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1 / 50#50. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.12
- Total employment: 300 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Pensacola
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 Pensacola 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 equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $58,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 290 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $59,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.52
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $59,650
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 170 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Advertising sales agents
- Median annual wage: $59,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.78
- Total employment: 70 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,080
- Median hourly wage: $28.89
- Total employment: 320 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $60,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 520 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 330 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Legal support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $60,140
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 50 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $60,790
- Median hourly wage: $29.23
- Total employment: 550 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 1,820 people (9.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $60,840
- Median hourly wage: $29.25
- Total employment: 220 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $60,990
- Median hourly wage: $29.32
- Total employment: 100 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $61,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.64
- Total employment: 260 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Transportation security screeners
- Median annual wage: $61,960
- Median hourly wage: $29.79
- Total employment: 80 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $62,150
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $62,240
- Median hourly wage: $29.92
- Total employment: 230 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,480
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 590 people (3.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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22 / 50#29. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 180 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $63,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.58
- Total employment: 180 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,290
- Median hourly wage: $30.91
- Total employment: 240 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $64,380
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 1,350 people (7.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,220
- Median hourly wage: $31.36
- Total employment: 80 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $65,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,890
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 370 people (1.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $66,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 990 people (5.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $66,410
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 480 people (2.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Chemical technicians
- Median annual wage: $67,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: 90 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 110 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $73,180
- Median hourly wage: $35.18
- Total employment: 100 people (0.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 130 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,940
- Median hourly wage: $36.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,270
- Median hourly wage: $36.67
- Total employment: 250 people (1.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $76,650
- Median hourly wage: $36.85
- Total employment: 240 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $76,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.98
- Total employment: 140 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,170
- Median hourly wage: $37.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $77,640
- Median hourly wage: $37.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 130 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $79,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 270 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $80,950
- Median hourly wage: $38.92
- Total employment: 200 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $82,290
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 70 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $84,920
- Median hourly wage: $40.83
- Total employment: 300 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $85,830
- Median hourly wage: $41.27
- Total employment: 70 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $86,050
- Median hourly wage: $41.37
- Total employment: 180 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Elevator and escalator installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $98,550
- Median hourly wage: $47.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $98,570
- Median hourly wage: $47.39
- Total employment: 60 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $103,750
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 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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