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1 / 50#50. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Cape Coral
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 Cape Coral 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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $60,250
- Median hourly wage: $28.97
- Total employment: 2,490 people (8.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 1,070 people (3.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,450
- Median hourly wage: $29.06
- Total employment: 980 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.14
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 300 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,030
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 3,020 people (10.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $61,930
- Median hourly wage: $29.77
- Total employment: 270 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 490 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $61,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 700 people (2.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $62,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: 490 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Media and communication workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $62,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 450 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 240 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $62,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 780 people (2.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,180
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Recreational vehicle service technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 120 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,370
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 330 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 90 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 160 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $65,000
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 250 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $65,500
- Median hourly wage: $31.49
- Total employment: 440 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $68,480
- Median hourly wage: $32.92
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $68,680
- Median hourly wage: $33.02
- Total employment: 240 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $69,780
- Median hourly wage: $33.55
- Total employment: 930 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $69,880
- Median hourly wage: $33.60
- Total employment: 1,330 people (4.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $71,240
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 3,940 people (13.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $71,370
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: Not available
lenetstan // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $71,860
- Median hourly wage: $34.55
- Total employment: 500 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,390
- Median hourly wage: $34.80
- Total employment: 300 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $73,060
- Median hourly wage: $35.13
- Total employment: 100 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $73,810
- Median hourly wage: $35.49
- Total employment: 70 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vladeep // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $75,090
- Median hourly wage: $36.10
- Total employment: 140 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $75,860
- Median hourly wage: $36.47
- Total employment: 140 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $76,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.57
- Total employment: 80 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $76,990
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: Not available
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $77,150
- Median hourly wage: $37.09
- Total employment: 470 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,210
- Median hourly wage: $37.12
- Total employment: 220 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $78,120
- Median hourly wage: $37.56
- Total employment: 220 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $79,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $81,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $83,520
- Median hourly wage: $40.15
- Total employment: 310 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $84,320
- Median hourly wage: $40.54
- Total employment: 510 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $85,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.01
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $86,010
- Median hourly wage: $41.35
- Total employment: 200 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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funnyangel // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $86,950
- Median hourly wage: $41.81
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $88,480
- Median hourly wage: $42.54
- Total employment: 320 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $98,440
- Median hourly wage: $47.33
- Total employment: 200 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $98,530
- Median hourly wage: $47.37
- Total employment: 360 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $113,790
- Median hourly wage: $54.71
- Total employment: 230 people (0.78 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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