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

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 Lynchburg 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.

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $57,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,260
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 740 people (7.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

3 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 560 people (5.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $57,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,650
- Median hourly wage: $27.72
- Total employment: 440 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Production workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: Not available

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,360
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 560 people (5.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $58,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,620
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 60 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $58,760
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $58,930
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 50 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.38
- Total employment: 810 people (8.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.40
- Total employment: 120 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DuxX // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $59,180
- Median hourly wage: $28.45
- Total employment: 330 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 90 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 380 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $59,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 140 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $59,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 320 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,020
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,200
- Median hourly wage: $28.94
- Total employment: 70 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dusan Petkovic // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Weighers, measurers, checkers, and samplers, recordkeeping

- Median annual wage: $60,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 100 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 640 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 570 people (5.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 640 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 170 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 80 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 600 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Anze Furlan // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers

- Median annual wage: $63,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,640
- Median hourly wage: $30.60
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,190
- Median hourly wage: $32.30
- Total employment: 130 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $68,610
- Median hourly wage: $32.99
- Total employment: 140 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $69,990
- Median hourly wage: $33.65
- Total employment: 130 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,900
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 440 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $71,660
- Median hourly wage: $34.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

36 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,450
- Median hourly wage: $35.79
- Total employment: 630 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $74,770
- Median hourly wage: $35.95
- Total employment: 120 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,820
- Median hourly wage: $36.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,000
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 120 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $77,080
- Median hourly wage: $37.06
- Total employment: 60 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Halfpoint // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.45
- Total employment: 60 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,150
- Median hourly wage: $38.05
- Total employment: 130 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $79,210
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,560
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,770
- Median hourly wage: $38.35
- Total employment: 200 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $84,430
- Median hourly wage: $40.59
- Total employment: 70 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $89,920
- Median hourly wage: $43.23
- Total employment: 100 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $97,040
- Median hourly wage: $46.66
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $97,090
- Median hourly wage: $46.68
- Total employment: 100 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $101,730
- Median hourly wage: $48.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 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.