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1 / 50#50. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $57,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.51
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Racine
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 Racine 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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2 / 50#49. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $57,420
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 260 people (3.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $57,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 240 people (3.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
brizmaker // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $58,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $58,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 70 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $58,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 1,670 people (21.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $59,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $59,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.74
- Total employment: 90 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 450 people (5.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Efired // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Bill and account collectors
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 50 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $61,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 280 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $61,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.55
- Total employment: 160 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 230 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 140 people (1.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $62,630
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 130 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $62,710
- Median hourly wage: $30.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 100 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $63,250
- Median hourly wage: $30.41
- Total employment: 180 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 370 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $63,930
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 30 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 100 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.23
- Total employment: 150 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $65,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 70 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $65,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.71
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $66,210
- Median hourly wage: $31.83
- Total employment: 580 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 460 people (6.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 1,070 people (14.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $69,730
- Median hourly wage: $33.52
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $70,710
- Median hourly wage: $33.99
- Total employment: 50 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $70,910
- Median hourly wage: $34.09
- Total employment: 280 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $72,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.96
- Total employment: 960 people (12.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,190
- Median hourly wage: $36.15
- Total employment: 80 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $76,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.95
- Total employment: 240 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $77,710
- Median hourly wage: $37.36
- Total employment: 360 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $77,930
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,200
- Median hourly wage: $37.60
- Total employment: 70 people (0.86 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: $80,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 330 people (4.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $81,600
- Median hourly wage: $39.23
- Total employment: 250 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $83,510
- Median hourly wage: $40.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $85,480
- Median hourly wage: $41.09
- Total employment: 300 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $86,550
- Median hourly wage: $41.61
- Total employment: 140 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $87,990
- Median hourly wage: $42.30
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $90,420
- Median hourly wage: $43.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,420
- Median hourly wage: $47.80
- Total employment: 130 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $106,450
- Median hourly wage: $51.18
- Total employment: 150 people (2.01 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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