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

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 Anniston 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.

Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $44,770
- Median hourly wage: $21.52
- Total employment: 30 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $44,860
- Median hourly wage: $21.57
- Total employment: 60 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Akimov Igor // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $45,060
- Median hourly wage: $21.66
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $45,070
- Median hourly wage: $21.67
- Total employment: 30 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $45,760
- Median hourly wage: $22.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DC Studio // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $45,950
- Median hourly wage: $22.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,100
- Median hourly wage: $22.16
- Total employment: 430 people (10.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $46,910
- Median hourly wage: $22.55
- Total employment: 120 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $47,720
- Median hourly wage: $22.94
- Total employment: 90 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $48,040
- Median hourly wage: $23.10
- Total employment: 670 people (15.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $48,830
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 230 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $49,050
- Median hourly wage: $23.58
- Total employment: 50 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 110 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $49,460
- Median hourly wage: $23.78
- Total employment: 90 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,000
- Median hourly wage: $24.04
- Total employment: 50 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Coat drives near Anniston

pio3 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $50,300
- Median hourly wage: $24.19
- Total employment: 320 people (7.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $50,480
- Median hourly wage: $24.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,700
- Median hourly wage: $24.38
- Total employment: 350 people (8.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $51,690
- Median hourly wage: $24.85
- Total employment: 80 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Computer numerically controlled tool operators

- Median annual wage: $51,720
- Median hourly wage: $24.87
- Total employment: 200 people (4.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $52,080
- Median hourly wage: $25.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $52,190
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 170 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $53,390
- Median hourly wage: $25.67
- Total employment: 240 people (5.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $53,550
- Median hourly wage: $25.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Information and record clerks, all other

- Median annual wage: $54,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.16
- Total employment: 60 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Cheapest gas stations in Anniston

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#24. Production, planning, and expediting clerks (tie)

- Median annual wage: $55,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 190 people (4.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nikita M production // Shutterstock

27 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,580
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $56,090
- Median hourly wage: $26.97
- Total employment: 430 people (9.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 140 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $56,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.22
- Total employment: 70 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 230 people (5.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $57,510
- Median hourly wage: $27.65
- Total employment: 420 people (9.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 120 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.01
- Total employment: 100 people (2.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.18
- Total employment: 160 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 260 people (6.04 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: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 320 people (7.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#12. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 490 people (11.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleksandr Berezko // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Painters, construction and maintenance (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,480
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 80 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $61,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Anniston

Fortish // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Explosives workers, ordnance handling experts, and blasters

- Median annual wage: $62,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 170 people (4.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $64,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.86
- Total employment: 70 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $64,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.82 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: $66,820
- Median hourly wage: $32.13
- Total employment: 380 people (8.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,280
- Median hourly wage: $33.31
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $71,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $72,320
- Median hourly wage: $34.77
- Total employment: 110 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $75,160
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 50 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)