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

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 Farmington 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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LightField Studios // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Bus drivers, school

- Median annual wage: $48,830
- Median hourly wage: $23.48
- Total employment: 150 people (3.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Glenn Highcove // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Industrial truck and tractor operators

- Median annual wage: $48,980
- Median hourly wage: $23.55
- Total employment: 70 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

branislavpudar // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Hazardous materials removal workers

- Median annual wage: $49,300
- Median hourly wage: $23.70
- Total employment: 90 people (1.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $49,720
- Median hourly wage: $23.91
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $49,820
- Median hourly wage: $23.95
- Total employment: 250 people (5.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Pressmaster // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $49,860
- Median hourly wage: $23.97
- Total employment: 40 people (0.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $50,150
- Median hourly wage: $24.11
- Total employment: 70 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Payroll and timekeeping clerks

- Median annual wage: $50,850
- Median hourly wage: $24.45
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Zahovaev K // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers

- Median annual wage: $51,200
- Median hourly wage: $24.62
- Total employment: 460 people (10.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anatoliy_gleb // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Derrick operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $51,370
- Median hourly wage: $24.70
- Total employment: 190 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

XiXinXing // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Medical records specialists

- Median annual wage: $51,440
- Median hourly wage: $24.73
- Total employment: 70 people (1.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

12 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $52,490
- Median hourly wage: $25.24
- Total employment: 80 people (1.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $54,100
- Median hourly wage: $26.01
- Total employment: 40 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

- Median annual wage: $54,250
- Median hourly wage: $26.08
- Total employment: 70 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Irene Miller // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators

- Median annual wage: $55,210
- Median hourly wage: $26.54
- Total employment: 470 people (10.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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16 / 50

#35. First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors

- Median annual wage: $56,920
- Median hourly wage: $27.36
- Total employment: 170 people (3.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

17 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $57,290
- Median hourly wage: $27.54
- Total employment: 210 people (4.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

FabrikaSimf // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Carpenters

- Median annual wage: $57,300
- Median hourly wage: $27.55
- Total employment: 220 people (4.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BigPixel Photo // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Machinists

- Median annual wage: $57,520
- Median hourly wage: $27.66
- Total employment: 70 people (1.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $58,340
- Median hourly wage: $28.05
- Total employment: 380 people (8.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 60 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $59,050
- Median hourly wage: $28.39
- Total employment: 360 people (7.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Elizaveta Galitckaia // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Wellhead pumpers

- Median annual wage: $59,510
- Median hourly wage: $28.61
- Total employment: 80 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Surveying and mapping technicians

- Median annual wage: $60,210
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 30 people (0.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $60,460
- Median hourly wage: $29.07
- Total employment: 50 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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26 / 50

#25. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $60,680
- Median hourly wage: $29.17
- Total employment: 370 people (8.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Property, real estate, and community association managers

- Median annual wage: $60,940
- Median hourly wage: $29.30
- Total employment: 50 people (1.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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28 / 50

#23. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $61,170
- Median hourly wage: $29.41
- Total employment: 40 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $61,190
- Median hourly wage: $29.42
- Total employment: 50 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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30 / 50

#21. Industrial machinery mechanics

- Median annual wage: $61,740
- Median hourly wage: $29.68
- Total employment: 470 people (10.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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31 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $62,280
- Median hourly wage: $29.94
- Total employment: 190 people (4.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Said M // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Service unit operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $62,880
- Median hourly wage: $30.23
- Total employment: 550 people (11.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

- Median annual wage: $63,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 150 people (3.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $63,690
- Median hourly wage: $30.62
- Total employment: 30 people (0.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $64,580
- Median hourly wage: $31.05
- Total employment: 70 people (1.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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36 / 50

#15. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $65,070
- Median hourly wage: $31.29
- Total employment: 70 people (1.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

37 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $65,750
- Median hourly wage: $31.61
- Total employment: 40 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $66,780
- Median hourly wage: $32.10
- Total employment: 220 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oil and Gas Photographer // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,380
- Median hourly wage: $32.39
- Total employment: 90 people (1.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $67,600
- Median hourly wage: $32.50
- Total employment: 250 people (5.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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41 / 50

#10. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $67,970
- Median hourly wage: $32.68
- Total employment: 90 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $76,950
- Median hourly wage: $36.99
- Total employment: 640 people (13.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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43 / 50

#8. Rotary drill operators, oil and gas

- Median annual wage: $76,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.00
- Total employment: 60 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $77,180
- Median hourly wage: $37.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $78,440
- Median hourly wage: $37.71
- Total employment: 100 people (2.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Real estate sales agents

- Median annual wage: $82,220
- Median hourly wage: $39.53
- Total employment: 30 people (0.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kzenon // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining

- Median annual wage: $83,610
- Median hourly wage: $40.20
- Total employment: 60 people (1.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Real estate brokers

- Median annual wage: $85,040
- Median hourly wage: $40.88
- Total employment: 30 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $93,550
- Median hourly wage: $44.98
- Total employment: 120 people (2.61 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: $97,900
- Median hourly wage: $47.07
- Total employment: 70 people (1.62 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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