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

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 Jonesboro 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: $46,940
- Median hourly wage: $22.57
- Total employment: 50 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Fusionstudio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks

- Median annual wage: $46,960
- Median hourly wage: $22.58
- Total employment: 520 people (8.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $46,970
- Median hourly wage: $22.58
- Total employment: 1,160 people (19.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,330
- Median hourly wage: $22.76
- Total employment: 170 people (2.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Automotive body and related repairers

- Median annual wage: $47,380
- Median hourly wage: $22.78
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,770
- Median hourly wage: $22.97
- Total employment: 230 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $47,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.01
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $47,970
- Median hourly wage: $23.06
- Total employment: 240 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $48,120
- Median hourly wage: $23.13
- Total employment: 180 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $48,390
- Median hourly wage: $23.26
- Total employment: 150 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $49,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $49,400
- Median hourly wage: $23.75
- Total employment: 590 people (9.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $49,810
- Median hourly wage: $23.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LuckView // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic

- Median annual wage: $49,990
- Median hourly wage: $24.03
- Total employment: 210 people (3.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $50,190
- Median hourly wage: $24.13
- Total employment: 390 people (6.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Computer user support specialists

- Median annual wage: $50,450
- Median hourly wage: $24.26
- Total employment: 170 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $50,650
- Median hourly wage: $24.35
- Total employment: 390 people (6.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,220
- Median hourly wage: $24.63
- Total employment: 260 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $51,720
- Median hourly wage: $24.87
- Total employment: 110 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Mirnes // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Extruding, forming, pressing, and compacting machine setters, operators, and tenders

- Median annual wage: $52,040
- Median hourly wage: $25.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $52,140
- Median hourly wage: $25.07
- Total employment: 90 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $52,630
- Median hourly wage: $25.30
- Total employment: 120 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,370
- Median hourly wage: $25.66
- Total employment: 500 people (8.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,520
- Median hourly wage: $25.73
- Total employment: 90 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,450
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SritanaN // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $55,550
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 350 people (5.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $55,650
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 120 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,150
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 540 people (9.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $56,460
- Median hourly wage: $27.15
- Total employment: 30 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $56,650
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 70 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,550
- Median hourly wage: $27.67
- Total employment: 260 people (4.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,590
- Median hourly wage: $28.65
- Total employment: 590 people (9.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $60,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,570
- Median hourly wage: $29.12
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,230
- Median hourly wage: $29.44
- Total employment: 150 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 110 people (1.9 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: $61,420
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 340 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $61,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 150 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: 70 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 220 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,590
- Median hourly wage: $32.49
- Total employment: 60 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $70,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.02
- Total employment: 210 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $71,030
- Median hourly wage: $34.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,030
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $79,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,750
- Median hourly wage: $38.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $81,010
- Median hourly wage: $38.95
- Total employment: 90 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $81,840
- Median hourly wage: $39.35
- Total employment: 90 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.37
- Total employment: 70 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $93,950
- Median hourly wage: $45.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.91 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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