Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,220
- Median hourly wage: $30.40
- Total employment: 100 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Barnstable Town
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 Barnstable Town 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. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $63,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 1,140 people (12.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $63,940
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 110 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $64,400
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 90 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $65,920
- Median hourly wage: $31.69
- Total employment: 470 people (5.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $66,410
- Median hourly wage: $31.93
- Total employment: 90 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rido // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Opticians, dispensing
- Median annual wage: $66,880
- Median hourly wage: $32.15
- Total employment: 60 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $67,020
- Median hourly wage: $32.22
- Total employment: 120 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PHILIPIMAGE // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Motorboat mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $67,440
- Median hourly wage: $32.42
- Total employment: 150 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $68,420
- Median hourly wage: $32.90
- Total employment: 150 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $69,000
- Median hourly wage: $33.17
- Total employment: 370 people (3.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $69,050
- Median hourly wage: $33.20
- Total employment: 1,070 people (11.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $71,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 660 people (7.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Chefs and head cooks
- Median annual wage: $72,570
- Median hourly wage: $34.89
- Total employment: 260 people (2.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $72,910
- Median hourly wage: $35.05
- Total employment: 410 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $73,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.38
- Total employment: 530 people (5.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bigflick // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $73,680
- Median hourly wage: $35.43
- Total employment: 140 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $73,750
- Median hourly wage: $35.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $75,180
- Median hourly wage: $36.14
- Total employment: 350 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Victor Moussa // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Firefighters
- Median annual wage: $75,520
- Median hourly wage: $36.31
- Total employment: 500 people (5.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $75,580
- Median hourly wage: $36.34
- Total employment: Not available
N_Sakarin // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Structural iron and steel workers
- Median annual wage: $76,330
- Median hourly wage: $36.70
- Total employment: 30 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $76,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.75
- Total employment: 560 people (6.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $77,030
- Median hourly wage: $37.04
- Total employment: 470 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $77,250
- Median hourly wage: $37.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $77,420
- Median hourly wage: $37.22
- Total employment: 100 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $77,730
- Median hourly wage: $37.37
- Total employment: 220 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $78,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 90 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $79,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.02
- Total employment: 140 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $79,130
- Median hourly wage: $38.04
- Total employment: 200 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 70 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Igor Kardasov // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels
- Median annual wage: $81,250
- Median hourly wage: $39.06
- Total employment: 80 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $81,340
- Median hourly wage: $39.11
- Total employment: 520 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $81,630
- Median hourly wage: $39.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $81,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.30
- Total employment: 410 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 740 people (7.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SatawatK // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $84,060
- Median hourly wage: $40.41
- Total employment: Not available
Ken Wolter // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Postmasters and mail superintendents
- Median annual wage: $89,890
- Median hourly wage: $43.22
- Total employment: 50 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $90,520
- Median hourly wage: $43.52
- Total employment: 100 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $92,670
- Median hourly wage: $44.55
- Total employment: 150 people (1.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $93,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.00
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $95,600
- Median hourly wage: $45.96
- Total employment: 80 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $95,820
- Median hourly wage: $46.07
- Total employment: 110 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $97,630
- Median hourly wage: $46.94
- Total employment: 60 people (0.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $98,240
- Median hourly wage: $47.23
- Total employment: 40 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Prath // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $99,580
- Median hourly wage: $47.87
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $100,610
- Median hourly wage: $48.37
- Total employment: 190 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $101,960
- Median hourly wage: $49.02
- Total employment: 40 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $104,130
- Median hourly wage: $50.06
- Total employment: 80 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $126,210
- Median hourly wage: $60.68
- Total employment: 140 people (1.48 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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