Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 300 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Deltona
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 Deltona 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. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 140 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Anze Furlan // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
- Median annual wage: $56,720
- Median hourly wage: $27.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $56,990
- Median hourly wage: $27.40
- Total employment: 1,770 people (8.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $57,060
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 260 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $57,910
- Median hourly wage: $27.84
- Total employment: 740 people (3.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.97
- Total employment: 510 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $58,220
- Median hourly wage: $27.99
- Total employment: 610 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $58,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,570
- Median hourly wage: $28.16
- Total employment: 1,980 people (9.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $59,040
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 790 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $59,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 270 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $59,090
- Median hourly wage: $28.41
- Total employment: 990 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 310 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $59,410
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 100 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $59,880
- Median hourly wage: $28.79
- Total employment: 710 people (3.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
17 / 50#33. Architectural and civil drafters (tie)
- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 150 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 150 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 140 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Neale Cousland // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Athletes and sports competitors
- Median annual wage: $61,530
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $62,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.81
- Total employment: 900 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.91
- Total employment: 610 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $62,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 280 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $62,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.09
- Total employment: 60 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
fizkes // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,750
- Median hourly wage: $30.17
- Total employment: 60 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 530 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $63,960
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 1,430 people (6.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 240 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 110 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $67,400
- Median hourly wage: $32.41
- Total employment: 50 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $74,320
- Median hourly wage: $35.73
- Total employment: 30 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $75,360
- Median hourly wage: $36.23
- Total employment: 270 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Skycolors // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $75,410
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 90 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $76,260
- Median hourly wage: $36.66
- Total employment: 310 people (1.41 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: $76,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 240 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $76,690
- Median hourly wage: $36.87
- Total employment: 100 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $77,040
- Median hourly wage: $37.04
- Total employment: Not available
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41 / 50#10. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $77,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.16
- Total employment: 470 people (2.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $78,510
- Median hourly wage: $37.74
- Total employment: 180 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $81,000
- Median hourly wage: $38.94
- Total employment: 240 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $81,180
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 210 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $81,290
- Median hourly wage: $39.08
- Total employment: 310 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Halfpoint // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $81,500
- Median hourly wage: $39.18
- Total employment: 270 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $86,630
- Median hourly wage: $41.65
- Total employment: 80 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $87,030
- Median hourly wage: $41.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $103,040
- Median hourly wage: $49.54
- Total employment: 130 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $139,690
- Median hourly wage: $67.16
- Total employment: 110 people (0.51 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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