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

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 Milwaukee 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. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $72,560
- Median hourly wage: $34.89
- Total employment: 640 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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2 / 50

#49. Personal service managers, all other

- Median annual wage: $73,120
- Median hourly wage: $35.16
- Total employment: Not available

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3 / 50

#48. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $73,630
- Median hourly wage: $35.40
- Total employment: 140 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

adriaticfoto // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Miscellaneous construction and related workers

- Median annual wage: $73,760
- Median hourly wage: $35.46
- Total employment: 100 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chok Chokchai // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $74,330
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 690 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $74,660
- Median hourly wage: $35.89
- Total employment: 140 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.58
- Total employment: 460 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 6,370 people (7.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,820
- Median hourly wage: $36.93
- Total employment: 3,690 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $77,510
- Median hourly wage: $37.26
- Total employment: 1,730 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $77,620
- Median hourly wage: $37.32
- Total employment: 2,150 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 740 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 130 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrei Agape // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Avionics technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,400
- Median hourly wage: $37.69
- Total employment: 50 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $78,480
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 100 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $78,790
- Median hourly wage: $37.88
- Total employment: Not available

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17 / 50

#34. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,330
- Median hourly wage: $38.14
- Total employment: 480 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,360
- Median hourly wage: $38.15
- Total employment: 1,460 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $79,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: 950 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $80,320
- Median hourly wage: $38.62
- Total employment: 240 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $80,440
- Median hourly wage: $38.67
- Total employment: 180 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $80,850
- Median hourly wage: $38.87
- Total employment: 230 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $82,080
- Median hourly wage: $39.46
- Total employment: 2,710 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $82,540
- Median hourly wage: $39.68
- Total employment: 1,730 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $83,010
- Median hourly wage: $39.91
- Total employment: 650 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $83,430
- Median hourly wage: $40.11
- Total employment: 2,590 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $83,800
- Median hourly wage: $40.29
- Total employment: 170 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Pipelayers

- Median annual wage: $85,180
- Median hourly wage: $40.95
- Total employment: 100 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

29 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $85,390
- Median hourly wage: $41.05
- Total employment: 420 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Gas plant operators

- Median annual wage: $87,170
- Median hourly wage: $41.91
- Total employment: 90 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $89,070
- Median hourly wage: $42.82
- Total employment: 160 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $91,280
- Median hourly wage: $43.89
- Total employment: 3,400 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $91,670
- Median hourly wage: $44.07
- Total employment: 3,580 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $93,250
- Median hourly wage: $44.83
- Total employment: 220 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

N_Sakarin // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Structural iron and steel workers

- Median annual wage: $93,370
- Median hourly wage: $44.89
- Total employment: 270 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $93,950
- Median hourly wage: $45.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Onk-Q // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers

- Median annual wage: $95,160
- Median hourly wage: $45.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $96,460
- Median hourly wage: $46.38
- Total employment: 140 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $98,910
- Median hourly wage: $47.55
- Total employment: 1,120 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $98,970
- Median hourly wage: $47.58
- Total employment: 510 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Boilermakers

- Median annual wage: $99,050
- Median hourly wage: $47.62
- Total employment: 70 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $99,330
- Median hourly wage: $47.75
- Total employment: 90 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Postmasters and mail superintendents

- Median annual wage: $99,470
- Median hourly wage: $47.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $99,730
- Median hourly wage: $47.95
- Total employment: 1,930 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $101,640
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 530 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Radiation therapists

- Median annual wage: $102,880
- Median hourly wage: $49.46
- Total employment: 150 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $108,130
- Median hourly wage: $51.99
- Total employment: 520 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $108,840
- Median hourly wage: $52.33
- Total employment: 540 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $118,490
- Median hourly wage: $56.97
- Total employment: 110 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $158,330
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 300 people (0.36 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.