BearFotos // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. First-line supervisors of protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $61,510
- Median hourly wage: $29.57
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Albuquerque
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 Albuquerque 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. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Median annual wage: $61,720
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 1,440 people (3.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Property, real estate, and community association managers
- Median annual wage: $62,140
- Median hourly wage: $29.88
- Total employment: 660 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
goodluz // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Real estate sales agents
- Median annual wage: $62,370
- Median hourly wage: $29.99
- Total employment: 400 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Xmentoys // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Calibration technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $62,500
- Median hourly wage: $30.05
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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6 / 50#45. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers
- Median annual wage: $62,540
- Median hourly wage: $30.07
- Total employment: 4,090 people (10.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Private detectives and investigators
- Median annual wage: $62,600
- Median hourly wage: $30.10
- Total employment: 110 people (0.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DenisKlimov // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Aircraft cargo handling supervisors
- Median annual wage: $62,680
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rlat // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Postal service clerks
- Median annual wage: $62,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.14
- Total employment: 190 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Photostriker // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Precision instrument and equipment repairers, all other
- Median annual wage: $62,980
- Median hourly wage: $30.28
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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11 / 50#40. Food service managers
- Median annual wage: $64,080
- Median hourly wage: $30.81
- Total employment: 900 people (2.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $64,310
- Median hourly wage: $30.92
- Total employment: 190 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door
- Median annual wage: $64,550
- Median hourly wage: $31.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Computer network support specialists
- Median annual wage: $64,990
- Median hourly wage: $31.25
- Total employment: 740 people (1.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santi lumubol // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Aircraft mechanics and service technicians
- Median annual wage: $65,320
- Median hourly wage: $31.40
- Total employment: 480 people (1.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators
- Median annual wage: $65,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.52
- Total employment: 900 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Toa55 // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Occupational therapy assistants
- Median annual wage: $66,290
- Median hourly wage: $31.87
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Respiratory therapists
- Median annual wage: $66,460
- Median hourly wage: $31.95
- Total employment: 320 people (0.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Atstock Productions // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Telemarketers
- Median annual wage: $66,700
- Median hourly wage: $32.07
- Total employment: 240 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Occupational therapy aides
- Median annual wage: $67,890
- Median hourly wage: $32.64
- Total employment: 30 people (0.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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21 / 50#30. First-line supervisors of correctional officers
- Median annual wage: $69,190
- Median hourly wage: $33.27
- Total employment: 180 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
4 PM production // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers
- Median annual wage: $71,270
- Median hourly wage: $34.26
- Total employment: 1,430 people (3.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nagy-Bagoly Arpad // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Insulation workers, mechanical
- Median annual wage: $71,730
- Median hourly wage: $34.49
- Total employment: 40 people (0.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $71,840
- Median hourly wage: $34.54
- Total employment: 1,160 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
sculpies // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Median annual wage: $73,840
- Median hourly wage: $35.50
- Total employment: 2,330 people (5.8 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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26 / 50#25. Police and sheriff's patrol officers
- Median annual wage: $74,250
- Median hourly wage: $35.70
- Total employment: 1,770 people (4.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $75,800
- Median hourly wage: $36.44
- Total employment: 60 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
g-stockstudio // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers
- Median annual wage: $76,500
- Median hourly wage: $36.78
- Total employment: 450 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Wipas Rojjanakard // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Occupational health and safety technicians
- Median annual wage: $77,130
- Median hourly wage: $37.08
- Total employment: 270 people (0.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Real estate brokers
- Median annual wage: $77,940
- Median hourly wage: $37.47
- Total employment: Not available
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lenetstan // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $78,250
- Median hourly wage: $37.62
- Total employment: 640 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Suwin // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay
- Median annual wage: $78,260
- Median hourly wage: $37.63
- Total employment: 50 people (0.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Electrical power-line installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $78,670
- Median hourly wage: $37.82
- Total employment: 370 people (0.92 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
- Median annual wage: $78,880
- Median hourly wage: $37.92
- Total employment: 40 people (0.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Roman Zaiets // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment
- Median annual wage: $80,380
- Median hourly wage: $38.65
- Total employment: 110 people (0.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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36 / 50#15. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- Median annual wage: $80,670
- Median hourly wage: $38.79
- Total employment: 50 people (0.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gearstd // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Mechanical drafters
- Median annual wage: $81,760
- Median hourly wage: $39.31
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
SofikoS // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Median annual wage: $83,290
- Median hourly wage: $40.04
- Total employment: 160 people (0.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Environmental engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $84,800
- Median hourly wage: $40.77
- Total employment: 50 people (0.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Median annual wage: $86,300
- Median hourly wage: $41.49
- Total employment: 560 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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anyaivanova // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $87,860
- Median hourly wage: $42.24
- Total employment: 520 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Indypendenz // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Electrical and electronics drafters
- Median annual wage: $88,790
- Median hourly wage: $42.69
- Total employment: 270 people (0.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Peakstock // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
- Median annual wage: $89,040
- Median hourly wage: $42.81
- Total employment: 70 people (0.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
- Median annual wage: $89,140
- Median hourly wage: $42.85
- Total employment: 220 people (0.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jat306 // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Millwrights
- Median annual wage: $90,750
- Median hourly wage: $43.63
- Total employment: 30 people (0.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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goodluz // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers
- Median annual wage: $94,870
- Median hourly wage: $45.61
- Total employment: 300 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Skycolors // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Commercial pilots
- Median annual wage: $94,990
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 160 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Dental hygienists
- Median annual wage: $96,360
- Median hourly wage: $46.33
- Total employment: 720 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Washburn HM // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Transportation inspectors
- Median annual wage: $99,750
- Median hourly wage: $47.96
- Total employment: 40 people (0.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BearFotos // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Protective service workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $100,210
- Median hourly wage: $48.18
- Total employment: 390 people (0.96 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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