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

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 Gainesville 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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Indypendenz // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $55,410
- Median hourly wage: $26.64
- Total employment: 80 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stokkete // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. File clerks

- Median annual wage: $55,650
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 200 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Insurance sales agents

- Median annual wage: $55,670
- Median hourly wage: $26.76
- Total employment: 500 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $56,380
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 700 people (4.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $56,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $57,030
- Median hourly wage: $27.42
- Total employment: 330 people (2.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,260
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 830 people (5.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $57,270
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 50 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $57,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.85
- Total employment: 150 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $57,990
- Median hourly wage: $27.88
- Total employment: 170 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.29
- Total employment: 740 people (4.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 80 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 140 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 390 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $59,670
- Median hourly wage: $28.69
- Total employment: 120 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Socrates471 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Audio and video technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.69
- Total employment: 80 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $59,900
- Median hourly wage: $28.80
- Total employment: 110 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 30 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rido // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $59,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.83
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

- Median annual wage: $60,100
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 1,390 people (9.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.99
- Total employment: 290 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 60 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 80 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 360 people (2.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $61,000
- Median hourly wage: $29.33
- Total employment: 460 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $61,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.49
- Total employment: 490 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lighthunter // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $61,490
- Median hourly wage: $29.56
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $61,800
- Median hourly wage: $29.71
- Total employment: 120 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 70 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,550
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 570 people (3.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.85
- Total employment: 190 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,460
- Median hourly wage: $31.47
- Total employment: 900 people (5.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $66,770
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 240 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $67,010
- Median hourly wage: $32.22
- Total employment: 90 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $67,490
- Median hourly wage: $32.45
- Total employment: 180 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,910
- Median hourly wage: $32.65
- Total employment: 60 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,500
- Median hourly wage: $33.42
- Total employment: 440 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $70,550
- Median hourly wage: $33.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,020
- Median hourly wage: $35.11
- Total employment: 120 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Josep Suria // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $73,080
- Median hourly wage: $35.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $73,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.35
- Total employment: 230 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $75,830
- Median hourly wage: $36.46
- Total employment: 160 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

44 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,540
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.51
- Total employment: 140 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $78,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 190 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $81,570
- Median hourly wage: $39.22
- Total employment: 120 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $82,880
- Median hourly wage: $39.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $88,250
- Median hourly wage: $42.43
- Total employment: 140 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $92,460
- Median hourly wage: $44.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.89 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.