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1 / 50#50. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $75,450
- Median hourly wage: $36.28
- Total employment: 340 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Las Vegas
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 Las Vegas 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. Construction and building inspectors
- Median annual wage: $75,670
- Median hourly wage: $36.38
- Total employment: 730 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $75,960
- Median hourly wage: $36.52
- Total employment: 130 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.79
- Total employment: 270 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gerain0812 // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Surgical technologists
- Median annual wage: $76,740
- Median hourly wage: $36.89
- Total employment: 880 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. Correctional officers and jailers
- Median annual wage: $76,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.92
- Total employment: 2,060 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Freedomz // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Drafters, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,010
- Median hourly wage: $37.50
- Total employment: 120 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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8 / 50#43. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $78,280
- Median hourly wage: $37.64
- Total employment: 130 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Insurance appraisers, auto damage
- Median annual wage: $78,360
- Median hourly wage: $37.67
- Total employment: 50 people (0.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
socrates471 // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Media and communication equipment workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,460
- Median hourly wage: $37.72
- Total employment: 280 people (0.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Lodging managers
- Median annual wage: $78,570
- Median hourly wage: $37.77
- Total employment: 400 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,580
- Median hourly wage: $37.78
- Total employment: 190 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $78,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 4,080 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $78,980
- Median hourly wage: $37.97
- Total employment: 330 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman023_photography // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Riggers
- Median annual wage: $79,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.02
- Total employment: 480 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $79,390
- Median hourly wage: $38.17
- Total employment: 1,090 people (0.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $79,980
- Median hourly wage: $38.45
- Total employment: 6,340 people (5.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kitawit Jitaton // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Sound engineering technicians
- Median annual wage: $80,470
- Median hourly wage: $38.69
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Carpet installers
- Median annual wage: $82,270
- Median hourly wage: $39.56
- Total employment: 730 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $83,200
- Median hourly wage: $40.00
- Total employment: 320 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
- Median annual wage: $83,830
- Median hourly wage: $40.30
- Total employment: 410 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $84,100
- Median hourly wage: $40.43
- Total employment: 1,380 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Radiation therapists
- Median annual wage: $85,280
- Median hourly wage: $41.00
- Total employment: Not available
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24 / 50#27. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $85,650
- Median hourly wage: $41.18
- Total employment: 730 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrei Agape // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Avionics technicians
- Median annual wage: $86,800
- Median hourly wage: $41.73
- Total employment: Not available
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26 / 50#25. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers
- Median annual wage: $86,950
- Median hourly wage: $41.81
- Total employment: 560 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $89,610
- Median hourly wage: $43.08
- Total employment: 40 people (0.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
lenetstan // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $91,620
- Median hourly wage: $44.05
- Total employment: 1,100 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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29 / 50#22. Gambling managers
- Median annual wage: $92,270
- Median hourly wage: $44.36
- Total employment: 550 people (0.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $94,060
- Median hourly wage: $45.22
- Total employment: 290 people (0.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Fire inspectors and investigators
- Median annual wage: $94,560
- Median hourly wage: $45.46
- Total employment: 130 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Prath // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Median annual wage: $95,590
- Median hourly wage: $45.96
- Total employment: 440 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $97,070
- Median hourly wage: $46.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $98,560
- Median hourly wage: $47.39
- Total employment: 140 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
industryviews // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $98,770
- Median hourly wage: $47.49
- Total employment: Not available
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36 / 50#15. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $99,510
- Median hourly wage: $47.84
- Total employment: 1,800 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Magsi // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Electrical and electronics installers and repairers, transportation equipment
- Median annual wage: $99,540
- Median hourly wage: $47.86
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Onk-Q // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Reinforcing iron and rebar workers
- Median annual wage: $99,570
- Median hourly wage: $47.87
- Total employment: 310 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $99,940
- Median hourly wage: $48.05
- Total employment: 1,350 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
My Ocean Production // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Nuclear medicine technologists
- Median annual wage: $107,250
- Median hourly wage: $51.56
- Total employment: 90 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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41 / 50#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $107,810
- Median hourly wage: $51.83
- Total employment: 100 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
michaeljung // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Power plant operators
- Median annual wage: $108,000
- Median hourly wage: $51.92
- Total employment: 160 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $108,640
- Median hourly wage: $52.23
- Total employment: Not available
Yulai Studio // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Surgical assistants
- Median annual wage: $110,020
- Median hourly wage: $52.90
- Total employment: Not available
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $120,260
- Median hourly wage: $57.82
- Total employment: 600 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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46 / 50#5. Crane and tower operators
- Median annual wage: $132,560
- Median hourly wage: $63.73
- Total employment: Not available
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $133,660
- Median hourly wage: $64.26
- Total employment: 760 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lovely Bird // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Power distributors and dispatchers
- Median annual wage: $133,910
- Median hourly wage: $64.38
- Total employment: 80 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $133,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,400 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Burben // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Air traffic controllers
- Median annual wage: $155,900
- Median hourly wage: $74.95
- Total employment: 180 people (0.16 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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