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

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 Wilmington 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. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 190 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 1,660 people (8.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 830 people (4.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.46
- Total employment: 1,510 people (8.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,350
- Median hourly wage: $28.53
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $59,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 180 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 920 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 140 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $60,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 160 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 260 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 1,530 people (8.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 210 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 290 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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17 / 50

#34. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $62,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 200 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 230 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,850
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: 90 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $63,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 1,810 people (9.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: Not available

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25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 250 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,910
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 350 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $65,510
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 410 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,970
- Median hourly wage: $31.72
- Total employment: 910 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $68,540
- Median hourly wage: $32.95
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $69,660
- Median hourly wage: $33.49
- Total employment: 190 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,360
- Median hourly wage: $33.83
- Total employment: 570 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

#17. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $70,560
- Median hourly wage: $33.93
- Total employment: 140 people (0.76 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: $70,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 320 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $72,060
- Median hourly wage: $34.64
- Total employment: 120 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $73,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.37
- Total employment: 350 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $75,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,380
- Median hourly wage: $37.20
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,940
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $78,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 150 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $78,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $80,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.68
- Total employment: 140 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $81,730
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: Not available

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45 / 50

#6. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $82,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.86
- Total employment: 520 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $84,920
- Median hourly wage: $40.83
- Total employment: 220 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $85,170
- Median hourly wage: $40.95
- Total employment: 160 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $91,320
- Median hourly wage: $43.90
- Total employment: 480 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $100,570
- Median hourly wage: $48.35
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $131,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 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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