Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Median annual wage: $50,030
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 280 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Grand Island
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 Grand Island 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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welcomia // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Farm equipment mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $50,300
- Median hourly wage: $24.18
- Total employment: 100 people (2.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
- Median annual wage: $50,430
- Median hourly wage: $24.24
- Total employment: 410 people (10.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Procurement clerks
- Median annual wage: $50,560
- Median hourly wage: $24.31
- Total employment: 50 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Bannafarsai_Stock // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Cement masons and concrete finishers
- Median annual wage: $50,810
- Median hourly wage: $24.43
- Total employment: 70 people (1.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Automotive body and related repairers
- Median annual wage: $50,870
- Median hourly wage: $24.46
- Total employment: 40 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
G-Stock Studio // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Production, planning, and expediting clerks
- Median annual wage: $51,010
- Median hourly wage: $24.53
- Total employment: 70 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $51,080
- Median hourly wage: $24.56
- Total employment: 360 people (9.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Etaphop photo // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Electricians
- Median annual wage: $51,140
- Median hourly wage: $24.59
- Total employment: 220 people (5.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Philip Lange // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Highway maintenance workers
- Median annual wage: $51,220
- Median hourly wage: $24.62
- Total employment: 100 people (2.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Median annual wage: $51,820
- Median hourly wage: $24.91
- Total employment: 60 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,180
- Median hourly wage: $25.09
- Total employment: 40 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $52,520
- Median hourly wage: $25.25
- Total employment: 460 people (11.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Payroll and timekeeping clerks
- Median annual wage: $52,550
- Median hourly wage: $25.27
- Total employment: 40 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Computer numerically controlled tool operators
- Median annual wage: $52,620
- Median hourly wage: $25.30
- Total employment: 40 people (1.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Computer user support specialists
- Median annual wage: $53,810
- Median hourly wage: $25.87
- Total employment: 80 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Evgeny Atamanenko // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $54,470
- Median hourly wage: $26.19
- Total employment: 490 people (12.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Chemical equipment operators and tenders
- Median annual wage: $54,480
- Median hourly wage: $26.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Irene Miller // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Median annual wage: $56,120
- Median hourly wage: $26.98
- Total employment: 100 people (2.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $56,640
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 50 people (1.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Postal service mail carriers
- Median annual wage: $58,310
- Median hourly wage: $28.04
- Total employment: 80 people (1.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Physical therapist assistants
- Median annual wage: $58,640
- Median hourly wage: $28.19
- Total employment: 60 people (1.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $58,770
- Median hourly wage: $28.25
- Total employment: 120 people (3.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GaudiLab // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $58,900
- Median hourly wage: $28.32
- Total employment: 290 people (7.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Insurance sales agents
- Median annual wage: $58,980
- Median hourly wage: $28.36
- Total employment: 150 people (3.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
- Median annual wage: $59,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.53
- Total employment: 220 people (5.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
David Spates // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- Median annual wage: $59,630
- Median hourly wage: $28.67
- Total employment: 90 people (2.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vitpho // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $59,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.70
- Total employment: 960 people (24.34 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: $60,340
- Median hourly wage: $29.01
- Total employment: 90 people (2.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- Median annual wage: $60,360
- Median hourly wage: $29.02
- Total employment: 220 people (5.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $60,690
- Median hourly wage: $29.18
- Total employment: 160 people (4.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SritanaN // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Industrial machinery mechanics
- Median annual wage: $60,760
- Median hourly wage: $29.21
- Total employment: 150 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Avatar_023 // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $60,880
- Median hourly wage: $29.27
- Total employment: 40 people (1.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $61,500
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 70 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Stock Rocket // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products
- Median annual wage: $62,410
- Median hourly wage: $30.01
- Total employment: 410 people (10.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Bigflick // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $63,210
- Median hourly wage: $30.39
- Total employment: 80 people (2.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
welcomia // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Median annual wage: $63,590
- Median hourly wage: $30.57
- Total employment: 100 people (2.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,010
- Median hourly wage: $30.78
- Total employment: 80 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pixel B // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Tool and die makers
- Median annual wage: $64,270
- Median hourly wage: $30.90
- Total employment: 80 people (2.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Machinists
- Median annual wage: $65,250
- Median hourly wage: $31.37
- Total employment: 100 people (2.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 210 people (5.26 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: $68,890
- Median hourly wage: $33.12
- Total employment: 420 people (10.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $72,470
- Median hourly wage: $34.84
- Total employment: 40 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
pio3 // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $74,580
- Median hourly wage: $35.86
- Total employment: 190 people (4.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $75,310
- Median hourly wage: $36.21
- Total employment: 110 people (2.77 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: $76,290
- Median hourly wage: $36.68
- Total employment: 190 people (4.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $82,440
- Median hourly wage: $39.64
- Total employment: 90 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $82,580
- Median hourly wage: $39.70
- Total employment: 60 people (1.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $98,250
- Median hourly wage: $47.24
- Total employment: 70 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $102,900
- Median hourly wage: $49.47
- Total employment: 30 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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