Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Las Cruces

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 Cruces 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.

Bigflick // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Correctional officers and jailers

- Median annual wage: $48,510
- Median hourly wage: $23.32
- Total employment: 450 people (5.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shift Drive // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#48. Computer user support specialists (tie)

- Median annual wage: $48,800
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 380 people (4.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nicola Forenza // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Legal secretaries and administrative assistants (tie)

- Median annual wage: $48,800
- Median hourly wage: $23.46
- Total employment: 90 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Africa Studio // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Installation, maintenance, and repair workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $50,020
- Median hourly wage: $24.05
- Total employment: 80 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $50,170
- Median hourly wage: $24.12
- Total employment: 40 people (0.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Joey Chung // Shutterstock

6 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $50,490
- Median hourly wage: $24.28
- Total employment: 190 people (2.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorgev // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. First-line supervisors of security workers

- Median annual wage: $50,610
- Median hourly wage: $24.33
- Total employment: 40 people (0.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

fizkes // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. First-line supervisors of personal service workers

- Median annual wage: $50,940
- Median hourly wage: $24.49
- Total employment: 50 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GaudiLab // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Paralegals and legal assistants

- Median annual wage: $51,070
- Median hourly wage: $24.56
- Total employment: 140 people (1.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

- Median annual wage: $51,300
- Median hourly wage: $24.67
- Total employment: 70 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ALPA PROD // Shutterstock

11 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $51,730
- Median hourly wage: $24.87
- Total employment: 250 people (3.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Etaphop photo // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Electricians

- Median annual wage: $52,530
- Median hourly wage: $25.25
- Total employment: 330 people (4.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters

- Median annual wage: $53,420
- Median hourly wage: $25.68
- Total employment: 180 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Vera Larina // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Sheet metal workers

- Median annual wage: $53,430
- Median hourly wage: $25.69
- Total employment: 80 people (1.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Peter Braakmann // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

- Median annual wage: $54,770
- Median hourly wage: $26.33
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Stock Rocket // Shutterstock

16 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $54,780
- Median hourly wage: $26.34
- Total employment: 320 people (4.15 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: $55,070
- Median hourly wage: $26.48
- Total employment: 220 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Hitdelight // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Architectural and civil drafters

- Median annual wage: $55,330
- Median hourly wage: $26.60
- Total employment: 40 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,370
- Median hourly wage: $26.62
- Total employment: 210 people (2.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

David Spates // Shutterstock

20 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $55,670
- Median hourly wage: $26.77
- Total employment: 200 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Erin Deleon // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Postal service mail carriers

- Median annual wage: $56,330
- Median hourly wage: $27.08
- Total employment: 170 people (2.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Luisa Leal Photography // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

- Median annual wage: $56,640
- Median hourly wage: $27.23
- Total employment: 60 people (0.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Leszek Glasner // Shutterstock

23 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $56,870
- Median hourly wage: $27.34
- Total employment: 120 people (1.57 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: $57,160
- Median hourly wage: $27.48
- Total employment: 620 people (7.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kittirat roekburi // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Civil engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $57,680
- Median hourly wage: $27.73
- Total employment: 50 people (0.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SatawatK // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

- Median annual wage: $58,400
- Median hourly wage: $28.08
- Total employment: 100 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Physical therapist assistants

- Median annual wage: $58,690
- Median hourly wage: $28.22
- Total employment: 110 people (1.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

sculpies // Shutterstock

28 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $59,370
- Median hourly wage: $28.55
- Total employment: 370 people (4.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Arjuna Kodisinghe // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Computer network support specialists

- Median annual wage: $60,220
- Median hourly wage: $28.95
- Total employment: 70 people (0.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rlat // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Postal service clerks

- Median annual wage: $60,590
- Median hourly wage: $29.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

pio3 // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Police and sheriff's patrol officers

- Median annual wage: $61,440
- Median hourly wage: $29.54
- Total employment: 390 people (5.06 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

- Median annual wage: $61,600
- Median hourly wage: $29.62
- Total employment: 220 people (2.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Food service managers

- Median annual wage: $61,710
- Median hourly wage: $29.67
- Total employment: 130 people (1.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kmpzzz // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Construction and building inspectors

- Median annual wage: $62,490
- Median hourly wage: $30.04
- Total employment: 90 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Syda Productions // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

- Median annual wage: $63,030
- Median hourly wage: $30.30
- Total employment: 280 people (3.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmytro Zinkevych // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Respiratory therapists

- Median annual wage: $64,570
- Median hourly wage: $31.04
- Total employment: 60 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

welcomia // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

- Median annual wage: $65,120
- Median hourly wage: $31.31
- Total employment: 100 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

lenetstan // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Radiologic technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $66,930
- Median hourly wage: $32.18
- Total employment: 100 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

4 PM production // Shutterstock

39 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $68,640
- Median hourly wage: $33.00
- Total employment: 220 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

g-stockstudio // Shutterstock

40 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $69,690
- Median hourly wage: $33.50
- Total employment: 80 people (1.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rebekah Zemansky // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. First-line supervisors of correctional officers

- Median annual wage: $70,570
- Median hourly wage: $33.93
- Total employment: 100 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

42 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $73,940
- Median hourly wage: $35.55
- Total employment: 40 people (0.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

goodluz // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

- Median annual wage: $75,100
- Median hourly wage: $36.11
- Total employment: 40 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Toa55 // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Occupational therapy assistants

- Median annual wage: $76,230
- Median hourly wage: $36.65
- Total employment: 30 people (0.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SofikoS // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Diagnostic medical sonographers

- Median annual wage: $77,960
- Median hourly wage: $37.48
- Total employment: 30 people (0.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

- Median annual wage: $79,790
- Median hourly wage: $38.36
- Total employment: 70 people (0.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Unai Huizi Photography // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Dental hygienists

- Median annual wage: $81,090
- Median hourly wage: $38.98
- Total employment: 110 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

anyaivanova // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians

- Median annual wage: $81,310
- Median hourly wage: $39.09
- Total employment: 200 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

- Median annual wage: $95,850
- Median hourly wage: $46.08
- Total employment: 110 people (1.36 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Prath // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Detectives and criminal investigators

- Median annual wage: $104,330
- Median hourly wage: $50.16
- Total employment: 530 people (6.79 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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