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

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 Memphis 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. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $63,650
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 1,500 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 1,540 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $63,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 560 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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5 / 50

#46. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 1,610 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of gambling services workers

- Median annual wage: $64,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 280 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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7 / 50

#44. Transportation workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: Not available

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8 / 50

#43. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $64,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.99
- Total employment: 110 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.01
- Total employment: 3,210 people (5.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 830 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

#40. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,850
- Median hourly wage: $31.66
- Total employment: 910 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#38. Lodging managers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $65,910
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 150 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Paramedics (tie)

- Median annual wage: $65,910
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 780 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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14 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.73
- Total employment: 8,640 people (13.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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15 / 50

#36. Calibration technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 40 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Financial clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $66,450
- Median hourly wage: $31.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $66,580
- Median hourly wage: $32.01
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $68,510
- Median hourly wage: $32.94
- Total employment: 340 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,150
- Median hourly wage: $33.25
- Total employment: 300 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

- Median annual wage: $70,570
- Median hourly wage: $33.93
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $71,600
- Median hourly wage: $34.42
- Total employment: 160 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Gambling managers

- Median annual wage: $72,590
- Median hourly wage: $34.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,750
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 7,020 people (11.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $72,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 3,520 people (5.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,890
- Median hourly wage: $35.52
- Total employment: 2,520 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.04
- Total employment: 480 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $75,730
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 770 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $76,510
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 60 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 2,580 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 390 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $77,750
- Median hourly wage: $37.38
- Total employment: 140 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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32 / 50

#19. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 280 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $78,320
- Median hourly wage: $37.65
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

#17. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $78,480
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

#16. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $79,450
- Median hourly wage: $38.20
- Total employment: 200 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,700
- Median hourly wage: $38.32
- Total employment: 70 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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37 / 50

#14. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $79,980
- Median hourly wage: $38.45
- Total employment: 920 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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38 / 50

#13. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $80,470
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 470 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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39 / 50

#12. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $81,580
- Median hourly wage: $39.22
- Total employment: 110 people (0.18 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: $81,960
- Median hourly wage: $39.41
- Total employment: 850 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,300
- Median hourly wage: $40.05
- Total employment: 500 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $83,320
- Median hourly wage: $40.06
- Total employment: 60 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $85,660
- Median hourly wage: $41.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $89,270
- Median hourly wage: $42.92
- Total employment: 3,100 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $92,890
- Median hourly wage: $44.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $95,750
- Median hourly wage: $46.03
- Total employment: 100 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $101,440
- Median hourly wage: $48.77
- Total employment: 90 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $104,830
- Median hourly wage: $50.40
- Total employment: 1,840 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $110,990
- Median hourly wage: $53.36
- Total employment: 100 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $158,580
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (0.31 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.