Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $56,630
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 70 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Mankato
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 Mankato 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. Postal service mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators
- Median annual wage: $57,010
- Median hourly wage: $27.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $57,070
- Median hourly wage: $27.44
- Total employment: 90 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $57,530
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $58,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 130 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $59,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 770 people (13.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $59,450
- Median hourly wage: $28.58
- Total employment: 50 people (0.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,680
- Median hourly wage: $28.69
- Total employment: 160 people (2.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $59,710
- Median hourly wage: $28.71
- Total employment: Not available
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Dental assistants
- Median annual wage: $60,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.92
- Total employment: 120 people (2.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $60,320
- Median hourly wage: $29.00
- Total employment: 170 people (3.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $60,330
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 160 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. First-line supervisors of landscaping, lawn service, and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $60,650
- Median hourly wage: $29.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $60,900
- Median hourly wage: $29.28
- Total employment: 90 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $61,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 320 people (5.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Refuse and recyclable material collectors
- Median annual wage: $61,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 60 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $61,660
- Median hourly wage: $29.65
- Total employment: 210 people (3.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Paralegals and legal assistants
- Median annual wage: $61,950
- Median hourly wage: $29.78
- Total employment: 90 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,460
- Median hourly wage: $30.03
- Total employment: 150 people (2.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $63,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.31
- Total employment: 110 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $63,160
- Median hourly wage: $30.36
- Total employment: 160 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
22 / 50#28. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products (tie)
- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.75
- Total employment: 530 people (9.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Eligibility interviewers, government programs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $63,950
- Median hourly wage: $30.74
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,390
- Median hourly wage: $30.96
- Total employment: 60 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $64,840
- Median hourly wage: $31.17
- Total employment: 70 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $65,410
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Chay_Tee // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Tax preparers
- Median annual wage: $65,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.50
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Joey Chung // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel
- Median annual wage: $65,610
- Median hourly wage: $31.55
- Total employment: 200 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Hitdelight // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Architectural and civil drafters
- Median annual wage: $66,130
- Median hourly wage: $31.79
- Total employment: 90 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,290
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 90 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $66,960
- Median hourly wage: $32.19
- Total employment: 50 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $69,290
- Median hourly wage: $33.31
- Total employment: 340 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
anyaivanova // Shutterstock
33 / 50#17. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $69,670
- Median hourly wage: $33.50
- Total employment: 40 people (0.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians (tie)
- Median annual wage: $69,670
- Median hourly wage: $33.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $71,860
- Median hourly wage: $34.55
- Total employment: 330 people (5.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Stationary engineers and boiler operators
- Median annual wage: $72,150
- Median hourly wage: $34.69
- Total employment: 40 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $73,490
- Median hourly wage: $35.33
- Total employment: 130 people (2.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kmpzzz // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $73,780
- Median hourly wage: $35.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $74,470
- Median hourly wage: $35.80
- Total employment: 140 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $74,800
- Median hourly wage: $35.96
- Total employment: 110 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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welcomia // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $79,240
- Median hourly wage: $38.10
- Total employment: 70 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $79,920
- Median hourly wage: $38.43
- Total employment: 150 people (2.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,300
- Median hourly wage: $38.61
- Total employment: 200 people (3.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $82,200
- Median hourly wage: $39.52
- Total employment: 270 people (4.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $82,370
- Median hourly wage: $39.60
- Total employment: 160 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $83,180
- Median hourly wage: $39.99
- Total employment: 250 people (4.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $83,220
- Median hourly wage: $40.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $93,180
- Median hourly wage: $44.80
- Total employment: 80 people (1.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $97,870
- Median hourly wage: $47.05
- Total employment: 30 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $118,080
- Median hourly wage: $56.77
- Total employment: 50 people (0.87 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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