Freedomz // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Health technologists and technicians, all other
- Median annual wage: $50,790
- Median hourly wage: $24.42
- Total employment: 120 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Gainesville, Georgia
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.
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
2 / 50#48. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel (tie)
- Median annual wage: $50,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 560 people (5.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $50,840
- Median hourly wage: $24.44
- Total employment: 320 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $50,980
- Median hourly wage: $24.51
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $51,120
- Median hourly wage: $24.58
- Total employment: 140 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,420
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 80 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $52,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.00
- Total employment: 150 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $52,050
- Median hourly wage: $25.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,490
- Median hourly wage: $25.24
- Total employment: 290 people (2.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $53,720
- Median hourly wage: $25.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $54,000
- Median hourly wage: $25.96
- Total employment: 80 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorgev // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of security workers
- Median annual wage: $55,260
- Median hourly wage: $26.57
- Total employment: 40 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 360 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $56,450
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 1,960 people (19.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $57,010
- Median hourly wage: $27.41
- Total employment: 250 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $57,180
- Median hourly wage: $27.49
- Total employment: 100 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $57,420
- Median hourly wage: $27.61
- Total employment: 220 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $57,860
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 80 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $58,140
- Median hourly wage: $27.95
- Total employment: 110 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $59,480
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 180 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $59,700
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $60,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 510 people (5.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: 380 people (3.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $61,260
- Median hourly wage: $29.45
- Total employment: 50 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $61,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.69
- Total employment: 380 people (3.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $61,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 100 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $62,270
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.09
- Total employment: 70 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $62,840
- Median hourly wage: $30.21
- Total employment: 420 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $63,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.45
- Total employment: 800 people (7.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $64,230
- Median hourly wage: $30.88
- Total employment: 60 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,730
- Median hourly wage: $31.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,810
- Median hourly wage: $31.16
- Total employment: 920 people (8.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $65,170
- Median hourly wage: $31.33
- Total employment: 140 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $66,760
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 80 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $66,840
- Median hourly wage: $32.14
- Total employment: 1,230 people (11.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $68,830
- Median hourly wage: $33.09
- Total employment: 170 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $70,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.74
- Total employment: 180 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $71,340
- Median hourly wage: $34.30
- Total employment: 550 people (5.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $71,410
- Median hourly wage: $34.33
- Total employment: 140 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $73,770
- Median hourly wage: $35.47
- Total employment: 80 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $75,220
- Median hourly wage: $36.16
- Total employment: 160 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,190
- Median hourly wage: $37.11
- Total employment: 500 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $80,370
- Median hourly wage: $38.64
- Total employment: 110 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $82,920
- Median hourly wage: $39.86
- Total employment: 50 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $84,320
- Median hourly wage: $40.54
- Total employment: 90 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 80 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $110,310
- Median hourly wage: $53.04
- Total employment: 140 people (1.33 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.
