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

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 Wheeling 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. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $51,290
- Median hourly wage: $24.66
- Total employment: 180 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,310
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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3 / 50

#48. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 360 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,850
- Median hourly wage: $25.89
- Total employment: 540 people (9.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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5 / 50

#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $53,930
- Median hourly wage: $25.93
- Total employment: 460 people (7.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $54,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.01
- Total employment: 80 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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7 / 50

#44. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $55,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 430 people (7.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 180 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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9 / 50

#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 160 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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10 / 50

#41. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 120 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

#40. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,540
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 260 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $58,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $58,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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15 / 50

#36. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $59,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $60,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 110 people (1.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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18 / 50

#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,060
- Median hourly wage: $28.87
- Total employment: 80 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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19 / 50

#32. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 560 people (9.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $61,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 60 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 100 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 280 people (4.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Conveyor operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 90 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Underground mining machine operators, all other

- Median annual wage: $64,670
- Median hourly wage: $31.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers

- Median annual wage: $64,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 50 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 150 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 210 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Continuous mining machine operators

- Median annual wage: $65,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.55
- Total employment: 150 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $65,650
- Median hourly wage: $31.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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32 / 50

#19. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 260 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

#18. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $65,820
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 220 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 220 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $67,340
- Median hourly wage: $32.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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37 / 50

#14. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $67,510
- Median hourly wage: $32.46
- Total employment: 110 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $67,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 350 people (5.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $68,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.75
- Total employment: 120 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $68,370
- Median hourly wage: $32.87
- Total employment: 120 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $72,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.88
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $72,660
- Median hourly wage: $34.94
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $75,040
- Median hourly wage: $36.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peruphotart // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining

- Median annual wage: $77,450
- Median hourly wage: $37.24
- Total employment: 200 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 390 people (6.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Roof bolters, mining

- Median annual wage: $81,810
- Median hourly wage: $39.33
- Total employment: 150 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,010
- Median hourly wage: $41.35
- Total employment: 150 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $88,710
- Median hourly wage: $42.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

49 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $90,760
- Median hourly wage: $43.64
- Total employment: 600 people (10.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $94,660
- Median hourly wage: $45.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 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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