Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $52,220
- Median hourly wage: $25.11
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Flagstaff
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 Flagstaff 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. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $52,260
- Median hourly wage: $25.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
John Leung // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Brickmasons and blockmasons
- Median annual wage: $52,310
- Median hourly wage: $25.15
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $52,830
- Median hourly wage: $25.40
- Total employment: 90 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $52,970
- Median hourly wage: $25.47
- Total employment: 130 people (1.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,270
- Median hourly wage: $25.61
- Total employment: 80 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $53,710
- Median hourly wage: $25.82
- Total employment: 130 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $53,870
- Median hourly wage: $25.90
- Total employment: 60 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,060
- Median hourly wage: $25.99
- Total employment: 110 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
MAYA LAB // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Forest and conservation technicians
- Median annual wage: $54,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.11
- Total employment: 360 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $55,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 80 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 180 people (2.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,190
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $57,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 150 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $57,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.86
- Total employment: 570 people (8.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $58,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 330 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $59,740
- Median hourly wage: $28.72
- Total employment: 110 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $59,840
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 240 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.85
- Total employment: 220 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 110 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $60,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 300 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: 80 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 70 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,530
- Median hourly wage: $30.06
- Total employment: 90 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 220 people (3.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,910
- Median hourly wage: $30.24
- Total employment: 80 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 100 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 50 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,860
- Median hourly wage: $31.18
- Total employment: 190 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,300
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,380
- Median hourly wage: $31.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $66,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Freedomz // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $66,800
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 60 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,040
- Median hourly wage: $33.19
- Total employment: 280 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $69,230
- Median hourly wage: $33.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $74,680
- Median hourly wage: $35.90
- Total employment: 210 people (3.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $76,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 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: $76,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.00
- Total employment: 320 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $77,340
- Median hourly wage: $37.18
- Total employment: 250 people (3.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $77,550
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 360 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,600
- Median hourly wage: $37.79
- Total employment: 120 people (1.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $79,440
- Median hourly wage: $38.19
- Total employment: 90 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $79,650
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 100 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $94,090
- Median hourly wage: $45.24
- Total employment: 90 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $97,210
- Median hourly wage: $46.73
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $114,520
- Median hourly wage: $55.06
- Total employment: 100 people (1.52 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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