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

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 Jackson 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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BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $55,630
- Median hourly wage: $26.75
- Total employment: 280 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

- Median annual wage: $55,980
- Median hourly wage: $26.91
- Total employment: 4,810 people (17.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $56,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 830 people (3.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $56,660
- Median hourly wage: $27.24
- Total employment: 560 people (2.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $57,590
- Median hourly wage: $27.69
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $57,990
- Median hourly wage: $27.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BELL KA PANG // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Industrial engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $58,320
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $58,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

9 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,440
- Median hourly wage: $28.10
- Total employment: 340 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $58,610
- Median hourly wage: $28.18
- Total employment: 610 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,730
- Median hourly wage: $28.24
- Total employment: 3,250 people (12.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Cargo and freight agents

- Median annual wage: $58,970
- Median hourly wage: $28.35
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $59,130
- Median hourly wage: $28.43
- Total employment: 60 people (0.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vitpho // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

- Median annual wage: $59,160
- Median hourly wage: $28.44
- Total employment: 6,790 people (25.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

15 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,290
- Median hourly wage: $28.50
- Total employment: 1,830 people (6.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. Forest and conservation technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,540
- Median hourly wage: $28.63
- Total employment: 80 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Chemical technicians

- Median annual wage: $59,790
- Median hourly wage: $28.75
- Total employment: 70 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Carolina K. Smith MD // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Transportation security screeners

- Median annual wage: $59,950
- Median hourly wage: $28.82
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#31. First-line supervisors of police and detectives (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 410 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines (tie)

- Median annual wage: $59,990
- Median hourly wage: $28.84
- Total employment: 380 people (1.4 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: $60,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.09
- Total employment: 1,090 people (4.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 150 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $61,350
- Median hourly wage: $29.50
- Total employment: 210 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 460 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

25 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.98
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $63,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.33
- Total employment: 150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $63,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.64
- Total employment: 90 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,400
- Median hourly wage: $31.44
- Total employment: 1,610 people (6.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

- Median annual wage: $65,420
- Median hourly wage: $31.45
- Total employment: 130 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $65,930
- Median hourly wage: $31.70
- Total employment: 860 people (3.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $66,020
- Median hourly wage: $31.74
- Total employment: 670 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

32 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $66,140
- Median hourly wage: $31.80
- Total employment: 520 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Indypendenz // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Electrical and electronics drafters

- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 30 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $66,810
- Median hourly wage: $32.12
- Total employment: 290 people (1.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,340
- Median hourly wage: $32.38
- Total employment: 150 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $67,790
- Median hourly wage: $32.59
- Total employment: 540 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,020
- Median hourly wage: $32.70
- Total employment: 1,790 people (6.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $68,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.91
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 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: $68,850
- Median hourly wage: $33.10
- Total employment: 1,610 people (5.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $72,750
- Median hourly wage: $34.98
- Total employment: 40 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Peakstock // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $73,570
- Median hourly wage: $35.37
- Total employment: 90 people (0.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $74,840
- Median hourly wage: $35.98
- Total employment: 310 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $75,490
- Median hourly wage: $36.30
- Total employment: 330 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $76,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.92
- Total employment: 670 people (2.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $78,420
- Median hourly wage: $37.70
- Total employment: 300 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $82,740
- Median hourly wage: $39.78
- Total employment: 190 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

My Ocean Production // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Nuclear medicine technologists

- Median annual wage: $82,870
- Median hourly wage: $39.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $83,640
- Median hourly wage: $40.21
- Total employment: 80 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $93,660
- Median hourly wage: $45.03
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $107,030
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 70 people (0.26 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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