Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Ambulance drivers and attendants, except emergency medical technicians
- Median annual wage: $50,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.25
- Total employment: Not available
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Salisbury
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 Salisbury 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. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $50,470
- Median hourly wage: $24.26
- Total employment: 40 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $51,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.63
- Total employment: 330 people (6.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. First-line supervisors of entertainment and recreation workers, except gambling services
- Median annual wage: $51,280
- Median hourly wage: $24.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DC Studio // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Dispatchers, except police, fire, and ambulance
- Median annual wage: $51,320
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 90 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Medical records specialists
- Median annual wage: $51,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.72
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com //Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping
- Median annual wage: $51,700
- Median hourly wage: $24.86
- Total employment: 70 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $54,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.00
- Total employment: 70 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Erin Deleon // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $54,270
- Median hourly wage: $26.09
- Total employment: 140 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,320
- Median hourly wage: $26.59
- Total employment: 120 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $55,460
- Median hourly wage: $26.66
- Total employment: 80 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $55,560
- Median hourly wage: $26.71
- Total employment: 80 people (1.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,400
- Median hourly wage: $27.11
- Total employment: 90 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $56,430
- Median hourly wage: $27.13
- Total employment: 130 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $57,260
- Median hourly wage: $27.53
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $57,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.82
- Total employment: 180 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $58,000
- Median hourly wage: $27.89
- Total employment: 210 people (3.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $58,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.92
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $58,550
- Median hourly wage: $28.15
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $59,010
- Median hourly wage: $28.37
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $59,270
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 290 people (5.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $60,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.91
- Total employment: 130 people (2.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $60,780
- Median hourly wage: $29.22
- Total employment: 330 people (6.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 750 people (13.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 70 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $62,380
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 560 people (10.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $62,800
- Median hourly wage: $30.19
- Total employment: 280 people (5.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $63,720
- Median hourly wage: $30.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $65,220
- Median hourly wage: $31.36
- Total employment: 160 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $65,480
- Median hourly wage: $31.48
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $65,590
- Median hourly wage: $31.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GolF2532 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Security and fire alarm systems installers
- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 90 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $66,760
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 80 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,980
- Median hourly wage: $32.20
- Total employment: 270 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $68,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 280 people (5.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $68,930
- Median hourly wage: $33.14
- Total employment: 120 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $69,390
- Median hourly wage: $33.36
- Total employment: 220 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $70,400
- Median hourly wage: $33.85
- Total employment: 70 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $70,710
- Median hourly wage: $34.00
- Total employment: 290 people (5.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $72,220
- Median hourly wage: $34.72
- Total employment: 80 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $73,290
- Median hourly wage: $35.23
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $74,260
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 170 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $74,380
- Median hourly wage: $35.76
- Total employment: 110 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $74,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $81,320
- Median hourly wage: $39.10
- Total employment: 30 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SofikoS // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $84,540
- Median hourly wage: $40.64
- Total employment: 70 people (1.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $96,620
- Median hourly wage: $46.45
- Total employment: 120 people (2.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $97,270
- Median hourly wage: $46.77
- Total employment: 70 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $97,840
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $122,510
- Median hourly wage: $58.90
- Total employment: 110 people (2.01 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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