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

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#50. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance

- Median annual wage: $56,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.17
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#49. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $56,700
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Crushing, grinding, and polishing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#47. Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (tie)

- Median annual wage: $56,850
- Median hourly wage: $27.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#46. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $57,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#45. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $57,170
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 250 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#44. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#43. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 130 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#42. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $58,080
- Median hourly wage: $27.93
- Total employment: 110 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.33
- Total employment: 140 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#40. Cutting and slicing machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.62
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#39. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 220 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#38. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.93
- Total employment: 130 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 80 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#36. Chemical equipment operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $60,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.08
- Total employment: 80 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#35. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 110 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $60,970
- Median hourly wage: $29.31
- Total employment: 310 people (5.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $60,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 200 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#32. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $61,540
- Median hourly wage: $29.59
- Total employment: 220 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#31. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 80 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 60 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#29. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $62,130
- Median hourly wage: $29.87
- Total employment: 360 people (6.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 160 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#27. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#26. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $62,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 210 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $63,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 170 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#23. Massage therapists

- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#22. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $63,240
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#21. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $63,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.71
- Total employment: 90 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 100 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#19. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $64,360
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: 220 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $67,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.32
- Total employment: 310 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#17. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $70,060
- Median hourly wage: $33.68
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $72,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 430 people (7.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#15. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 120 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#14. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,780
- Median hourly wage: $36.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#13. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 150 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $75,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.49
- Total employment: 270 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. Respiratory therapists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#10. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $76,340
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 180 people (3.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#9. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 130 people (2.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#8. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.90
- Total employment: 60 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#7. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $79,740
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#6. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $80,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 200 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#5. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $86,140
- Median hourly wage: $41.41
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $91,220
- Median hourly wage: $43.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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

- Median annual wage: $93,710
- Median hourly wage: $45.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $99,700
- Median hourly wage: $47.93
- Total employment: 50 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 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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