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

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 Cincinnati 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. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 1,960 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 4,410 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.90
- Total employment: 270 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $67,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.61
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $68,080
- Median hourly wage: $32.73
- Total employment: 250 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Occupational health and safety technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,320
- Median hourly wage: $33.81
- Total employment: 260 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $70,800
- Median hourly wage: $34.04
- Total employment: 370 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $71,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.32
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $72,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.63
- Total employment: 510 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $72,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.73
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Photostriker // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other

- Median annual wage: $72,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $72,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,540
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 5,890 people (5.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $74,080
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $74,660
- Median hourly wage: $35.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.10
- Total employment: 1,690 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 360 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,980
- Median hourly wage: $36.53
- Total employment: 12,550 people (11.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $76,700
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 290 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

industryviews // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.05
- Total employment: 1,620 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $78,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.54
- Total employment: 100 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 4,450 people (4.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,740
- Median hourly wage: $37.86
- Total employment: 1,850 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,820
- Median hourly wage: $37.89
- Total employment: 3,780 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.13
- Total employment: 410 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $79,730
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 1,260 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,410
- Median hourly wage: $38.66
- Total employment: 3,990 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $81,410
- Median hourly wage: $39.14
- Total employment: 380 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.28
- Total employment: 510 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,050
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 1,110 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $82,250
- Median hourly wage: $39.54
- Total employment: 370 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,220
- Median hourly wage: $40.49
- Total employment: 850 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $84,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.52
- Total employment: 860 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers

- Median annual wage: $84,650
- Median hourly wage: $40.70
- Total employment: Not available

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37 / 50

#14. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $89,120
- Median hourly wage: $42.85
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $90,560
- Median hourly wage: $43.54
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $93,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

#11. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $96,540
- Median hourly wage: $46.41
- Total employment: 150 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $97,050
- Median hourly wage: $46.66
- Total employment: 1,890 people (1.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,010
- Median hourly wage: $47.60
- Total employment: 1,760 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $100,840
- Median hourly wage: $48.48
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $100,990
- Median hourly wage: $48.55
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $102,950
- Median hourly wage: $49.49
- Total employment: 200 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $103,960
- Median hourly wage: $49.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $104,610
- Median hourly wage: $50.29
- Total employment: 150 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $119,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 340 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $122,920
- Median hourly wage: $59.10
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Air traffic controllers

- Median annual wage: $135,570
- Median hourly wage: $65.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 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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