Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $61,390
- Median hourly wage: $29.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Ogden
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 Ogden 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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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $61,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 80 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 1,260 people (4.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $61,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 230 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
5 / 50#45. Sheet metal workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 860 people (3.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nikita M production // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)
- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $62,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 230 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 290 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $62,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 1,310 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $62,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 280 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $62,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 270 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.26
- Total employment: 170 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,540
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 710 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $64,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 170 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $65,200
- Median hourly wage: $31.35
- Total employment: 490 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,340
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 470 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Art of pixels // Shutterstock
18 / 50#32. Plating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic (tie)
- Median annual wage: $66,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.20
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Stationary engineers and boiler operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $66,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.20
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Indypendenz // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $69,200
- Median hourly wage: $33.27
- Total employment: 30 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $69,450
- Median hourly wage: $33.39
- Total employment: 250 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $69,520
- Median hourly wage: $33.43
- Total employment: 160 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $69,770
- Median hourly wage: $33.54
- Total employment: 310 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $71,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 480 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $72,980
- Median hourly wage: $35.09
- Total employment: 630 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 1,970 people (7.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $73,990
- Median hourly wage: $35.57
- Total employment: 1,670 people (6.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $74,720
- Median hourly wage: $35.92
- Total employment: 210 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $75,060
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $75,430
- Median hourly wage: $36.26
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,480
- Median hourly wage: $36.77
- Total employment: 120 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $77,110
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $77,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.12
- Total employment: 790 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Freedomz // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,320
- Median hourly wage: $37.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.85
- Total employment: 110 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $79,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 170 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $81,430
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 160 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $81,460
- Median hourly wage: $39.17
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Funeral home managers
- Median annual wage: $82,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $82,250
- Median hourly wage: $39.54
- Total employment: 780 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,800
- Median hourly wage: $40.29
- Total employment: 260 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $83,890
- Median hourly wage: $40.33
- Total employment: 1,150 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $93,430
- Median hourly wage: $44.92
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $97,950
- Median hourly wage: $47.09
- Total employment: 110 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $101,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.95
- Total employment: 380 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives (tie)
- Median annual wage: $101,820
- Median hourly wage: $48.95
- Total employment: 260 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $101,920
- Median hourly wage: $49.00
- Total employment: 460 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $103,650
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 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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