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1 / 50#50. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $62,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.12
- Total employment: 2,680 people (7.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Dayton
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 Dayton 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. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 260 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $62,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 320 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: Not available
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,150
- Median hourly wage: $30.84
- Total employment: 500 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $64,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 850 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $64,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.99
- Total employment: 100 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 140 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $64,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $64,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 360 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 540 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $65,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 250 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $65,880
- Median hourly wage: $31.67
- Total employment: 1,950 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $66,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.77
- Total employment: 130 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.78
- Total employment: 230 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 190 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $66,310
- Median hourly wage: $31.88
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $71,680
- Median hourly wage: $34.46
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $72,420
- Median hourly wage: $34.82
- Total employment: 200 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $73,680
- Median hourly wage: $35.42
- Total employment: 3,190 people (8.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $74,810
- Median hourly wage: $35.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,390
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 230 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 260 people (0.69 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: $76,360
- Median hourly wage: $36.71
- Total employment: 1,210 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $76,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.98
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $77,030
- Median hourly wage: $37.03
- Total employment: 1,500 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,300
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 250 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $77,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 160 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.76
- Total employment: 800 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $78,720
- Median hourly wage: $37.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $80,010
- Median hourly wage: $38.46
- Total employment: 160 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $80,120
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 660 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
funnyangel // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $80,690
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $80,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.86
- Total employment: 280 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $80,990
- Median hourly wage: $38.94
- Total employment: 160 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $82,700
- Median hourly wage: $39.76
- Total employment: 160 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $82,780
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 520 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 280 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 90 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $86,390
- Median hourly wage: $41.54
- Total employment: 110 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $88,140
- Median hourly wage: $42.37
- Total employment: 230 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $89,710
- Median hourly wage: $43.13
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
socrates471 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $90,170
- Median hourly wage: $43.35
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: $45.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $96,180
- Median hourly wage: $46.24
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $96,870
- Median hourly wage: $46.57
- Total employment: 400 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $97,470
- Median hourly wage: $46.86
- Total employment: 530 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $163,810
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 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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