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1 / 50#50. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $64,340
- Median hourly wage: $30.93
- Total employment: 1,530 people (3.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in New Orleans
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 New Orleans 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. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $64,780
- Median hourly wage: $31.14
- Total employment: 4,400 people (9.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,350
- Median hourly wage: $31.42
- Total employment: 460 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $65,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 160 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $65,900
- Median hourly wage: $31.68
- Total employment: 440 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $66,190
- Median hourly wage: $31.82
- Total employment: 1,820 people (4.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $66,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.92
- Total employment: 60 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $66,730
- Median hourly wage: $32.08
- Total employment: 920 people (2.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $67,740
- Median hourly wage: $32.57
- Total employment: 320 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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10 / 50#41. Surveying and mapping technicians
- Median annual wage: $67,970
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 150 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $68,180
- Median hourly wage: $32.78
- Total employment: 490 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Bridge and lock tenders
- Median annual wage: $68,430
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $68,970
- Median hourly wage: $33.16
- Total employment: 110 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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14 / 50#37. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $69,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.26
- Total employment: 410 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BGStock72 // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $70,720
- Median hourly wage: $34.00
- Total employment: 420 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Tank car, truck, and ship loaders
- Median annual wage: $71,230
- Median hourly wage: $34.25
- Total employment: 460 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $71,770
- Median hourly wage: $34.50
- Total employment: 70 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $74,810
- Median hourly wage: $35.97
- Total employment: 940 people (2.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $75,070
- Median hourly wage: $36.09
- Total employment: 2,430 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Court reporters and simultaneous captioners
- Median annual wage: $75,180
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 140 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Boilermakers
- Median annual wage: $75,370
- Median hourly wage: $36.24
- Total employment: 120 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $75,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 2,140 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $75,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 270 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 1,980 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lighthunter // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Medical equipment repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,420
- Median hourly wage: $36.74
- Total employment: 80 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $76,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.88
- Total employment: 240 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $77,530
- Median hourly wage: $37.27
- Total employment: 100 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $77,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.30
- Total employment: 590 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $78,090
- Median hourly wage: $37.55
- Total employment: 300 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,570
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $78,930
- Median hourly wage: $37.95
- Total employment: 1,210 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $79,260
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 90 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $79,430
- Median hourly wage: $38.19
- Total employment: 130 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $79,560
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $79,890
- Median hourly wage: $38.41
- Total employment: 70 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $81,110
- Median hourly wage: $39.00
- Total employment: 680 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $81,650
- Median hourly wage: $39.25
- Total employment: 760 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,240
- Median hourly wage: $40.02
- Total employment: 170 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $83,420
- Median hourly wage: $40.11
- Total employment: 720 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $87,890
- Median hourly wage: $42.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. Chemical technicians
- Median annual wage: $88,800
- Median hourly wage: $42.69
- Total employment: 240 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $96,200
- Median hourly wage: $46.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $99,800
- Median hourly wage: $47.98
- Total employment: 180 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Chemical plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $99,810
- Median hourly wage: $47.99
- Total employment: 770 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $102,630
- Median hourly wage: $49.34
- Total employment: 470 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $102,770
- Median hourly wage: $49.41
- Total employment: 1,820 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
curraheeshutter // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Ship engineers
- Median annual wage: $105,420
- Median hourly wage: $50.68
- Total employment: 330 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $105,860
- Median hourly wage: $50.89
- Total employment: 1,590 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $133,410
- Median hourly wage: $64.14
- Total employment: 130 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $153,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 250 people (0.57 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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