Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Lafayette

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 Lafayette 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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1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $53,110
- Median hourly wage: $25.53
- Total employment: 1,710 people (9.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $53,960
- Median hourly wage: $25.94
- Total employment: 460 people (2.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $54,080
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 1,390 people (7.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $54,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.23
- Total employment: 80 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $54,890
- Median hourly wage: $26.39
- Total employment: 90 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (tie)

- Median annual wage: $55,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 580 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $55,310
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $55,440
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 60 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.00
- Total employment: 550 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $56,340
- Median hourly wage: $27.09
- Total employment: 110 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $56,480
- Median hourly wage: $27.15
- Total employment: 650 people (3.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,570
- Median hourly wage: $27.20
- Total employment: 270 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $57,580
- Median hourly wage: $27.68
- Total employment: 40 people (0.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $57,660
- Median hourly wage: $27.72
- Total employment: 80 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Production, planning, and expediting clerks

- Median annual wage: $57,860
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 140 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Hitdelight // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $58,130
- Median hourly wage: $27.95
- Total employment: 90 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $58,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.03
- Total employment: 60 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $59,260
- Median hourly wage: $28.49
- Total employment: 440 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $59,280
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 100 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 240 people (1.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,660
- Median hourly wage: $28.68
- Total employment: 380 people (2.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: 110 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,110
- Median hourly wage: $29.38
- Total employment: 100 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $61,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.58
- Total employment: 1,070 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gearstd // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $62,020
- Median hourly wage: $29.82
- Total employment: 50 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BGStock72 // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 160 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

- Median annual wage: $62,790
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 2,330 people (13.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#22. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 50 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 700 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 200 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $64,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 220 people (1.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $65,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.54
- Total employment: 220 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $65,960
- Median hourly wage: $31.71
- Total employment: 110 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,750
- Median hourly wage: $32.09
- Total employment: 110 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Lighthunter // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Medical equipment repairers

- Median annual wage: $67,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.44
- Total employment: 40 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners

- Median annual wage: $68,620
- Median hourly wage: $32.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

38 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,760
- Median hourly wage: $33.06
- Total employment: 730 people (4.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,840
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 1,230 people (7.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,450
- Median hourly wage: $33.39
- Total employment: 50 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Suwin // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $72,280
- Median hourly wage: $34.75
- Total employment: Not available

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42 / 50

#9. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $75,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $79,210
- Median hourly wage: $38.08
- Total employment: 90 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $79,500
- Median hourly wage: $38.22
- Total employment: Not available

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $82,270
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 250 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $83,190
- Median hourly wage: $39.99
- Total employment: 130 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $85,340
- Median hourly wage: $41.03
- Total employment: 270 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $88,380
- Median hourly wage: $42.49
- Total employment: 150 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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49 / 50

#2. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels

- Median annual wage: $101,680
- Median hourly wage: $48.88
- Total employment: 260 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $102,790
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 140 people (0.8 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.