brizmaker // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Roofers
- Median annual wage: $50,140
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in St. Joseph
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 St. Joseph 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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worradirek // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $50,660
- Median hourly wage: $24.36
- Total employment: 160 people (3.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Randy Hergenrether // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $50,820
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 330 people (6.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $51,230
- Median hourly wage: $24.63
- Total employment: 120 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $52,030
- Median hourly wage: $25.01
- Total employment: 770 people (14.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $52,580
- Median hourly wage: $25.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $52,690
- Median hourly wage: $25.33
- Total employment: 1,080 people (20.08 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: $52,800
- Median hourly wage: $25.38
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Shift Drive // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $52,950
- Median hourly wage: $25.46
- Total employment: 160 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $54,840
- Median hourly wage: $26.37
- Total employment: 250 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $55,020
- Median hourly wage: $26.45
- Total employment: 130 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kot500 // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $55,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.48
- Total employment: 100 people (1.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Carpenters
- Median annual wage: $56,050
- Median hourly wage: $26.95
- Total employment: 240 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $56,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.97
- Total employment: 780 people (14.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $56,250
- Median hourly wage: $27.04
- Total employment: 230 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $56,270
- Median hourly wage: $27.05
- Total employment: 260 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $56,450
- Median hourly wage: $27.14
- Total employment: 40 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Paramedics
- Median annual wage: $57,390
- Median hourly wage: $27.59
- Total employment: 60 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $57,790
- Median hourly wage: $27.78
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $57,830
- Median hourly wage: $27.80
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $58,040
- Median hourly wage: $27.90
- Total employment: 220 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $58,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 40 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $58,890
- Median hourly wage: $28.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $59,490
- Median hourly wage: $28.60
- Total employment: 60 people (1.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $59,920
- Median hourly wage: $28.81
- Total employment: 90 people (1.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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lenetstan // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $60,230
- Median hourly wage: $28.96
- Total employment: 80 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $60,470
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 150 people (2.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $60,530
- Median hourly wage: $29.10
- Total employment: 130 people (2.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $60,820
- Median hourly wage: $29.24
- Total employment: 110 people (2.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,860
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 130 people (2.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GaudiLab // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 380 people (7.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
manine99 // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Maintenance workers, machinery
- Median annual wage: $61,040
- Median hourly wage: $29.34
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $61,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.66
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $61,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 380 people (7.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $62,160
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 100 people (1.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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SatawatK // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers
- Median annual wage: $63,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.55
- Total employment: 50 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Zahovaev K // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers
- Median annual wage: $63,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.76
- Total employment: 560 people (10.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
ALPA PROD // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $68,570
- Median hourly wage: $32.97
- Total employment: 180 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $70,980
- Median hourly wage: $34.12
- Total employment: Not available
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $75,620
- Median hourly wage: $36.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Ground Picture // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $78,320
- Median hourly wage: $37.66
- Total employment: 80 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers
- Median annual wage: $78,590
- Median hourly wage: $37.79
- Total employment: 540 people (9.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vera Larina // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Sheet metal workers
- Median annual wage: $81,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.97
- Total employment: 160 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $81,530
- Median hourly wage: $39.20
- Total employment: 410 people (7.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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4 PM production // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $83,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.04
- Total employment: 240 people (4.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
M2020 // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $83,980
- Median hourly wage: $40.37
- Total employment: 90 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $84,510
- Median hourly wage: $40.63
- Total employment: 210 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $93,020
- Median hourly wage: $44.72
- Total employment: 50 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $96,030
- Median hourly wage: $46.17
- Total employment: 80 people (1.54 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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