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

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 Chattanooga 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.

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $58,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 2,060 people (7.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 340 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $59,410
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 160 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 100 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DGLimages // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Healthcare support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $59,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 300 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,580
- Median hourly wage: $28.64
- Total employment: 160 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 130 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Transportation security screeners (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 1,270 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 130 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: The highest-value homes in Chattanooga

manine99 // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $61,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.35
- Total employment: 190 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $61,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 130 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

13 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 1,810 people (6.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 4,150 people (15.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 160 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,850
- Median hourly wage: $30.22
- Total employment: 290 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 430 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 410 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 420 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 160 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 110 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,690
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 190 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 210 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.13
- Total employment: 360 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-rated cafes in the Chattanooga area by diners

John Leung // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $67,870
- Median hourly wage: $32.63
- Total employment: 190 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $67,920
- Median hourly wage: $32.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,010
- Median hourly wage: $33.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $70,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.90
- Total employment: 130 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,950
- Median hourly wage: $34.11
- Total employment: 1,100 people (4.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: How much house does $500,000 buy you in Chattanooga?

sculpies // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,130
- Median hourly wage: $34.20
- Total employment: 1,310 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.57
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $73,050
- Median hourly wage: $35.12
- Total employment: 300 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $74,040
- Median hourly wage: $35.60
- Total employment: 430 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,130
- Median hourly wage: $36.12
- Total employment: 630 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $75,950
- Median hourly wage: $36.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $76,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.59
- Total employment: Not available

SofikoS // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $76,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 230 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $76,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.91
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $76,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Highest-paying science jobs for people in Chattanooga

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.05
- Total employment: 170 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,540
- Median hourly wage: $37.28
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $77,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.30
- Total employment: Not available

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $78,700
- Median hourly wage: $37.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $79,420
- Median hourly wage: $38.18
- Total employment: 380 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,590
- Median hourly wage: $40.19
- Total employment: 340 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $84,190
- Median hourly wage: $40.48
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $85,330
- Median hourly wage: $41.02
- Total employment: 360 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $98,220
- Median hourly wage: $47.22
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $153,600
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 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.