,860
- Median hourly wage: $39.84
- Total employment: 480 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $83,560
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 120 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,340
- Median hourly wage: $40.55
- Total employment: 500 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,880
- Median hourly wage: $40.81
- Total employment: 1,000 people (4.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $85,050
- Median hourly wage: $40.89
- Total employment: 200 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,300
- Median hourly wage: $41.01
- Total employment: 860 people (4.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $85,810
- Median hourly wage: $41.25
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $86,870
- Median hourly wage: $41.77
- Total employment: 80 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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39 / 50

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $89,070
- Median hourly wage: $42.82
- Total employment: 350 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $93,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 530 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $96,740
- Median hourly wage: $46.51
- Total employment: 80 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $96,830
- Median hourly wage: $46.55
- Total employment: 170 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $100,680
- Median hourly wage: $48.40
- Total employment: 100 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $101,030
- Median hourly wage: $48.57
- Total employment: 150 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $102,050
- Median hourly wage: $49.06
- Total employment: 150 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $105,660
- Median hourly wage: $50.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $108,380
- Median hourly wage: $52.11
- Total employment: 480 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $116,170
- Median hourly wage: $55.85
- Total employment: 80 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $129,020
- Median hourly wage: $62.03
- Total employment: 240 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $149,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 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.