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

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 Stockton 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.

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,340
- Median hourly wage: $35.74
- Total employment: 2,110 people (7.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $74,630
- Median hourly wage: $35.88
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 1,160 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $75,310
- Median hourly wage: $36.21
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $75,560
- Median hourly wage: $36.33
- Total employment: 1,390 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $75,650
- Median hourly wage: $36.37
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $75,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kirill Lasis // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Tapers

- Median annual wage: $75,870
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 840 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $77,100
- Median hourly wage: $37.07
- Total employment: 310 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

John Leung // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Brickmasons and blockmasons

- Median annual wage: $77,510
- Median hourly wage: $37.27
- Total employment: 130 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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13 / 50

#38. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,570
- Median hourly wage: $37.29
- Total employment: 60 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gerain0812 // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $77,810
- Median hourly wage: $37.41
- Total employment: 160 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Public safety telecommunicators

- Median annual wage: $78,060
- Median hourly wage: $37.53
- Total employment: 160 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 270 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $78,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 110 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $78,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 770 people (2.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $79,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $79,330
- Median hourly wage: $38.14
- Total employment: 630 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles

- Median annual wage: $79,540
- Median hourly wage: $38.24
- Total employment: 160 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $79,830
- Median hourly wage: $38.38
- Total employment: 240 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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23 / 50

#28. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $79,970
- Median hourly wage: $38.45
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Tool and die makers

- Median annual wage: $80,280
- Median hourly wage: $38.59
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $81,420
- Median hourly wage: $39.15
- Total employment: 100 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $82,960
- Median hourly wage: $39.88
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $84,100
- Median hourly wage: $40.43
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,240
- Median hourly wage: $40.50
- Total employment: 1,160 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $84,870
- Median hourly wage: $40.81
- Total employment: 150 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $89,190
- Median hourly wage: $42.88
- Total employment: 150 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $89,810
- Median hourly wage: $43.18
- Total employment: 130 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $89,890
- Median hourly wage: $43.22
- Total employment: 990 people (3.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Goldsithney // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Psychiatric technicians

- Median annual wage: $91,910
- Median hourly wage: $44.19
- Total employment: 370 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $96,500
- Median hourly wage: $46.40
- Total employment: 1,000 people (3.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $97,200
- Median hourly wage: $46.73
- Total employment: 280 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $97,280
- Median hourly wage: $46.77
- Total employment: 390 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $98,580
- Median hourly wage: $47.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $101,610
- Median hourly wage: $48.85
- Total employment: 120 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $102,720
- Median hourly wage: $49.39
- Total employment: 1,000 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $103,100
- Median hourly wage: $49.57
- Total employment: 100 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Skycolors // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $111,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

- Median annual wage: $112,690
- Median hourly wage: $54.18
- Total employment: 80 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $114,420
- Median hourly wage: $55.01
- Total employment: 60 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $119,760
- Median hourly wage: $57.58
- Total employment: 40 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $123,940
- Median hourly wage: $59.59
- Total employment: 230 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $124,550
- Median hourly wage: $59.88
- Total employment: 350 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $124,720
- Median hourly wage: $59.96
- Total employment: 130 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $126,180
- Median hourly wage: $60.66
- Total employment: 280 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $132,240
- Median hourly wage: $63.58
- Total employment: 140 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $135,290
- Median hourly wage: $65.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 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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