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1 / 50#50. Public safety telecommunicators
- Median annual wage: $61,520
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 70 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Naples
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 Naples 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. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,050
- Median hourly wage: $29.83
- Total employment: Not available
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3 / 50#48. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $62,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.00
- Total employment: 580 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,470
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 1,040 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 400 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $62,630
- Median hourly wage: $30.11
- Total employment: 110 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers
- Median annual wage: $62,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $63,130
- Median hourly wage: $30.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 100 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Halfpoint // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#39. Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Postal service clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $64,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.87
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Hearing aid specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,260
- Median hourly wage: $30.89
- Total employment: 60 people (0.38 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: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 460 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $64,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 280 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $64,710
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $65,150
- Median hourly wage: $31.32
- Total employment: 1,610 people (9.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,630
- Median hourly wage: $32.03
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 1,660 people (9.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $68,040
- Median hourly wage: $32.71
- Total employment: 390 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $70,200
- Median hourly wage: $33.75
- Total employment: 150 people (0.88 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: $70,920
- Median hourly wage: $34.10
- Total employment: 800 people (4.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $71,080
- Median hourly wage: $34.17
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $71,920
- Median hourly wage: $34.58
- Total employment: 140 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $72,010
- Median hourly wage: $34.62
- Total employment: 120 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $73,720
- Median hourly wage: $35.44
- Total employment: 680 people (3.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $73,900
- Median hourly wage: $35.53
- Total employment: 560 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $74,820
- Median hourly wage: $35.97
- Total employment: 80 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $74,990
- Median hourly wage: $36.05
- Total employment: 600 people (3.5 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: $75,970
- Median hourly wage: $36.53
- Total employment: 2,030 people (11.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $76,380
- Median hourly wage: $36.72
- Total employment: 280 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $77,420
- Median hourly wage: $37.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $77,680
- Median hourly wage: $37.35
- Total employment: 620 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $77,850
- Median hourly wage: $37.43
- Total employment: 300 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $79,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.03
- Total employment: 590 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $80,990
- Median hourly wage: $38.94
- Total employment: 150 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $81,910
- Median hourly wage: $39.38
- Total employment: 140 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $82,790
- Median hourly wage: $39.80
- Total employment: 140 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $84,130
- Median hourly wage: $40.45
- Total employment: 70 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $84,610
- Median hourly wage: $40.68
- Total employment: 100 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $88,860
- Median hourly wage: $42.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $90,170
- Median hourly wage: $43.35
- Total employment: 150 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers
- Median annual wage: $90,890
- Median hourly wage: $43.70
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $96,010
- Median hourly wage: $46.16
- Total employment: 240 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $97,250
- Median hourly wage: $46.76
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $99,000
- Median hourly wage: $47.60
- Total employment: 140 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $99,030
- Median hourly wage: $47.61
- Total employment: Not available
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $100,240
- Median hourly wage: $48.19
- Total employment: 190 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $114,850
- Median hourly wage: $55.22
- Total employment: 200 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $131,010
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (1.1 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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