Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Little Rock

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 Little Rock 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.

Prath // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $56,780
- Median hourly wage: $27.30
- Total employment: 210 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zhanna Kavaliova // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Logging equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $56,940
- Median hourly wage: $27.38
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $57,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 520 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.52
- Total employment: 1,560 people (4.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $57,490
- Median hourly wage: $27.64
- Total employment: 460 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $57,610
- Median hourly wage: $27.70
- Total employment: 1,780 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $57,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.75
- Total employment: 110 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $58,020
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 160 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Funeral home managers

- Median annual wage: $58,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Recreational vehicle service technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,000
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 800 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.47
- Total employment: 70 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Xmentoys // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Calibration technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,800
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 430 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $59,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 140 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,030
- Median hourly wage: $28.86
- Total employment: 160 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 660 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 1,090 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jat306 // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Millwrights

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 90 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 170 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Computer network support specialists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 550 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#27. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 1,840 people (5.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $61,310
- Median hourly wage: $29.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 1,670 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $61,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 180 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 240 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,830
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 420 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $65,330
- Median hourly wage: $31.41
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $66,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 1,950 people (5.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,750
- Median hourly wage: $32.57
- Total employment: 120 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $68,220
- Median hourly wage: $32.80
- Total employment: 1,030 people (2.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $69,700
- Median hourly wage: $33.51
- Total employment: 80 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,340
- Median hourly wage: $33.82
- Total employment: 140 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $70,380
- Median hourly wage: $33.84
- Total employment: 550 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $70,610
- Median hourly wage: $33.95
- Total employment: 90 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,970
- Median hourly wage: $34.60
- Total employment: 560 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $73,260
- Median hourly wage: $35.22
- Total employment: 150 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $75,110
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 320 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Toa55 // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.73
- Total employment: 210 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $77,290
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 550 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $80,560
- Median hourly wage: $38.73
- Total employment: 190 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

michaeljung // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $82,940
- Median hourly wage: $39.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $83,560
- Median hourly wage: $40.17
- Total employment: 460 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $90,820
- Median hourly wage: $43.66
- Total employment: 280 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $95,400
- Median hourly wage: $45.87
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $95,620
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $103,680
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 390 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lovely Bird // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Power distributors and dispatchers

- Median annual wage: $129,590
- Median hourly wage: $62.30
- Total employment: 170 people (0.47 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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