Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Green Bay

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 Green Bay 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. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,770
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 90 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,920
- Median hourly wage: $30.73
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,100
- Median hourly wage: $30.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Community health workers

- Median annual wage: $64,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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5 / 50

#46. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lighthunter // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $64,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $64,620
- Median hourly wage: $31.07
- Total employment: 1,070 people (6.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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8 / 50

#43. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $64,860
- Median hourly wage: $31.18
- Total employment: 130 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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10 / 50

#41. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $65,430
- Median hourly wage: $31.46
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.64
- Total employment: 1,470 people (8.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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12 / 50

#39. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.75
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,640
- Median hourly wage: $32.52
- Total employment: 210 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $68,120
- Median hourly wage: $32.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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15 / 50

#36. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $70,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.99
- Total employment: 320 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $70,910
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 360 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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17 / 50

#34. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $71,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.48
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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18 / 50

#33. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles

- Median annual wage: $72,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $72,620
- Median hourly wage: $34.91
- Total employment: 220 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.00
- Total employment: 1,830 people (10.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $73,110
- Median hourly wage: $35.15
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Personal care and service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $73,520
- Median hourly wage: $35.35
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

#28. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $74,080
- Median hourly wage: $35.62
- Total employment: 840 people (4.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $74,740
- Median hourly wage: $35.94
- Total employment: 460 people (2.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $75,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 230 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,440
- Median hourly wage: $36.27
- Total employment: 300 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $75,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $77,240
- Median hourly wage: $37.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,750
- Median hourly wage: $37.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $78,150
- Median hourly wage: $37.57
- Total employment: 170 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $78,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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32 / 50

#19. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.99
- Total employment: 80 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

#18. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $79,860
- Median hourly wage: $38.39
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,030
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 880 people (5.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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35 / 50

#16. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,220
- Median hourly wage: $38.57
- Total employment: 590 people (3.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $81,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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37 / 50

#14. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $81,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.28
- Total employment: 120 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $82,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.51
- Total employment: 610 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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39 / 50

#12. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $82,470
- Median hourly wage: $39.65
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $82,980
- Median hourly wage: $39.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $83,170
- Median hourly wage: $39.98
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,400
- Median hourly wage: $40.10
- Total employment: 740 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $83,960
- Median hourly wage: $40.36
- Total employment: 380 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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44 / 50

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $91,410
- Median hourly wage: $43.95
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $94,210
- Median hourly wage: $45.29
- Total employment: 300 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $95,940
- Median hourly wage: $46.13
- Total employment: 380 people (2.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $97,040
- Median hourly wage: $46.66
- Total employment: 120 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $97,910
- Median hourly wage: $47.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $99,940
- Median hourly wage: $48.05
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,610
- Median hourly wage: $49.81
- Total employment: 140 people (0.82 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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