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

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 Sheboygan 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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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $55,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 110 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 840 people (13.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $56,000
- Median hourly wage: $26.93
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,280
- Median hourly wage: $27.06
- Total employment: 110 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,950
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 180 people (2.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,360
- Median hourly wage: $27.58
- Total employment: 130 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LightField Studios // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $57,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 120 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $57,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 160 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 140 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $59,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 1,040 people (17.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dagmara_K // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Drywall and ceiling tile installers

- Median annual wage: $59,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $59,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 320 people (5.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 340 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 60 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Maintenance and repair workers, general

- Median annual wage: $60,610
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 760 people (12.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $60,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 220 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 140 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $62,810
- Median hourly wage: $30.20
- Total employment: 230 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Chefs and head cooks

- Median annual wage: $63,740
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Cement masons and concrete finishers

- Median annual wage: $64,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 120 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $64,320
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 190 people (3.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 110 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,040
- Median hourly wage: $31.27
- Total employment: 500 people (8.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $65,800
- Median hourly wage: $31.63
- Total employment: 100 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.76
- Total employment: 100 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,160
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 430 people (7.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $66,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 140 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $67,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $71,430
- Median hourly wage: $34.34
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pixel B // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $73,170
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 280 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,450
- Median hourly wage: $35.31
- Total employment: 730 people (11.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $73,650
- Median hourly wage: $35.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $73,920
- Median hourly wage: $35.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $74,070
- Median hourly wage: $35.61
- Total employment: 110 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $75,850
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 250 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,880
- Median hourly wage: $36.48
- Total employment: 180 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $76,900
- Median hourly wage: $36.97
- Total employment: 340 people (5.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

45 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 1,080 people (17.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,380
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 250 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $83,880
- Median hourly wage: $40.33
- Total employment: 110 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $85,560
- Median hourly wage: $41.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)