Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Albany, Oregon

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 Albany 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.

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $58,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.09
- Total employment: 100 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,720
- Median hourly wage: $28.23
- Total employment: 220 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Virrage Images // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Refuse and recyclable material collectors

- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 50 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $58,960
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 140 people (2.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 70 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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David Spates // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 110 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 810 people (17.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Parilov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Logging workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 60 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.05
- Total employment: 80 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 220 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BearFotos // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 70 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 120 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,090
- Median hourly wage: $29.37
- Total employment: 130 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 260 people (5.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $61,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 60 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Irene Miller // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,550
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 130 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $61,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $61,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#31. Computer numerically controlled tool operators (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 260 people (5.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Postal service clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Philip Lange // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 70 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 110 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

flywish // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Structural metal fabricators and fitters

- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $65,770
- Median hourly wage: $31.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 290 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $66,950
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 300 people (6.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $68,650
- Median hourly wage: $33.01
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $69,730
- Median hourly wage: $33.52
- Total employment: 120 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $70,550
- Median hourly wage: $33.92
- Total employment: 50 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $70,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.99
- Total employment: 110 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $72,990
- Median hourly wage: $35.09
- Total employment: 260 people (5.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $74,140
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 100 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,750
- Median hourly wage: $35.94
- Total employment: 390 people (8.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 130 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.04
- Total employment: 200 people (4.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $84,580
- Median hourly wage: $40.66
- Total employment: 60 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $84,790
- Median hourly wage: $40.76
- Total employment: 170 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $89,360
- Median hourly wage: $42.96
- Total employment: 210 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $89,880
- Median hourly wage: $43.21
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $91,170
- Median hourly wage: $43.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $92,310
- Median hourly wage: $44.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $95,220
- Median hourly wage: $45.78
- Total employment: 100 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $95,710
- Median hourly wage: $46.02
- Total employment: 340 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $109,020
- Median hourly wage: $52.41
- Total employment: 80 people (1.83 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: $115,330
- Median hourly wage: $55.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $119,880
- Median hourly wage: $57.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 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.