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1 / 50#50. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,170
- Median hourly wage: $33.74
- Total employment: 680 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Columbus
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 Columbus 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. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $70,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.82
- Total employment: 3,510 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.00
- Total employment: 1,180 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $70,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 2,260 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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5 / 50#46. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $71,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.15
- Total employment: 3,640 people (3.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $71,700
- Median hourly wage: $34.47
- Total employment: 820 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $71,840
- Median hourly wage: $34.54
- Total employment: 230 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $72,400
- Median hourly wage: $34.81
- Total employment: 8,700 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $72,480
- Median hourly wage: $34.85
- Total employment: 640 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $73,660
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $73,760
- Median hourly wage: $35.46
- Total employment: 170 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Traffic technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,060
- Median hourly wage: $35.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Health information technologists and medical registrars
- Median annual wage: $74,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.66
- Total employment: 740 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $74,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.01
- Total employment: 370 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $74,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.03
- Total employment: 400 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $75,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 3,170 people (2.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 2,220 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $75,480
- Median hourly wage: $36.29
- Total employment: 110 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,630
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $77,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 310 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,940
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: 540 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,170
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,810
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 1,410 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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24 / 50#27. Pipelayers
- Median annual wage: $80,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.60
- Total employment: 110 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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25 / 50#26. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $80,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $80,570
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 950 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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27 / 50#24. Artists and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,680
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.04 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: $81,130
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 3,710 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $81,160
- Median hourly wage: $39.02
- Total employment: 5,170 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $81,390
- Median hourly wage: $39.13
- Total employment: 1,140 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $82,060
- Median hourly wage: $39.45
- Total employment: 410 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $84,020
- Median hourly wage: $40.39
- Total employment: 310 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $84,300
- Median hourly wage: $40.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $84,780
- Median hourly wage: $40.76
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $84,980
- Median hourly wage: $40.85
- Total employment: 500 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $85,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.96
- Total employment: 80 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $88,870
- Median hourly wage: $42.73
- Total employment: 1,670 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $90,090
- Median hourly wage: $43.31
- Total employment: 160 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $90,270
- Median hourly wage: $43.40
- Total employment: 550 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $92,710
- Median hourly wage: $44.57
- Total employment: 210 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $94,390
- Median hourly wage: $45.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $99,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.96
- Total employment: 120 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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43 / 50#8. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $99,960
- Median hourly wage: $48.06
- Total employment: 5,230 people (4.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $100,000
- Median hourly wage: $48.08
- Total employment: 1,950 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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45 / 50#6. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $101,660
- Median hourly wage: $48.88
- Total employment: 60 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $102,550
- Median hourly wage: $49.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $102,980
- Median hourly wage: $49.51
- Total employment: 240 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $104,510
- Median hourly wage: $50.24
- Total employment: 70 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $110,860
- Median hourly wage: $53.30
- Total employment: 1,040 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $116,050
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: Not available
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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