Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $52,280
- Median hourly wage: $25.14
- Total employment: 260 people (5.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Fond du Lac
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 Fond du Lac 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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DC Studio // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $52,330
- Median hourly wage: $25.16
- Total employment: 60 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $52,790
- Median hourly wage: $25.38
- Total employment: 310 people (6.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $53,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.48
- Total employment: 250 people (5.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $54,230
- Median hourly wage: $26.07
- Total employment: 340 people (7.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,440
- Median hourly wage: $26.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $54,840
- Median hourly wage: $26.37
- Total employment: 190 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $55,490
- Median hourly wage: $26.68
- Total employment: 280 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $56,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 530 people (11.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 100 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Alba_alioth // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $56,310
- Median hourly wage: $27.07
- Total employment: 170 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 120 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $58,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.09
- Total employment: 70 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 130 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $58,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 1,030 people (23.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $59,430
- Median hourly wage: $28.57
- Total employment: 80 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
flywish // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Median annual wage: $59,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $60,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 400 people (8.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 100 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 270 people (6.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $61,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 130 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $61,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 110 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,620
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 540 people (12.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 110 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,290
- Median hourly wage: $30.43
- Total employment: 290 people (6.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.53
- Total employment: 50 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $64,100
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $64,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.08
- Total employment: 160 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,680
- Median hourly wage: $31.10
- Total employment: 50 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $67,000
- Median hourly wage: $32.21
- Total employment: 110 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $68,140
- Median hourly wage: $32.76
- Total employment: 370 people (8.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $68,170
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 190 people (4.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $68,730
- Median hourly wage: $33.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.85 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: $74,810
- Median hourly wage: $35.97
- Total employment: 460 people (10.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.22
- Total employment: 30 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $75,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 280 people (6.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $77,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.02
- Total employment: 130 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $78,800
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: 70 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.90
- Total employment: 180 people (4.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 120 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $80,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 240 people (5.37 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: $82,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.70
- Total employment: 150 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $83,120
- Median hourly wage: $39.96
- Total employment: 220 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $83,400
- Median hourly wage: $40.09
- Total employment: 90 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,990
- Median hourly wage: $41.82
- Total employment: 60 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $96,480
- Median hourly wage: $46.39
- Total employment: 50 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $100,320
- Median hourly wage: $48.23
- Total employment: 110 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $101,260
- Median hourly wage: $48.68
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 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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