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1 / 50#50. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $58,500
- Median hourly wage: $28.13
- Total employment: 430 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Canton
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 Canton 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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2 / 50#49. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $58,560
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $59,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 1,320 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 / 50#47. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,190
- Median hourly wage: $28.46
- Total employment: 490 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $59,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.51
- Total employment: 210 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 1,140 people (6.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $59,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 700 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $59,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $59,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 160 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,810
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 480 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $59,820
- Median hourly wage: $28.76
- Total employment: 370 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $60,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.99
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $60,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.12
- Total employment: 210 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 290 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 190 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#33. Glaziers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 120 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (tie)
- Median annual wage: $61,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 170 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $61,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $61,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 140 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas
- Median annual wage: $61,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 750 people (4.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 90 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.97
- Total employment: 210 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Wellhead pumpers
- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 100 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $63,820
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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28 / 50#23. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $63,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 70 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,190
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 1,540 people (9.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 70 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 610 people (3.7 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: $66,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.89
- Total employment: 1,110 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,170
- Median hourly wage: $34.70
- Total employment: 280 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,360
- Median hourly wage: $34.79
- Total employment: 30 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $73,440
- Median hourly wage: $35.31
- Total employment: 190 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $73,700
- Median hourly wage: $35.43
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $75,220
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 190 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $76,460
- Median hourly wage: $36.76
- Total employment: 70 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 630 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $77,550
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 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: $77,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 700 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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42 / 50#9. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.40
- Total employment: 70 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $78,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.81
- Total employment: 160 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $79,670
- Median hourly wage: $38.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $80,710
- Median hourly wage: $38.80
- Total employment: 260 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $81,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 1,180 people (7.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $84,660
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: 140 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $85,530
- Median hourly wage: $41.12
- Total employment: 150 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $93,040
- Median hourly wage: $44.73
- Total employment: 270 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $105,810
- Median hourly wage: $50.87
- Total employment: 40 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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