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1 / 50#50. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Salem
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 Salem 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. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $67,500
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 1,390 people (7.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $68,330
- Median hourly wage: $32.85
- Total employment: 960 people (5.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $68,610
- Median hourly wage: $32.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $69,180
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $69,560
- Median hourly wage: $33.44
- Total employment: 910 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $71,440
- Median hourly wage: $34.35
- Total employment: 150 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $71,870
- Median hourly wage: $34.55
- Total employment: 150 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $71,990
- Median hourly wage: $34.61
- Total employment: 220 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $72,480
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 220 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $72,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.00
- Total employment: 200 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $72,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $73,090
- Median hourly wage: $35.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Medical equipment repairers
- Median annual wage: $74,310
- Median hourly wage: $35.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $74,690
- Median hourly wage: $35.91
- Total employment: 130 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $75,210
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 120 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $75,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $76,030
- Median hourly wage: $36.55
- Total employment: 680 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $77,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 140 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Tapers
- Median annual wage: $78,020
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $78,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 90 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
- Median annual wage: $78,500
- Median hourly wage: $37.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $79,420
- Median hourly wage: $38.19
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $79,480
- Median hourly wage: $38.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Private detectives and investigators
- Median annual wage: $79,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 170 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $79,600
- Median hourly wage: $38.27
- Total employment: 440 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $80,020
- Median hourly wage: $38.47
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $80,300
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 510 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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30 / 50#21. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $80,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $81,490
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 640 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 750 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $82,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.87
- Total employment: 780 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $84,540
- Median hourly wage: $40.65
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $85,170
- Median hourly wage: $40.95
- Total employment: 570 people (3.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,200
- Median hourly wage: $41.44
- Total employment: 150 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Yuriy Golub // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Glaziers
- Median annual wage: $86,940
- Median hourly wage: $41.80
- Total employment: 150 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
NDAB Creativity // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Massage therapists
- Median annual wage: $87,880
- Median hourly wage: $42.25
- Total employment: 140 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $88,550
- Median hourly wage: $42.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $89,970
- Median hourly wage: $43.26
- Total employment: 90 people (0.49 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: $92,660
- Median hourly wage: $44.55
- Total employment: 890 people (4.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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42 / 50#9. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $94,330
- Median hourly wage: $45.35
- Total employment: 70 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,650
- Median hourly wage: $45.98
- Total employment: 140 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $97,280
- Median hourly wage: $46.77
- Total employment: 240 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $97,890
- Median hourly wage: $47.06
- Total employment: 250 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $107,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 120 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $107,450
- Median hourly wage: $51.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $116,780
- Median hourly wage: $56.14
- Total employment: 360 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $116,980
- Median hourly wage: $56.24
- Total employment: 110 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $127,600
- Median hourly wage: $61.35
- Total employment: 180 people (0.94 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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