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

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 Reno 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.

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $69,630
- Median hourly wage: $33.48
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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2 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $70,370
- Median hourly wage: $33.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Roman023_photography // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Riggers

- Median annual wage: $70,790
- Median hourly wage: $34.04
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $71,530
- Median hourly wage: $34.39
- Total employment: 220 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kot500 // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

- Median annual wage: $72,530
- Median hourly wage: $34.87
- Total employment: 540 people (1.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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HannaTor // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Gambling managers

- Median annual wage: $72,570
- Median hourly wage: $34.89
- Total employment: 110 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BearFotos // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $74,140
- Median hourly wage: $35.65
- Total employment: 60 people (0.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ITisha // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Bailiffs

- Median annual wage: $74,440
- Median hourly wage: $35.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $74,560
- Median hourly wage: $35.85
- Total employment: 90 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $75,710
- Median hourly wage: $36.40
- Total employment: 550 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $75,750
- Median hourly wage: $36.42
- Total employment: 540 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SritanaN // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $75,930
- Median hourly wage: $36.50
- Total employment: 1,110 people (4.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Avatar_023 // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

- Median annual wage: $76,010
- Median hourly wage: $36.54
- Total employment: 150 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Solar photovoltaic installers

- Median annual wage: $76,530
- Median hourly wage: $36.80
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

- Median annual wage: $76,630
- Median hourly wage: $36.84
- Total employment: 50 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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BGStock72 // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other

- Median annual wage: $76,650
- Median hourly wage: $36.85
- Total employment: 170 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oleg Golovnev // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,910
- Median hourly wage: $36.98
- Total employment: 1,290 people (4.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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18 / 50

#33. Surgical technologists

- Median annual wage: $77,350
- Median hourly wage: $37.19
- Total employment: 180 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Meter readers, utilities

- Median annual wage: $77,780
- Median hourly wage: $37.40
- Total employment: 50 people (0.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

#31. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $78,480
- Median hourly wage: $37.73
- Total employment: 1,270 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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21 / 50

#30. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $78,840
- Median hourly wage: $37.91
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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22 / 50

#29. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

- Median annual wage: $78,900
- Median hourly wage: $37.93
- Total employment: 1,080 people (3.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Bigflick // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $79,550
- Median hourly wage: $38.25
- Total employment: 140 people (0.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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24 / 50

#27. Lodging managers

- Median annual wage: $79,800
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 50 people (0.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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25 / 50

#26. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $80,060
- Median hourly wage: $38.49
- Total employment: 900 people (3.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $81,170
- Median hourly wage: $39.03
- Total employment: 250 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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27 / 50

#24. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $81,300
- Median hourly wage: $39.09
- Total employment: Not available

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28 / 50

#23. Carpet installers

- Median annual wage: $81,620
- Median hourly wage: $39.24
- Total employment: 170 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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29 / 50

#22. Transportation inspectors

- Median annual wage: $81,730
- Median hourly wage: $39.29
- Total employment: 40 people (0.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

30 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $81,980
- Median hourly wage: $39.41
- Total employment: 1,830 people (6.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

#20. Mechanical drafters

- Median annual wage: $85,230
- Median hourly wage: $40.98
- Total employment: 80 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santi lumubol // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians

- Median annual wage: $85,570
- Median hourly wage: $41.14
- Total employment: 240 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $87,130
- Median hourly wage: $41.89
- Total employment: 110 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Insulation workers, mechanical

- Median annual wage: $87,230
- Median hourly wage: $41.94
- Total employment: 50 people (0.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vladeep // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Crane and tower operators

- Median annual wage: $87,360
- Median hourly wage: $42.00
- Total employment: Not available

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36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $87,880
- Median hourly wage: $42.25
- Total employment: 230 people (0.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $92,000
- Median hourly wage: $44.23
- Total employment: 270 people (0.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $92,520
- Median hourly wage: $44.48
- Total employment: 810 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $94,430
- Median hourly wage: $45.40
- Total employment: 320 people (1.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

funnyangel // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Fire inspectors and investigators

- Median annual wage: $97,740
- Median hourly wage: $46.99
- Total employment: 40 people (0.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $98,890
- Median hourly wage: $47.54
- Total employment: 60 people (0.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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42 / 50

#9. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $101,800
- Median hourly wage: $48.94
- Total employment: 100 people (0.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $105,220
- Median hourly wage: $50.59
- Total employment: 120 people (0.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Skycolors // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Commercial pilots

- Median annual wage: $105,400
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 100 people (0.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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45 / 50

#6. Power plant operators

- Median annual wage: $105,820
- Median hourly wage: $50.87
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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46 / 50

#5. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

- Median annual wage: $106,520
- Median hourly wage: $51.21
- Total employment: 100 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $107,420
- Median hourly wage: $51.65
- Total employment: 500 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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48 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $109,920
- Median hourly wage: $52.85
- Total employment: 40 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $123,680
- Median hourly wage: $59.46
- Total employment: 100 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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50 / 50

#1. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $135,350
- Median hourly wage: $65.07
- Total employment: 260 people (0.97 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.