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1 / 50#50. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $39,470
- Median hourly wage: $18.98
- Total employment: 220 people (5.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Hot Springs
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 Hot Springs 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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Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $40,600
- Median hourly wage: $19.52
- Total employment: 40 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $41,310
- Median hourly wage: $19.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $41,320
- Median hourly wage: $19.86
- Total employment: 60 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $41,530
- Median hourly wage: $19.96
- Total employment: 100 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $41,600
- Median hourly wage: $20.00
- Total employment: 50 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $41,620
- Median hourly wage: $20.01
- Total employment: 290 people (7.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $43,280
- Median hourly wage: $20.81
- Total employment: 80 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $43,890
- Median hourly wage: $21.10
- Total employment: 60 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zivica Kerkez // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,400
- Median hourly wage: $21.35
- Total employment: 60 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $44,430
- Median hourly wage: $21.36
- Total employment: 60 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,570
- Median hourly wage: $21.43
- Total employment: 40 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $44,810
- Median hourly wage: $21.54
- Total employment: 130 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $45,030
- Median hourly wage: $21.65
- Total employment: 110 people (2.79 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: $45,250
- Median hourly wage: $21.75
- Total employment: 120 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $45,410
- Median hourly wage: $21.83
- Total employment: 120 people (3.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $45,600
- Median hourly wage: $21.92
- Total employment: 110 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $45,770
- Median hourly wage: $22.01
- Total employment: 260 people (6.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $45,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.02
- Total employment: 180 people (4.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $45,820
- Median hourly wage: $22.03
- Total employment: 120 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $46,240
- Median hourly wage: $22.23
- Total employment: 110 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $46,530
- Median hourly wage: $22.37
- Total employment: 90 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $46,830
- Median hourly wage: $22.51
- Total employment: 90 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $47,110
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 50 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $47,450
- Median hourly wage: $22.81
- Total employment: 160 people (4.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SritanaN // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $47,930
- Median hourly wage: $23.04
- Total employment: 110 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $48,470
- Median hourly wage: $23.30
- Total employment: 90 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $48,740
- Median hourly wage: $23.43
- Total employment: 100 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,850
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 40 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $48,870
- Median hourly wage: $23.49
- Total employment: 30 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $49,090
- Median hourly wage: $23.60
- Total employment: 40 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $49,210
- Median hourly wage: $23.66
- Total employment: 420 people (11.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $49,220
- Median hourly wage: $23.67
- Total employment: 50 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $49,640
- Median hourly wage: $23.87
- Total employment: 40 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $51,410
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 460 people (12.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $51,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $52,020
- Median hourly wage: $25.01
- Total employment: 180 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $52,700
- Median hourly wage: $25.34
- Total employment: 140 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $54,550
- Median hourly wage: $26.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $56,810
- Median hourly wage: $27.31
- Total employment: 110 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $56,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.37
- Total employment: 270 people (7.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 100 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $58,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 70 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $59,870
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 180 people (4.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 70 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.19
- Total employment: 50 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $64,600
- Median hourly wage: $31.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $76,120
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,240
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 50 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $80,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.70
- Total employment: 80 people (2.03 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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