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

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 Johnstown 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.

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $48,150
- Median hourly wage: $23.15
- Total employment: 220 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $48,350
- Median hourly wage: $23.25
- Total employment: Not available

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,380
- Median hourly wage: $23.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,530
- Median hourly wage: $23.33
- Total employment: 220 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DuxX // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,540
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 120 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $48,610
- Median hourly wage: $23.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $49,080
- Median hourly wage: $23.60
- Total employment: 840 people (17.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $49,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.86
- Total employment: 160 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $49,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.97
- Total employment: 150 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,050
- Median hourly wage: $24.06
- Total employment: 180 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DGLimages // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 150 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $50,950
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $51,330
- Median hourly wage: $24.68
- Total employment: 70 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $51,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.83
- Total employment: 60 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 140 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,480
- Median hourly wage: $25.23
- Total employment: 150 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $52,520
- Median hourly wage: $25.25
- Total employment: 180 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $53,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.48
- Total employment: 60 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $53,440
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 340 people (7.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $54,290
- Median hourly wage: $26.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $54,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.11
- Total employment: 110 people (2.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $54,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.12
- Total employment: 70 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $54,360
- Median hourly wage: $26.13
- Total employment: 80 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,130
- Median hourly wage: $26.51
- Total employment: 540 people (11.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Bigflick // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $56,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 180 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 290 people (5.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Studio 72 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $56,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,350
- Median hourly wage: $27.57
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 30 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Freedomz // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Health technologists and technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $57,470
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 130 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $57,530
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 90 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,090
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 60 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $58,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 90 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $58,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.01
- Total employment: 190 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 140 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $60,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 180 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,770
- Median hourly wage: $30.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: Not available

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,630
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 160 people (3.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 220 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.98
- Total employment: 190 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,560
- Median hourly wage: $33.44
- Total employment: 190 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,160
- Median hourly wage: $38.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $83,980
- Median hourly wage: $40.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 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.