Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in North Port

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 North Port 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.

Rido // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Opticians, dispensing

- Median annual wage: $61,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.69
- Total employment: 190 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,080
- Median hourly wage: $29.85
- Total employment: 1,190 people (3.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,180
- Median hourly wage: $29.89
- Total employment: 80 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

- Median annual wage: $62,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $62,290
- Median hourly wage: $29.95
- Total employment: 300 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Prath // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 100 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $62,670
- Median hourly wage: $30.13
- Total employment: 160 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Paramedics

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 640 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#41. Firefighters (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 490 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Quality Stock Arts // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Media and communication workers, all other (tie)

- Median annual wage: $63,040
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 170 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BGStock72 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $63,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,440
- Median hourly wage: $30.50
- Total employment: 140 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $63,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.69
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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GaudiLab // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,090
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 3,020 people (9.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Yulai Studio // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Surgical assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,350
- Median hourly wage: $30.94
- Total employment: Not available

sculpies // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $64,520
- Median hourly wage: $31.02
- Total employment: 3,230 people (9.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $64,790
- Median hourly wage: $31.15
- Total employment: 90 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,270
- Median hourly wage: $31.38
- Total employment: 410 people (1.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $66,240
- Median hourly wage: $31.85
- Total employment: 440 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.99
- Total employment: 160 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 710 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $67,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,680
- Median hourly wage: $32.54
- Total employment: 1,300 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Gearstd // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $67,900
- Median hourly wage: $32.64
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 510 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $68,090
- Median hourly wage: $32.74
- Total employment: 400 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $70,760
- Median hourly wage: $34.02
- Total employment: 80 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $71,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.21
- Total employment: 990 people (2.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,330
- Median hourly wage: $35.26
- Total employment: 400 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $73,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.32
- Total employment: 400 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $76,720
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 1,440 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $78,630
- Median hourly wage: $37.80
- Total employment: 430 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Hearing aid specialists

- Median annual wage: $78,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 180 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $79,460
- Median hourly wage: $38.20
- Total employment: 550 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Aleksander Krsmanovic // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Health information technologists and medical registrars

- Median annual wage: $80,940
- Median hourly wage: $38.91
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $81,040
- Median hourly wage: $38.96
- Total employment: 170 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $81,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.30
- Total employment: 240 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $82,240
- Median hourly wage: $39.54
- Total employment: 70 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $83,890
- Median hourly wage: $40.33
- Total employment: 270 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $85,220
- Median hourly wage: $40.97
- Total employment: 50 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

43 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $87,090
- Median hourly wage: $41.87
- Total employment: 210 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $88,450
- Median hourly wage: $42.53
- Total employment: Not available

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $96,870
- Median hourly wage: $46.57
- Total employment: 60 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $98,320
- Median hourly wage: $47.27
- Total employment: 540 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $100,020
- Median hourly wage: $48.09
- Total employment: 180 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $101,640
- Median hourly wage: $48.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $109,940
- Median hourly wage: $52.86
- Total employment: 270 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $116,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 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.