Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $46,540
- Median hourly wage: $22.38
- Total employment: 280 people (9.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Lewiston
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 Lewiston 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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Aleksandr Rybalko // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $46,690
- Median hourly wage: $22.45
- Total employment: 110 people (3.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $46,800
- Median hourly wage: $22.50
- Total employment: 290 people (10.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $47,120
- Median hourly wage: $22.65
- Total employment: 90 people (3.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $47,170
- Median hourly wage: $22.68
- Total employment: 250 people (8.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $47,350
- Median hourly wage: $22.77
- Total employment: 120 people (4.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $47,650
- Median hourly wage: $22.91
- Total employment: 50 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Median annual wage: $47,690
- Median hourly wage: $22.93
- Total employment: 280 people (10.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $47,780
- Median hourly wage: $22.97
- Total employment: 120 people (4.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Median annual wage: $47,890
- Median hourly wage: $23.02
- Total employment: 40 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $48,110
- Median hourly wage: $23.13
- Total employment: 60 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $48,300
- Median hourly wage: $23.22
- Total employment: 180 people (6.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Median annual wage: $48,340
- Median hourly wage: $23.24
- Total employment: 30 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
XiXinXing // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,680
- Median hourly wage: $23.41
- Total employment: 60 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $48,820
- Median hourly wage: $23.47
- Total employment: 210 people (7.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $49,060
- Median hourly wage: $23.59
- Total employment: 60 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $50,130
- Median hourly wage: $24.10
- Total employment: 50 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $50,770
- Median hourly wage: $24.41
- Total employment: 100 people (3.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman023_photography // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $51,420
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 30 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Virrage Images // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $51,500
- Median hourly wage: $24.76
- Total employment: 40 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $51,860
- Median hourly wage: $24.93
- Total employment: 130 people (4.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $52,210
- Median hourly wage: $25.10
- Total employment: 60 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $52,250
- Median hourly wage: $25.12
- Total employment: 30 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $53,010
- Median hourly wage: $25.49
- Total employment: 100 people (3.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $53,110
- Median hourly wage: $25.53
- Total employment: 60 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Shift Drive // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,720
- Median hourly wage: $25.83
- Total employment: 80 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $54,200
- Median hourly wage: $26.06
- Total employment: 40 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $55,540
- Median hourly wage: $26.70
- Total employment: 40 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $55,570
- Median hourly wage: $26.72
- Total employment: 100 people (3.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $56,090
- Median hourly wage: $26.97
- Total employment: 100 people (3.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Vitpho // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $56,710
- Median hourly wage: $27.26
- Total employment: 410 people (14.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $58,210
- Median hourly wage: $27.98
- Total employment: 240 people (8.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $58,670
- Median hourly wage: $28.21
- Total employment: 240 people (8.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $59,120
- Median hourly wage: $28.42
- Total employment: 60 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $59,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 30 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Syda Productions // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.03
- Total employment: 30 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 70 people (2.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,890
- Median hourly wage: $29.76
- Total employment: 300 people (10.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $61,980
- Median hourly wage: $29.80
- Total employment: 140 people (4.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $62,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.90
- Total employment: 70 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $62,610
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 100 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $63,420
- Median hourly wage: $30.49
- Total employment: 80 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $66,340
- Median hourly wage: $31.89
- Total employment: 40 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $72,660
- Median hourly wage: $34.93
- Total employment: 270 people (9.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $72,930
- Median hourly wage: $35.06
- Total employment: 230 people (8.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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sculpies // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $75,150
- Median hourly wage: $36.13
- Total employment: 160 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $77,870
- Median hourly wage: $37.44
- Total employment: 130 people (4.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,710
- Median hourly wage: $37.84
- Total employment: 60 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $93,770
- Median hourly wage: $45.08
- Total employment: 140 people (5.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $95,200
- Median hourly wage: $45.77
- Total employment: 50 people (1.75 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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