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

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 Reading 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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1 / 50

#50. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $62,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $62,910
- Median hourly wage: $30.25
- Total employment: 420 people (2.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

- Median annual wage: $63,070
- Median hourly wage: $30.32
- Total employment: 50 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 240 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $64,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 760 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 1,570 people (9.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,110
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: 730 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 1,590 people (9.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $64,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lighthunter // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Med Photo Studio // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 260 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $64,860
- Median hourly wage: $31.18
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $65,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 90 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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15 / 50

#36. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,220
- Median hourly wage: $31.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 880 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 940 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $66,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 750 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,200
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $66,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.98
- Total employment: 130 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 120 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,470
- Median hourly wage: $32.44
- Total employment: 110 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: 260 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $68,820
- Median hourly wage: $33.09
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,160
- Median hourly wage: $33.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $71,080
- Median hourly wage: $34.18
- Total employment: 110 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $71,220
- Median hourly wage: $34.24
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $71,630
- Median hourly wage: $34.44
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,250
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 1,620 people (9.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,310
- Median hourly wage: $37.17
- Total employment: 80 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $77,390
- Median hourly wage: $37.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,480
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 670 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.21
- Total employment: 190 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.85
- Total employment: 690 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $81,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.16
- Total employment: 150 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,070
- Median hourly wage: $39.46
- Total employment: 200 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SofikoS // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $86,420
- Median hourly wage: $41.55
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $87,930
- Median hourly wage: $42.28
- Total employment: 640 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $91,670
- Median hourly wage: $44.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $96,150
- Median hourly wage: $46.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $97,930
- Median hourly wage: $47.08
- Total employment: 180 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,310
- Median hourly wage: $47.75
- Total employment: 230 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $101,330
- Median hourly wage: $48.71
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $107,310
- Median hourly wage: $51.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.19 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: $108,050
- Median hourly wage: $51.95
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $130,880
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 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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