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

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 Hagerstown 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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welcomia // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $58,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.00
- Total employment: 90 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $58,390
- Median hourly wage: $28.07
- Total employment: 300 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other

- Median annual wage: $58,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,520
- Median hourly wage: $28.14
- Total employment: 1,100 people (10.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $59,150
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 130 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

manine99 // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Maintenance workers, machinery

- Median annual wage: $59,750
- Median hourly wage: $28.73
- Total employment: 160 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $60,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.15
- Total employment: 140 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $60,910
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 200 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $61,580
- Median hourly wage: $29.61
- Total employment: 650 people (6.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $61,630
- Median hourly wage: $29.63
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,670
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 120 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $61,830
- Median hourly wage: $29.73
- Total employment: 440 people (4.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 800 people (7.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Chemical plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $62,430
- Median hourly wage: $30.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Josep Suria // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,700
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,870
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $63,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $63,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.48
- Total employment: 460 people (4.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $63,450
- Median hourly wage: $30.51
- Total employment: 230 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,760
- Median hourly wage: $30.66
- Total employment: 110 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $64,070
- Median hourly wage: $30.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $64,380
- Median hourly wage: $30.95
- Total employment: 110 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $64,640
- Median hourly wage: $31.08
- Total employment: 260 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Meter readers, utilities

- Median annual wage: $64,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.13
- Total employment: 40 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 120 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $66,110
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 290 people (2.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $66,910
- Median hourly wage: $32.17
- Total employment: 50 people (0.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Paralegals and legal assistants

- Median annual wage: $68,390
- Median hourly wage: $32.88
- Total employment: 300 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,260
- Median hourly wage: $33.30
- Total employment: 460 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

- Median annual wage: $69,430
- Median hourly wage: $33.38
- Total employment: 30 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

- Median annual wage: $71,130
- Median hourly wage: $34.20
- Total employment: 510 people (4.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,510
- Median hourly wage: $34.38
- Total employment: 400 people (3.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $75,270
- Median hourly wage: $36.19
- Total employment: 110 people (1.05 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: $75,690
- Median hourly wage: $36.39
- Total employment: 30 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,760
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 190 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $77,740
- Median hourly wage: $37.38
- Total employment: 350 people (3.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $80,780
- Median hourly wage: $38.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $82,710
- Median hourly wage: $39.76
- Total employment: 100 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $83,380
- Median hourly wage: $40.09
- Total employment: 170 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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SofikoS // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $83,520
- Median hourly wage: $40.16
- Total employment: 90 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $83,690
- Median hourly wage: $40.24
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $83,820
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 60 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $85,190
- Median hourly wage: $40.96
- Total employment: 90 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $86,060
- Median hourly wage: $41.37
- Total employment: 120 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Legal support workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $87,020
- Median hourly wage: $41.84
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $89,960
- Median hourly wage: $43.25
- Total employment: 150 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $97,890
- Median hourly wage: $47.06
- Total employment: 130 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $112,260
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $157,270
- Median hourly wage: $75.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 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.