Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $40,130
- Median hourly wage: $19.29
- Total employment: 640 people (18.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Kokomo
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 Kokomo 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. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Median annual wage: $40,730
- Median hourly wage: $19.58
- Total employment: 250 people (6.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Billing and posting clerks
- Median annual wage: $42,800
- Median hourly wage: $20.58
- Total employment: 80 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $43,130
- Median hourly wage: $20.74
- Total employment: 230 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $43,270
- Median hourly wage: $20.80
- Total employment: 50 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Insurance claims and policy processing clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,040
- Median hourly wage: $21.18
- Total employment: 40 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,540
- Median hourly wage: $21.41
- Total employment: 150 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks
- Median annual wage: $44,660
- Median hourly wage: $21.47
- Total employment: 280 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
nullplus // Shutterstock
9 / 50#41. Light truck drivers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $44,980
- Median hourly wage: $21.62
- Total employment: 390 people (10.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Industrial truck and tractor operators (tie)
- Median annual wage: $44,980
- Median hourly wage: $21.63
- Total employment: 70 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Automotive service technicians and mechanics
- Median annual wage: $46,550
- Median hourly wage: $22.38
- Total employment: 180 people (5.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $46,710
- Median hourly wage: $22.46
- Total employment: 80 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $46,920
- Median hourly wage: $22.56
- Total employment: 310 people (8.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $46,990
- Median hourly wage: $22.59
- Total employment: 170 people (4.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $47,240
- Median hourly wage: $22.71
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Loan interviewers and clerks
- Median annual wage: $47,310
- Median hourly wage: $22.75
- Total employment: 30 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $47,750
- Median hourly wage: $22.96
- Total employment: 270 people (7.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $48,550
- Median hourly wage: $23.34
- Total employment: 70 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $48,670
- Median hourly wage: $23.40
- Total employment: 70 people (2.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Dental assistants
- Median annual wage: $48,990
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 130 people (3.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $49,250
- Median hourly wage: $23.68
- Total employment: 90 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $49,260
- Median hourly wage: $23.68
- Total employment: 90 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $50,360
- Median hourly wage: $24.21
- Total employment: 110 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $50,540
- Median hourly wage: $24.30
- Total employment: 140 people (3.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $50,610
- Median hourly wage: $24.33
- Total employment: 40 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 110 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $56,240
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 60 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $57,600
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 170 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $58,850
- Median hourly wage: $28.30
- Total employment: 30 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 400 people (11.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $59,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.56
- Total employment: 100 people (2.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 110 people (3.2 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: $60,750
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 220 people (6.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $63,170
- Median hourly wage: $30.37
- Total employment: 130 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $64,710
- Median hourly wage: $31.11
- Total employment: 50 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $64,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.21
- Total employment: 140 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $65,460
- Median hourly wage: $31.47
- Total employment: 90 people (2.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $66,620
- Median hourly wage: $32.03
- Total employment: 50 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $68,550
- Median hourly wage: $32.96
- Total employment: 160 people (4.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $70,840
- Median hourly wage: $34.06
- Total employment: 30 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $71,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $72,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $80,880
- Median hourly wage: $38.89
- Total employment: 270 people (7.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,680
- Median hourly wage: $40.23
- Total employment: 80 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $87,860
- Median hourly wage: $42.24
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $89,000
- Median hourly wage: $42.79
- Total employment: 630 people (17.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $89,180
- Median hourly wage: $42.88
- Total employment: 420 people (11.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $89,250
- Median hourly wage: $42.91
- Total employment: 260 people (7.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $94,340
- Median hourly wage: $45.36
- Total employment: 140 people (4.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $95,140
- Median hourly wage: $45.74
- Total employment: 210 people (5.85 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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