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1 / 50#50. Motor vehicle operators, all other
- Median annual wage: $58,300
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Crestview
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 Crestview 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. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $58,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.08
- Total employment: 70 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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3 / 50#48. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $58,780
- Median hourly wage: $28.26
- Total employment: 680 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 80 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $58,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.34
- Total employment: 150 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 530 people (4.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $59,380
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 150 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $59,790
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 610 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.77
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $59,940
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 90 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $60,110
- Median hourly wage: $28.90
- Total employment: 1,060 people (8.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $60,400
- Median hourly wage: $29.04
- Total employment: 310 people (2.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 90 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,010
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 1,000 people (8.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,300
- Median hourly wage: $29.47
- Total employment: 500 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $61,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 410 people (3.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,200
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 160 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Median annual wage: $62,510
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 70 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $63,200
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 270 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $63,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.46
- Total employment: 130 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: Not available
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $63,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 280 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 570 people (4.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SatawatK // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $64,000
- Median hourly wage: $30.77
- Total employment: 140 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.20
- Total employment: 130 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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28 / 50#23. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,410
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $65,870
- Median hourly wage: $31.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $67,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.62
- Total employment: 90 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $69,750
- Median hourly wage: $33.54
- Total employment: 190 people (1.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $70,220
- Median hourly wage: $33.76
- Total employment: 110 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,740
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 580 people (4.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photostriker // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $73,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.35
- Total employment: 30 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $74,510
- Median hourly wage: $35.82
- Total employment: 170 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.34
- Total employment: 260 people (2.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $76,590
- Median hourly wage: $36.82
- Total employment: 130 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $78,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.59
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,750
- Median hourly wage: $37.86
- Total employment: 60 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $78,890
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 60 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $79,160
- Median hourly wage: $38.06
- Total employment: 190 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $79,310
- Median hourly wage: $38.13
- Total employment: Not available
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43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $81,210
- Median hourly wage: $39.04
- Total employment: 160 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $82,480
- Median hourly wage: $39.65
- Total employment: 130 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.21
- Total employment: 190 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $83,740
- Median hourly wage: $40.26
- Total employment: 100 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $84,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.69
- Total employment: 130 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $85,740
- Median hourly wage: $41.22
- Total employment: 110 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $89,990
- Median hourly wage: $43.27
- Total employment: 90 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $180,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.71 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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