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1 / 50#50. Eligibility interviewers, government programs
- Median annual wage: $64,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Santa Cruz
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 Santa Cruz 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. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $64,560
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 150 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $65,100
- Median hourly wage: $31.30
- Total employment: 260 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $66,170
- Median hourly wage: $31.81
- Total employment: 360 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Radovan1 / Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Plasterers and stucco masons
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Solar photovoltaic installers
- Median annual wage: $67,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 70 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $69,350
- Median hourly wage: $33.34
- Total employment: 340 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $70,150
- Median hourly wage: $33.72
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $70,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.98
- Total employment: 320 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $71,110
- Median hourly wage: $34.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $71,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $72,270
- Median hourly wage: $34.75
- Total employment: 110 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $72,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.97
- Total employment: 610 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dagmara_K // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Drywall and ceiling tile installers
- Median annual wage: $73,360
- Median hourly wage: $35.27
- Total employment: 120 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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15 / 50#36. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $73,410
- Median hourly wage: $35.29
- Total employment: 210 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $74,130
- Median hourly wage: $35.64
- Total employment: 360 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $74,430
- Median hourly wage: $35.78
- Total employment: 190 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $74,620
- Median hourly wage: $35.88
- Total employment: 940 people (9.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $76,140
- Median hourly wage: $36.60
- Total employment: 210 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $76,430
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $76,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 350 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $77,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.15
- Total employment: 820 people (8.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,560
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $77,680
- Median hourly wage: $37.34
- Total employment: 350 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $79,110
- Median hourly wage: $38.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,290
- Median hourly wage: $38.12
- Total employment: 280 people (2.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $79,580
- Median hourly wage: $38.26
- Total employment: 350 people (3.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $79,720
- Median hourly wage: $38.33
- Total employment: 110 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $79,820
- Median hourly wage: $38.37
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $80,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.58
- Total employment: 190 people (1.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $80,490
- Median hourly wage: $38.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Bus drivers, transit and intercity
- Median annual wage: $80,870
- Median hourly wage: $38.88
- Total employment: 190 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $81,910
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 120 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $85,790
- Median hourly wage: $41.24
- Total employment: 90 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $86,630
- Median hourly wage: $41.65
- Total employment: 390 people (3.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $88,010
- Median hourly wage: $42.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $88,740
- Median hourly wage: $42.66
- Total employment: 70 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $96,980
- Median hourly wage: $46.63
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $99,600
- Median hourly wage: $47.89
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $102,000
- Median hourly wage: $49.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $107,060
- Median hourly wage: $51.47
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $108,500
- Median hourly wage: $52.16
- Total employment: 110 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $123,140
- Median hourly wage: $59.20
- Total employment: 450 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $124,370
- Median hourly wage: $59.80
- Total employment: 120 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $127,120
- Median hourly wage: $61.11
- Total employment: 170 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $144,520
- Median hourly wage: $69.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $151,980
- Median hourly wage: $73.07
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $158,430
- Median hourly wage: $76.17
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 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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