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

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 Billings 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.

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $60,700
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 100 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Philip Lange // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Highway maintenance workers

- Median annual wage: $60,730
- Median hourly wage: $29.20
- Total employment: 170 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $60,850
- Median hourly wage: $29.26
- Total employment: 520 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Advertising sales agents

- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 60 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Washburn HM // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,210
- Median hourly wage: $29.43
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $61,410
- Median hourly wage: $29.52
- Total employment: 50 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

7 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,430
- Median hourly wage: $29.53
- Total employment: 700 people (7.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

8 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $61,810
- Median hourly wage: $29.72
- Total employment: 1,080 people (11.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,870
- Median hourly wage: $29.75
- Total employment: 60 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 290 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $62,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 60 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Freedomz // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $62,730
- Median hourly wage: $30.16
- Total employment: 40 people (0.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $62,990
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $63,190
- Median hourly wage: $30.38
- Total employment: 110 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $63,280
- Median hourly wage: $30.42
- Total employment: 140 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $64,020
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $64,050
- Median hourly wage: $30.79
- Total employment: 200 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $65,530
- Median hourly wage: $31.51
- Total employment: 70 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $67,460
- Median hourly wage: $32.43
- Total employment: Not available

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

- Median annual wage: $68,000
- Median hourly wage: $32.69
- Total employment: 170 people (1.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Victor Moussa // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Firefighters

- Median annual wage: $68,200
- Median hourly wage: $32.79
- Total employment: 140 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $70,160
- Median hourly wage: $33.73
- Total employment: 310 people (3.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Chay_Tee // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Tax preparers

- Median annual wage: $71,370
- Median hourly wage: $34.31
- Total employment: 90 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $73,310
- Median hourly wage: $35.24
- Total employment: 190 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $74,300
- Median hourly wage: $35.72
- Total employment: 40 people (0.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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sculpies // Shutterstock

26 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $74,530
- Median hourly wage: $35.83
- Total employment: 780 people (8.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $75,200
- Median hourly wage: $36.15
- Total employment: 190 people (2.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

LaKirr // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Extraction workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $75,400
- Median hourly wage: $36.25
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $76,060
- Median hourly wage: $36.57
- Total employment: 70 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peakstock // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $76,970
- Median hourly wage: $37.01
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $78,160
- Median hourly wage: $37.58
- Total employment: 460 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vadim Ratnikov // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Earth drillers, except oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $78,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 60 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

33 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $79,650
- Median hourly wage: $38.29
- Total employment: 100 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

34 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $80,040
- Median hourly wage: $38.48
- Total employment: 150 people (1.64 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: $80,120
- Median hourly wage: $38.52
- Total employment: 550 people (5.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $80,590
- Median hourly wage: $38.75
- Total employment: 370 people (3.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $81,050
- Median hourly wage: $38.97
- Total employment: 100 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $81,850
- Median hourly wage: $39.35
- Total employment: 50 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $82,650
- Median hourly wage: $39.74
- Total employment: 420 people (4.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

- Median annual wage: $84,310
- Median hourly wage: $40.53
- Total employment: 50 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

41 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $84,460
- Median hourly wage: $40.61
- Total employment: 420 people (4.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Halfpoint // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Cardiovascular technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $86,290
- Median hourly wage: $41.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $97,030
- Median hourly wage: $46.65
- Total employment: 160 people (1.74 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Suwin // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

- Median annual wage: $97,850
- Median hourly wage: $47.04
- Total employment: 30 people (0.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $99,520
- Median hourly wage: $47.85
- Total employment: 70 people (0.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers

- Median annual wage: $101,720
- Median hourly wage: $48.90
- Total employment: 450 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $103,670
- Median hourly wage: $49.84
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $105,630
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 30 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $107,340
- Median hourly wage: $51.61
- Total employment: 50 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $113,130
- Median hourly wage: $54.39
- Total employment: 70 people (0.71 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.